Enough was crowding into the mind of this excellent woman to drive slumber from her eyelids. The room adjoining was occupied by Fanny, and, as the communicating door stood open, she was aware that the sleep of her child was not sound. Every now and then she turned restlessly in her bed; and sometimes muttered incoherently. Several times did Mrs. Markland raise herself and lean upon her elbow, in a listening attitude, as words, distinctly spoken, fell from the lips of her daughter. At last the quickly uttered sentence, "Mother! mother! come!" caused her to spring from the bed and hurry to her child. "What is it, Fanny? What has frightened you?" she said, in a gentle, encouraging voice. But Fanny only muttered something incoherent, in her sleep, and turned her face to the wall. For several minutes did Mrs. Markland sit upon the bedside, listening, with an oppressed feeling, to the now calm respiration of her child. The dreams which had disturbed her sleep, seemed to have given place to other images. The mother was about returning to her own pillow, when Fanny said, in a voice of sad entreaty-- "Oh! Mr. Lyon! Don't! don't!" There was a moment or two of breathless stillness, and then, with a sharp cry of fear, the sleeper started up, exclaiming-- "Mother! father! Oh, come to me! Come!" "Fanny, my child!" was the mother's instant response, and the yet half-dreaming girl fell forward into her arms, which were closed tightly around her. What a strong thrill of terror was in every part of her frame! "Dear Fanny! What ails you? Don't tremble so! You are safe in my arms. There, love, nothing shall harm you." "Oh, mother! dear mother! is it you?" half sobbed the not yet fully-awakened girl. "Yes, love. You are safe with your mother. But what have you been dreaming about?" "Dreaming!" Fanny raised herself from her mother's bosom, and looked at her with a bewildered air. "Yes, dear--dreaming. This is your own room, and you are on your own bed. You have only been frightened by a fearful dream." "Only a dream! How thankful I am! Oh! it was terrible!" "What was it about, daughter?" asked Mrs. Markland. Fanny, whose mind was getting clearer and calmer, did not at once reply. "You mentioned the name of Mr. Lyon," said the mother. "Did I?" Fanny's voice expressed surprise. "Yes. Was it of him that you were dreaming?" "I saw him in my dream," was answered. "Why were you afraid of him?" "It was a very strange dream, mother--very strange," said Fanny, evidently not speaking from a free choice.