Page:Orange Grove.djvu/395

 from her and before sho succeeded in this arrangement, what were her surprise, indignation and terror at being apprised of Mr. Carleton's arrival at her own door! Strangely enough she had not thought of his following her, although having her fears at times that he would take some measure to rob her of her children. Instead of being paralysed with fear, all the slumbering forces of her soul were instantly roused into action. Instead of the gentle and patient being, who had silently and submissively borne every indignity, he saw before him all the impassioned energy of woman's nature when, once provoked to resist her wrongs.

It is but justice to him to say that for a time he was deeply humbled under a heavy feeling of remorse, and his wife's reproaches were borne without making any attempt to reply to them. But this excitement was too much for that delicate frame, already tottering under the weight of intolerable wrongs, and she was again prostrated by another attack of brain fever, when her life was despaired of. He would have been very attentive had not the sight of him made her rave ten-fold worse, and the only way she could be kept quiet at all was to place her children beside her, to whom in her delirium her mind was constantly reverting. If they were not present when she opened her eyes she started up with all the energy of despair to go in search of them. However she rallied from this attack and again gave hopes of recovery.

In the meantime Mr. Carleton recovered from his momentary twinge of conscience, and seeing no