own palace-his heading a Chartist riot, and charging the military; his poem containing virulent attacks on Christianity, his open avowal of Infidelity in the Court of Justice; lastly, his preference of a life of sin to a happy marriage and an honorable career; and his association with Chartists, Secularists, and the scum of society, when he might take the seat in Parliament, which you offered to resign in his favor. Tell me if such a number of extravagances, committed by the heir to a baronetcy and large landed property, before he has arrived at the age of twenty-one, would not justify any judicious person, in pronouncing your son incompetent, for the present at least, of managing his own affairs?"

"But," said Sir Thomas, suppose the thing gets wind, and goes to a jury? Besides, would it not be necessary to have a warrant from a Commissioner of Lunacy? I don't like it-it looks too dangerous."

"Oh !" replied Covert, "you misconceive me, if you think it necessary to confine Gerald

in a lunatic asylum. What I propose is this, that you keep him in restraint here, for the five months which must elapse before his coming of age. The doctors' certificate will be a mere matter of form, to guard against any action which might lie for illegal restraint. In the meantime, I would undertake to get Miriam out of the way. It might not be necessary to detain Gerald more than a month, or two. Miriam once out of the way, all danger is over. Gerald might mope a little at first, but at his age, grief seldom lasts long, and the brilliant prospects of his marriage and political career would soon divert his mind. Within a brief period, he would thank us for rescuing him from perdition, and with his talents, when once fairly in the right path, what great things may we not hope to see him achieve!"

"Capital!" cried the Baronet; "it must succeed!"

Suddenly his countenance fell, as he added,

"But Dr. Stedman is a great friend of Gerald; he never will consent."

"If that be all the difficulty," said Covert, "make your mind perfectly easy. Dr. Stedman need know nothing of the matter."

"But Gerald is popular in Littleton," said the Baronet; "I fear none of our doctors will grant a certificate."

Covert checked a smile, as he said:

"My dear Sir Thomas, do you imagine I would lay such an important matter before a provincial doctor? No-we must have the best metropolitan talent, the most unimpeachable authority!"

It is unnecessary to go into further details of this singular conversation. The peculiar and urgent state of the circumstances, aided by the crafty eloquence of Covert, gained the Baronet's entire approval of the scheme for separating Gerald from Miriam; and Sir Thomas gave his nephew a large credit on his London banker, in order that the sinews of

war might not be wanting, to smooth over any difficulty which might be raised against confining Gerald, under a certificate of non compos mentis, for his own good!

CHAPTER IV.

THE SNARE FOR INNOCENCE.

It is is now time to enlighten the reader, as to how Gerald and Miriam came to be placed in the very questionable relations in which they were living. We have seen that they had the moral courage to separate,after betrothing themselves, mutually resolving to wait patiently, until the arrival of Gerald at his twenty-fifth should leave him free to marry Miriam, year, without violating the solemn promise made to his mother on her death-bed. About six months after Gerald arrived in London, old Mr. Groves died from a paralytic stroke.