Jane was silent, and Mrs. Davis relieved her by simply stating the truth. "Late hours in the damps of autumn evenings, with too little care in the matter of suitable clothing." "Very foolish, indeed," said Mr. Saunders; "but I should have thought you had too much to do to admit of getting out often in an evening. You don't mean Sundays, I hope?" and he looked again at Jane, who was silent and embarrassed. "Really, Jane," said he gravely, "I see now how it is, but I thought better of you; your letters have been so sensible of late that it seemed time to trust you according to my promise; but who can expect giddy, thoughtless Sabbath-breakers ever to do any good for themselves in the world? It is not respectable to go holiday-making instead of minding your church and your Bible on a Sunday. I wonder Miss Baylis has not seen to it for you, if you can't judge for yourselves." Jane replied that Miss Baylis usually went out of town on Saturday night, and knew very little of her young people's habits on a Sunday. "Well, then, she ought to know them; I can't see how she can shirk the responsibility. I see after the doings of my shopmen and servants, and put them in the right way." Mr. Saunders's "right way," however, was not precisely the winning, loving way that tends, under God's blessing, to make "the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, and honorable." His views were those of a respectable formalist, connecting God's blessing with human obedience, in higher subjects, besides those of temporal interests, which, it may readily be admitted, are usually benefited by such outward respect. Mrs. Davis took an opportunity of exculpating Jane from her uncle's condemnation; and though it seemed to make Ellen's conduct still more reprehensible, yet he spoke with kindness and forbearance to the suffering girl, and told her of his plans for their future welfare. Ellen was, indeed, seriously ill. She had paid no regard to Jane's warning concerning her dress or the evening damp, and after taking tea out on the grass with her young friends, at a place of public resort in the country, had returned by water at a late hour, and the next day was so ill from severe cold, that Miss Baylis gladly acceded to the earnest request of Jane and Mary, that she might be removed to the care of one who had been too sadly experienced in attendance on the sick.