Sad Tidings. 123

in a hurry, and showed great distress of mind,
stating that Herbert's cold, which at first had
seemed of no importance, had very suddenly
taken a fresh turn, and that he was extremely
ill; so ill, indeed, that Mrs. Hamilton deemed
it wise to have his sisters home immediately,
poor children! How should she break it to
them ? Before she had determined, in they
came to wish her good-bye. Grace opened
the way by asking what made their mamma
send for them ? so Miss Campbell replied, as
she tenderly kissed her :
 "Your little brother is not so well, my dear,
and she thinks you might be a comfort and
assistance to her."
 She had said enough! Grace compre-
hended too well! as her faltering tongue and
brimming eyes showed, and not daring to ask
another question, she silently turned away
and followed Edith to the carriage.
 The usually loquacious Arnold was silent
on their way home. Spite of Edith's en-
deavours to draw him into conversation, he
only answered in a kind of grunt, as he
whipped on the horse to a smarter trot; and
at last Grace would bear it no longer, and
told her sister not to tease him with questions.
 It was quite dark as they drove up to the