The breakfast had not been touched, but tightly grasped in her clenched hands was an open letter—the one which had that morning been received. By the application of a few simple restoratives, with which her daughter seemed perfectly familiar, consciousness soon began to return. As she opened her eyes, what was Jennie’s astonishment to hear her exclaim, "My boy! my boy! Where is Ralph?" The letter which had been held so tenaciously now lay upon the bed, as it had fallen from her nerveless hand. Picking it hastily up, the daughter looked to see who it was from, and with a surprise which was almost overwhelming, saw the well-known signature of her brother Ralph at the end. A flood of tears relieved the elder woman, in the midst of which she exclaimed, "Read it, Jennie!—The letter!" In a state of excitement almost beyond description she proceeded to do so. It was a long letter, and took her some time to get through. It was indeed from her brother—the brother they had long mourned as dead, but who, it appeared, was alive and well in a distant land. Acting upon the advice which Ranger had given him, he had written a full confession of his conduct, omitting nothing, and not attempting to excuse himself in the least degree, nor to say anything which would tend to palliate the acts of which he had been guilty. He did not fail to express how keen and bitter was the regret he felt at the sorrow he had caused the fond mother whose love for her boy he was deeply sensible of, and could never by any possibility hope to repay. He was unwilling to return home and take the consequence of his acts, not so much because he dreaded the punishment, as that he was fearful of the additional suffering it would entail upon those he still so much loved. He therefore concluded by requesting his mother to see his late employers, let them see all he had written, but to conceal from them the place where he was living. By the time Jennie had finished reading the contents of the letter, both women had obtained sufficient control over their emotions as to be able to hold converse together. "My poor deluded boy!" was one of the many exclamations of a similar character with which the mother continually sought to relieve her overburdened mind. "Poor boy! what he must have suffered! Now mind, Jennie! not a word of this to anyone, but ascertain at once the time of the trains to Broadstone, that I may arrange the most convenient one to travel by; and I must get you to go with me." "But I think, mother, it would be better to wait a day or two until you have got over the shock the letter has given you, or you will not be in a fit condition to see the people at Broadstone." "Well, see how the trains serve first, and after I am up I shall be better able to talk about when we may start." Having rung for the maid, and instructed her to send for a time-table, she proceeded to assist her mother to dress. * * * * *