keeper's face. A momentary suspicion crossed his mind that she might be talking ironically; but the tone of marked respect which she adopted towards him, together with the unmistakable seriousness of her manner, soon convinced him that she was quite in earnest.

"Look, ganpa!" cried Lily, interrupting him with one of her merry peals of laughter just as he was about to speak, "Polly's got shut now, but she isn't gone to s'eep

one eye

yet."

On hearing this startling announcement, Crossley hastened over to the bed, and, taking up the doll, which even her inexperienced eye told her must be a very expensive one, she began to examine it with an air of suddenly-developed interest, fully expecting to find that some part of its delicate machinery had been irreparably injured. Seeing nothing amiss with it, however, she turned with a look of relief to Lily, and said, coaxingly, "You had better let me put your Polly into its own little bed, and then she will go to sleep while Polly's mamma gets up."

And, suiting the action to the word, she quickly brought forward the doll's bedstead, and placing the mimic baby in it, tucked the pretty pink counterpane snugly around its inanimate form, and after watching it for a moment with an expression of mingled amusement and admiration, she again approached the laughing child, and carried her off in triumph to the bath, which she had prepared for her in front of the blazing fire.

Mr. Faversham, meanwhile, went downstairs with slow and measured footsteps, murmuring to himself, "It's incredible! I really believe the child has bewitched us both!"

In this opinion Mary, the good-natured housemaid, entirely concurred.

She noticed, while waiting on him at breakfast that morning, that a look of disappointment flitted over his face on seeing the table only laid for one, and she privately resolved that before another meal-hour arrived she would venture to give the irascible housekeeper a hint on the subject, even though she might thereby render herself liable to a sharp reprimand for presuming to

offer a suggestion to one so much older and wiser than herself.

To her intense surprise Crossley, instead of accusing her of disrespect or officiousness in interfering in matters which did not concern her, listened to her communication with unusual consideration.

"I really think you are beginning to improve, Mary," she remarked, condescendingly; "I should not have given you credit for so much sense and intelligence!"

After listening to those words of commendation-the very first which Crossley had addressed to her since she had taken service at Faversham-Mary went out of the housekeeper's presence in the most bewildered frame of mind, greatly wondering what she had done more than usual to merit her favourable opinion; and in the plenitude of her gratitude she even began to consider whether, it might not be advisable for her to remain in her present situation until she should see what turn things would take, instead of strictly adhering to the resolution she had previously formed of giving it up without delay.

She was somewhat at a loss to account for the glaring inconsistencies of Crossley's conduct, as well as the extraordinary metamorphosis which Mr. Faversham appeared to have undergone; but, upon reflection, she decided that it might all be traced to the same source, being, in fact, simply attributable to the working of the spell which Lily, in her unconscious innocence, had thrown around them both.

CHAPTER VII.

Only a little child!

But, oh, so very fair;

With sunny smiles, and soft blue eyes,

And lovely golden hair.

Only a little child!

But, oh, so full of glee;

And though I'm old, and stern, and sad,

She's very fond of me!

H. W.

MR. FAVERSHAM felt surprised, and perhaps a little annoyed, as hour after hour passed away without his hearing or seeing anything of his young guest.

He had hurried over his solitary breakfast, and proceeded from the sombrous dining-room to the smaller and more comfortable library, quite expecting to find her there. But no signs of a child's presence were visible; even the little velvet suit which he had been examining the night before had disappeared, and nothing remained to assure him that the fairy-like visitant had not taken her departure as rapidly and as silently as she arrived.