Thurston was the sole and surly occupant of the sitting-room, where he had thrown himself at full length upon the sofa, to lie and yawn over the newspaper, which he vowed was as stale as last year's almanac. Suddenly the front door was thrown open, and some one came, followed by the driving wind and snow, into the hall. Thurston threw aside his paper, started up, and went out. What was his surprise to see Cloudesley Mornington standing there, with a face so haggard, with eyes so wild and despairing, that, in alarm, he exclaimed: "Good heaven, Cloudesley. What is the matter? Has anything happened at home?" "Home! home! What home? I have no home upon this earth now, and never shall have!" exclaimed the poor youth, distractedly. "My dear fellow, never speak so despondently. What is it now? a difficulty with the commodore?" "God's judgment light upon him!" cried Cloudy, pushing past and hurrying up the stairs. Thurston could not resume his former composure; something in Cloudy's face had left a feeling of uneasiness in his mind, and the oftener he recalled the expression the more troubled he became. Until at length he could bear the anxiety no longer, and quietly leaving his room, he went up-stairs in search of the youth, and paused before the boy's door. By the clicking, metallic sounds within, he suspected him to be engaged in loading a pistol; for what purpose! Not an instant was to be risked in rapping or questioning. With one vigorous blow of his heel Thurston burst open the door, and sprung forward and dashed the fatal weapon from his hand, and then confronted him, exclaiming: "Good God, Cloudy! What does this mean?" Cloudy looked at him wildly for a minute, and when Thurston repeated the question, he answered with a hollow laugh: "That I am crazy, I guess! don't you think so?" "Cloudy, my dear fellow, we have been like brothers all our lives; now won't you tell me what has brought you to this pass? What troubles you so much? Perhaps I can aid you in some way. Come, what is it now?" "And you really don't know what it is? Don't you know that there is a wedding on hand?" "A wedding!" "Aye, man alive! A wedding! They are going to marry the child Jacquelina to old Grimshaw." "Oh, yes, I know that; but, my dear boy, what of it? Surely you were never in love with little Jacko?" "In love with her! ha! ha! no, not as you understand it! who take it to be that fantastical passion that may be inspired by the first sight of a pretty face. No! I am not in love with her, unless I could be in love with myself. For Lina was my other self. Oh, you who can talk so glibly of being 'in love,' little know that strength of attachment when two hearts have grown together from childhood." "It is like a brother's and a sister's." "Never! brothers and sisters cannot love so. What brother ever loved a sister as I have loved Lina from our infancy? What brother ever would have done and suffered as much for his sister as I have for Lina?"