This was another pleasant day for Claudia. But it would stretch this chapter to too great a length to describe each day of her sojourn at Cameron Court. Let it suffice to say in general terms that the countess kept her guest usefully employed or agreeably entertained during the whole of her visit. There was neither a tedious nor a fatiguing hour in the five weeks of her sojourn. Every Sunday they attended divine worship at "St. Giles' Cathedral," commonly called "John Knox's church." Every Monday they went their rounds among the poor. Other days in the week they visited interesting and remarkable places in and around Edinboro'. And thus cheerfully passed the days. CHAPTER XXXIX. SUSPENSE. Wait, for the day is breaking, Tho' the dull night be long, Wait, Heav'n is not forsaking Thy heart--be strong! be strong! --_Anon_. As the time approached when Claudia might reasonably expect a reply to the letter she had written to her father, she naturally became very anxious. Would he answer that last urgent appeal by letter or in person? that was the question she was forever asking of herself. And the response of her heart was always the same; he would lose no time in writing, he would hasten at once to her relief. Ah! but if he should be ill, or--even dead? What then? Claudia's anxiety grew daily more acute. She had heard nothing of the fate of her negroes. She learned by a second letter from Jean Murdock that Mrs. Dugald still remained at Castle Cragg, "lording it o'er a'," as the housekeeper expressed it. And she saw by the "Times" that Malcolm, Viscount Vincent, had filed a petition for divorce from his viscountess. That was all. The fourth week had nearly gone by when one morning, on coming to the breakfast table, Claudia found lying beside her plate a foreign letter. At the very first glance at its superscription she recognized her father's firm handwriting, and with an irrepressible cry of joy she snatched it up. It was the short letter Judge Merlin had hastily penned on the eve of his journey to Washington. It merely stated that he had just that instant taken her letters from the post office; and that, in order to save the immediately outgoing mail, he answered them without leaving the office, to announce to her that he should sail for England on the "Oceana," that would leave Boston on the following Wednesday. And then, with strong expressions of indignation against Lord Vincent, sorrow for Claudia's troubles, and affection for herself, the letter closed. "Oh, Berenice, Berenice! I am so happy; so very happy!" exclaimed Claudia wildly. "My father has written to me! he is well! he is coming! he is coming! he will be here in a few days! in a very few days! for this letter was written in the post office, to save the very last mail that came by the steamer immediately preceding the 'Oceana'! Oh, Berenice, I could cry with joy!"