"Farewell," said Vaughan firmly; "I insist on your going. That packet contains matters of the highest importance to me. It must be delivered by none but hands that I can rely on, as I do on yours. It shall be sent after you. Now, once more farewell." He turned away. Mordaunt followed him, and took his hand. "Then, if it must be so, farewell!" said he, in a tone of unusual feeling. He walked towards the door; then suddenly stopping, exclaimed: "I hope, my dear fellow, you will give that scoundrel Don a lesson that he will remember as long as he lives." He glanced a last and almost sorrowing look at Vaughan, and burst out of the

room.

CHAPTER XXVII,

Oh that the busy world, at least in this,
Would take example from a wretch like me ;
None would then waste their hours in foreign thoughts,
Forget themselves, and what concerns their peace,
To tread the mazes of fantastic falsehood;
To haunt their idle sounds, and flying tales,
Through all the noisy giddy courts of rumour!
Malicious Slander never would have leisure
To search with prying eyes for faults abroad,
If all, like me, considered their own hearts,
And wept the sorrows which they found at home.

Rowe.

MORDAUNT passed through the long and erowded street where the regiments for embarkation were mustering. He was roused from his meditation by the common camp inquiry of "What news?" from a circle of his brother officers.

"Now,

"None," was his brief answer. I'll lay my feather-springs to your brass barrels, Mandeville," said a brilliant ensign to one of the group, " that Mordaunt is to be the second. He has, you see, mounted a diplo matic look for the occasion."--"Aye," re, turned Mandeville, "the lieutenant strides away in high official style; he is clearly practising to measure the twelve paces,"

"Are you actually to be Vaughan's second, Mordaunt ?" said a more sedate inquirer. Mordaunt was all surprise. "Come, no admiration; the business," continued the officer. "The old Colonel, who, you know, can as little keep a secret as a shilling, in his execrations at all foreigners under the sun, let slip the whole story. Vaughan will go through the affair to the honour of his regiment; and the Spaniard will learn to behave better for the future, be that short or long."

Mordaunt here interfered. "Gentlemen, nothing more must be said upon this topic. You of course will perceive its delicacy. Mr. Vaughan's wish is" "To be sure, and undoubtedly it is--" said an Irish Major, who had just come up- "every gentleman's wish, to send the man to the seat of his ancestors, who runs his yellow face between him and a pretty woman, let her be of whatever part or province of the wide world she may be, Cork, Cadiz, or the Cape of Good Hope." The sentiment, was received with universal applause.

"Now, Lieutenant Mordaunt," said the Major, taking him by the button," as you are the particular friend of this young gentleman, and therefore may probably know no more about his love matters than his mother does, I will tell you the whole history. I sailed in the transport with Mr.Vaughan, and on board

were the pair of Spaniards that have raised all this disturbance: the Donna, a fine blackeyed damsel, with a mighty bewitching smile; and the Don, as solemn and stately a piece of pride as ever acted Dragon to the Golden Fruit. But before we had been half-a-dozen days on our way, the young Englishman had caught the Donna's eye and her heart besides; not at all to the liking of her magnificent he-duenna. They landed together at Lisbon; and there ends my story."

66

"And there begins mine," said Mandeville; "I saw their rencontre at a fête, accidental or not, it was lover-like in the first style of romance, sighs and blushes on the one part, bowing and fine speeches on the other, the interview growing rapidly more interesting, when up marched that tall handsome fellow, he who commands the Spanish grenadiers; confound his name, it is as long as himself;-ay-Don Ferdinand-I forget his dozen other Christian names; the lady drew in at once; Vaughan persisted; the Don looked fierce; and as he walked away, I read rapiers and stilettos in every stride."

The story, thus pieced of truth and falsehood, answered the purpose of satisfying the narrators as to the cause of quarrel, and at once filled Mordaunt with knowledge, and lightened his scruples at indulging the pleasure of its communication on the first opportunity.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Love pleads for me,

And Love's enough; what argument so strong.
Absent, or present, thou art still the same;
My faith's the same.

Lansdown.

Here, then, I take thee to my heart for ever,
Thou dear companion of my future days;
Whatever Providence allots for each,
That be the common portion of us both.

Rowe.

AT an early hour on the following morning, the drum beat, and Mordaunt marched with his regiment. He endeavoured to divert his mind from dwelling on the thoughts which harassed and distressed him, by anticipating the meeting with his lovely mistress. The face of the country, now familiar, presented no object of attraction. He was discontented with every unavoidable delay. The way appeared inexpressibly tedious, and he often conceived that he must have strangely miscalculated the distance. When last he travelled the road, every spot had. seemed to him replete with peculiar interest: so illusive a shade does an impatient and anxious spirit cast over the fairest face of na