A Novel,
IN THREE VOLUMES.
VOL. III.
LONDON:
THOMAS CAUTLEY NEWBY, PUBLISHER,
30, WELBECK STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE.
1854.
CHAPTER I1
CHAPTER II21
CHAPTER III46
CHAPTER IV88
CHAPTER V102
CHAPTER VI123
CHAPTER VII154
CHAPTER VIII172
CHAPTER IX193
CHAPTER X220
CHAPTER XI247
CHAPTER XII257
To your household Gods
Return! for by their altars Virtue dwells,
And Happiness with her.
There was something so pleasant in the feeling of the cheerful fire,that Mabel, who, for many days, had been up early and late, could notresist its influence; her thoughts began to wander from the book whichshe had again taken up; her heavy eyelids closed, and she fell asleep.
Again she was, where memory often carried her, in their happy cottage atAston; she was again kneeling by her sister's side, holding her littlehand in hers, and watching her tranquil sleep. Again the rumbling soundof many feet, and many voices, stole upon her ear, the air was thickwith smoke—a smell of burning, and then, again, that fearful, hoarse,deafening cry of "fire."
She again awoke, startled at the sound, and, before she could analyseher remembrance, or distinguish the past from the present, she perceivedthat she was in flames. Her dress had fallen too near the fire, and hadbecome ignited. Lucy was at the door, screaming fire, and calling wildlyon the names of all in the house, for assistance. Caroline rushed toher, but retreated with a scream, just as Hargrave, who had beenattracted by the sound of his name, came towards them. Quickly passingher, as she remained screaming with terror, he was by Mabel's side in aninstant, and wrapping his[3] powerful arms around her, he laid her on thefloor as if she had been a child; then, folding the rug over her, hevery soon succeeded in extinguishing the flames.
Caroline, reassured, now entered the room, and Lucy pattered back again,with her naked feet, into bed, and drew the curtains closely round her.
"Why, she has fainted!" cried Caroline; "and see how her chest isburnt," she added, tremblingly pulling aside the dress, which gave wayto her touch, and displayed a scar upon her fair bosom. Hargrave turnedaside his head, but she s