I'LL SEE ABOUT IT. 71

 

chair; while his eyes, half-opened, saw all
things around him but imperfectly. Just
at this time the door was quietly opened,
and a lad of some fifteen or sixteen years,
with a pale, thin face, high forehead, and
large dark eyes, entered. He approached
the merchant with a hesitating step, : and
soon stood directly before him.
Mr. Easy felt disturbed at this int:

for so he felt it. He knew the lac

the son of a poor widow, who had once
seen better circumstances than those that
now surrounded her. Her hus: ~ had,
while living, been his intimate ” nd
he had promised him, at his dying hour, to
be the protector and adviser of his wife and
children. He had meant to do all he pro-
mised; but, not being very fond of trouble,
except where stimulated to activity by the
hope of gaining some good for himself, he
had not been as thoughtful in regard to
Mrs. Mayberry as he ought to have been.
She was a modest, shrinking, sensitive wo-

man, and had, notwithstanding her need of
TH.—5 P2