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Had her position in life been a more lowly one, or if it had been higher, or if her bringing-up, even in her own condition, had been less exceptional, she would have been spared the shock of this revelation, and also, perhaps, would have missed its lesson; but her knowledge of life was as inferior to that of most girls of her own age as her intelligence was superior. How different she was from them may be best gathered from the fact that, as soon as the sudden passion-flush had passed, and reason had time to assert itself within her, she forgave her unconscious rival, or rather confessed to herself that she had nothing to forgive. Her first impulse had been to get the girl away from Rosebank, in order to save herself from a public mortification; but her honest heart had since been moved towards her with genuine pity. If she herself had been deceived by Richard-against whom every voice was warning her-was this poor girl to be blamed for having become his victim? Nay, if her tale was true, might not Richard, had it not been for her own sake-she would not say "for the love of her," for she now ignored it-have redressed her wrong, and married her, so that in a manner was not she herself to blame for this poor girl's desertion? Henceforth, at all events, she would do her best to serve her and her innocent child. In good actions, it has been said, the most wretched of mankind can find some comfort; our own cup of bitterness seems not so bitter when we strive to make that of others more palatable. Moreover, terrible as was this revelation to herself, the effects of it, she could not but reflect, would be welcome to her father, to whose loving appeals she had hitherto refused to listen; she would henceforward make up for her undutifulness by obedience to his every wish; indeed, for the future, what wishes could she ever entertain not in accordance with his own? Side by side they would work together, undissociated by any secret thought: she would give herself

heart and soul to him, sympathise with his aims, second them all she could, and, if they should be successful, strive to find some happiness in his triumph.

Reader, has it not sometimes happened to you, when you have had occasion to resolve particularly upon a course of conduct, when your plans are laid, and the circumstances for which they are prepared lie, as it seems, plainly before youthe same as they did yesterday and the day before, without a hint of a change-that all this forethought has gone for nothing, or only for what thought is worth which can never be put in practice? Does it not seem, I say, as though Fate were jealous of feeble man's proposals, and resolute to flout them? While Maggie has her hand upon the door of home, where all that happens is known to her so well, and goes on with such methodical iteration, an empty carriage drives swiftly up to it, and stops. "Is this Mr Thorne's house, please, miss?" asks the coachman.

"Yes," says she, surprised, but not alarmed; why should she be? "Have you any message for him?"

"No, miss; but I have got my orders to wait here for my master, Dr Naylor, who has been summoned to see him."

"Summoned to see him! What about?" cried Maggie, ringing nervously at the bell.

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"Well, I don't rightly know, miss; but the man from the chemist's shop came running down to us, ten minutes ago, to say as Mr Thorne in Mitchell Street was took with a stroke. He told our cook it was summut of paralysis."

CHAPTER XIV.

STRUCK DOWN.

WE hear much of the contrasts between rich and poor, and, Heaven knows, they are sharply defined and unmistakable enough; but there is another contrast not so defined, and therefore not so patent, in the social positions of our fellowmen, but which in the end is often as deplorable. This is caused by the presence or absence of what is vulgarly termed "an independence;" that is, the possession of some sum of money, small or great, which is their own, and upon which they can fall back for support in case of need. The barrister in good practice lives, during the holidays, next neighbour, at some seaside resort, to the country gentleman, who has chanced to bring his wife and children to the same place. The way of living of their two families is almost identical; you would set them down as being in the enjoyment of somewhat similar incomes; and very likely it may be so. Yet the difference between their pecuniary positions is in reality as great as, perhaps greater than, that which exists between the barrister and the humble lodging-house keeper of whose apartments he is the temporary tenant. For, if he sickens, or his practice falls away, poverty and want soon begin to press him sore; while, if he dies, ruin too often seizes upon those he has so tenderly nurtured, only to feel their fate the harder when it thus befalls. On the other hand, should the country gentleman decease, his girls have only his personal

loss to deplore; it is not the prop of the house that has been snatched away from them; in the matter of material prosperity they are as they were; while the daughters of their neighbour are no more their equals, but will have to work for scanty pay, for strangers, from youth to age. The occurrence is so common, that it excites but little remark. "I see Brown of the Chancery Bar, or Brown the doctor, or Brown the vicar (as the case may be), is dead," we say: "I fear those nice girls of his will be left but badly off."

Yet, but yesterday, Brown to all outward seeming was as prosperous as his friend Brown the county magistrate, and it would have been the height of presumption to pity his girls. Of course folks say, "Why did he not insure his life?" and probably to some small extent-less than he should have done, but not much less, perhaps, considering what responsibility he would have incurred in undertaking a great premium -he did insure it. At all events, that little provision does but serve to break the fall of the suddenly descending Browns.

This reflection, indeed, would sadden us more if the downfall was less sudden and complete, since, as it is, they all go "under," as it were, immediately; the ranks of society close up, and little or nothing more is heard of them, unless, indeed, one of their number happens to be fortunate enough to be taken into the family circle (yet not quite inside) of the country Browns-as their governess. This sad difference of lot does not commonly take place in the professional class while the breadwinner is yet alive; he may fail in brain or health a little without losing his means of livelihood altogether —indeed, in the case of Brown the vicar, they remain to him even if he be bedridden, and in other cases the invalid's friends and associates "rally round him," and something is done for the afflicted man; but in the lower middle classthat of the mechanic who works for weekly wage-a serious illness is almost as bad as a death-blow. There is but one

step from competence to penury. It is small comfort, even to a selfish man thus situated, to reflect that this misfortune is liable to occur not to him alone, but to nineteen-twentieths of those in his own calling. The little "independence" is almost unknown among them, while the advantages of the "benefit club" belong to a class below.

From the moment, therefore, that Herbert Thorne was stricken down by sudden sickness, the fortunes of the little household began to collapse rather than to wane. His weekly income had been better than that of many an unbeneficed clergyman, though it was largely taxed to defray the expenses of scientific experiments; and now it was absolutely nil. There was no incoming at all, but all was outgoing-save what Maggie, who had the duty of sick-nurse to perform, could earn with her hands. It is the consideration of cases of this kind-which are as common as the toothache-which makes one smile scornfully when the man of " independent" means talks about "hard times," for he can never know what they

are.

Maggie was very clever and assiduous; did not waste her wits or wages, like her father, upon impracticable theories; would have been the best helpmate and home-ruler that a diligent man could have taken to his bosom ; and could have maintained herself at all times were health but granted to her; but the burden that was now cast upon her willing shoulders was greater than they could bear. The rent of the house, for one thing, would have swallowed up half her gains; and there were her father and the servant to feed, and the doctor to pay, and― But the list of what has to be provided for even in the most humble household is a long one, and would weary the comfortable reader; albeit every item of it, as it flashed on poor Maggie's mind, was not merely a wearisome detail, but inflicted a pang as real and painful as the most sentimental woe ever endured by a heroine of romance.

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