11 Why, mother, what's the matter ? Not in bed? Are you ill?" " There, there ! lie down ; there ain't nothing wrong. But I've been listening for ye this long time. 'Tib fifteen year and more since I tucked you up in bed, and you used to say as you never slept so sweet when I didn't do it."

She" made him lie down, and smoothed his pillow, and brushed his hair off his forehead, and tucked the clothes round him, and kissed him as she spoke— " And I thought as I'd like to do it for yon once more. Good-night, Laddie, good* night."

And then she went away quickly, and did not hear him call " Mother, oh, mother ! " after her, for the carefully tucked- in clothea were flung off, and Laddie was out of bed, with his hand on the" handle of the door, and then— second thoughts being cooler, if not better — " she had better sleep," Dr Carter said, and got back into bed. Sut sleep "did not come at his call j he tossed about feverishly and restlessly, with his mind tossing hither and thither as much as his body, the strong wind of his pride and will blowing the running tide of his love and conscience, and making a rough sea between them, whioh would ' not allow of any 'repose. And which of • them was the strongest ? After long and fierce debate with himself he came to a conclusion which at all events brought peace along with it. " Come what may," he said, " I will keep my mother with* me, let people say or think wh*t they will j even if it costs me Violet herself, as most likely it will. I can't turn my mother out in her old age, so there's an end of it." And there and then he went to sleep. ' It must have been soon after this that he woke with 'a start, with a sound in his ears like the shutting of the street door. 