“I must go back to mamma now,” said Aline moving to the door. His dark eyes followed her entreatingly. “Do not go so soon,” he pleaded. “You have not told me yet where you have been and how you came back, and I am so anxious to hear.” “Do stay a little longer, Miss Rodney,” pleaded Mrs. Griffin, and Aline readily consented to do so. CHAPTER LXV. It looked very pleasant and cozy in the sick-room, with the curtains drawn and the bright fire. Aline sat down in the easy-chair Mrs. Griffin wheeled forward for her, and was quite unconscious what a picture of fair, girlish beauty she made sitting there, in her pretty dark blue dress with her dark hair falling over her slight, pretty figure. “Do you know,” she said, looking at the nurse, “that this reminds me of the time when I was at Delaney House?--only that it was I who was ill then, and not Mr. Delaney.” “Can you recall those times without being angry with me, Aline?” inquired Mr. Delaney, half fearfully. “I told you I had forgiven you all, Mr. Delaney,” answered Aline, as if that implied everything. “Thank you,” he answered, dropping his head back, with a sigh, upon the pillow. Mrs. Griffin busied herself in preparing the little table by the bedside, which she now wheeled forward with the simple repast neatly arranged upon it. “Do you know that I could not swallow a mouthful now?” he said, looking at her with a slight smile. “I am so impatient to hear Aline’s story, that I can think of nothing else.” “But he must keep up his strength, mustn’t he, Miss Rodney?” said Mrs. Griffin, anxiously. “Most certainly! And I shall not begin the telling of my story until after he has eaten every bite of his toast and swallowed every mouthful of his tea,” answered that young person, with her usual cruel directness. He looked at her imploringly. “Do you not know that I am far too much excited to eat?” he said. “If that is the case, I am very sorry that I came,” exclaimed Miss Rodney. “I was told, particularly, that you must not be excited. So I will take myself off at once.” “Do not go, Miss Rodney,” pleaded the nurse, while the invalid cried out, anxiously: “Stay, Aline, and I will at once proceed to devour every morsel on the plate.” “Very well. In that case I may permit myself to remain awhile longer,” she replied. She sat down again and watched him taking his tea. There was a very sober, grave expression on her face while she did so. She was shocked at the change that had taken place in Mr. Delaney since that snowy night, barely five weeks agone, when she had asked him to marry her and he had refused her request. Then he had been tall, strong, handsome, full of life and health. Now how pale, how wan, how shadowy, appeared the wasted face in which the great burning black eyes appeared so large and solemn.