"It is all very well for a day, you know," he said, "but how any body can stand being shut up in a sick room for so long, I can't imagine; and I really think, Miss Capel, I----" and here Mr. Humphries looked round, as if he was anxious to hide behind some of the furniture, "I think, indeed, you are beginning to look pale." "Oh! I shall do very well," said Margaret, smiling, "Harriet will soon be down stairs, I hope." "And in the meantime," said Mr. Gage, with deep anxiety, "I fear you are injuring your health by your kind exertions." Margaret thought he might as well expend a little of his interest upon Harriet's health, which at that time was in rather a more precarious state than hers, but she said "it was a pleasure to her to sit with Harriet, for she well knew how long the days appeared in illness." "That is very--I mean it is just what I--you are all goodness, I am sure," faltered Mr. Humphries. Mr. Gage could not but feel the most sovereign contempt for the manner in which Mr. Humphries attempted to show his interest for Margaret: instead of whispering a well-turned phrase into her long tresses, to stand blushing and stammering like an idiot. So after staring haughtily at both for a moment, he loitered away to the stable. Margaret had a note to write for Harriet, and as during this process her eyes were fixed on the paper, Mr. Humphries found it less difficult to keep up a conversation with her. "Does Miss Conway make a good invalid?" he said. "Yes, indeed," said Margaret, "she is very patient." "You would be very patient," said Mr. Humphries, with his usual gesture of attempting to hide under the table. "I hope so," said Margaret, gently; "but sickness is a great trial to every body, Mr. Humphries." "I don't think," began Mr. Humphries, looking fixedly at the beautiful fingers that were engaged in folding the note:--"that is, I think--if you were to nurse people, they would not need to be much pitied." This sentence, which was spoken very fast, and accompanied by strong signs of bashfulness, was received by Margaret as one of the ordinary civilities which young men are in the habit of paying. She carefully traced the direction, and, pausing at the last word, said calmly:-- "Let me see, is Lockwood in Worcestershire or Somersetshire, Mr. Humphries?" "In Worcestershire," said Mr. Humphries, relieved by finding that his speech had produced no greater effect,--for he had grown extremely red in the face, and felt like a person who had fired a train, and expected some terrible explosion to take place. However, he had composure enough left to light her a taper, and find the sealing wax, but before Margaret could make use of it, Harriet's maid rushed into the room, and with signs of great agitation informed her that her mistress was much worse, and as she thought, light-headed.