lids and nose, eager to tell him her schemes and along the hedges when they met the vicar on his adventures.

rounds. Dreary, dusty rounds they were, - illimitTrevithic himself had come home tired and dis- able circles. The country-folks did not want his pirited, and he could scarcely listen to his wife's sermons, they were too stupid to understand what chirrups with very great sympathy or encourage- he said, they were too aimless and dispirited. Jack ment.

the Giant-Killer's sleep lasted exactly three years in “Lady Kidderminster wishes us to set up a car- | Trevithic's case, during which the time did not pass, riage and a pair of horses !” Poor Trevithic cried it only ceased to be. Once old Mr. Bellingham paid out aghast, - Why, my dear Anne, you must be them a visit, and once Mrs. Trevithic, senior, armust be .... What do you imagine our income to rived with her cap-boxes, and then everything again be?"

went on as usual, until Dulcie came to live with her “I know very well what it is,” Anne said with a father and mother in the old sun-baked, waspnod; “ better than you do, sir. With care and econ- haunted place. omy a very great deal is to be done. Leave every-| Dulcie was a little portable almanac to mark the thing to me and don't trouble your foolish old time for both of them, and the seasons and the hour head.”

of the day, something in this fashion, " But, my dear, you must listen for one minute," Six months and Dulcie began to crawl across the Trevithic said. “One thousand a year is not limit- druggeted floor of her father's study; nine months to less. There are calls and drains upon our incom-crow and hold out her arms; a year must have gone ings —"

by, for Dulcie was making sweet inarticulate chatThat is exactly what I wanted to speak to you terings and warblings, which changed into words by about, John," said his wife, gravely. “For one degrees, — wonderful words of love and content and thing, I have been thinking that your mother has a recognition, after her tiny life-long silence. Dulcie's very comfortable income of her own," Anne said, clock marked the time of day something in this fash" and I am sure she would gladly ...."

ion:" I have no doubt she would,” Trevithic inter Dulcie's breakfast o'clock. rupted, looking full in his wife's face, " and that is Dulcie's walk in the garden o'clock. the reason that I desire that the subject may never Dulcie's dinner o'clock. be alluded to again, either to her or to me. He Dulcie's bedtime o'clock, &c. looked so decided and stern, and his gray eagle eyes All the tenderness of Jack's heart was Dulcie's. opened wide in a way his wife knew that meant no Her little fat fingers would come tapping and denial. Vexed as she was, she could not help a mo- scratching at his study-door long before she could mentary womanly feeling of admiration for the un-walk. She was not in the least afraid of him, as daunted and decided rule of the governor of this her mother was sometimes. She did not care for small kingdom in which she was vicegerent; she felt his sad moods, nor sympathize with his ambitions, or a certain pride in her husband, not in what was best understand the pangs and pains be suffered, the rein his temper and heart, but in the outward signs grets and wounded vanities and aspirations. Was that ary one might read. His good looks, bis manly time passing, was he wasting his youth and strength bearing, his determination, before which she had to in that forlorn and stagnant Lincolnshire fen? give way again and again, impressed her oddly : she What was it to her ? Little Dulcie thought that followed him with her eyes as he walked away into when he crossed his legs and danced her on his foot, the house, and went on with her calculations as she her papa was fulfilling all the highest duties of life; still paced the gravel path, determining to come and when she let him kiss her soft cheek, it did not back secretly to the charge, as was her way, from occur to her that every wish of her heart was not another direction, and failing again, only to ponder gratified. Hard-hearted, unsympathetic, trustful, upon a fresh attack.

and appealing little comforter and companion ! * And meanwhile Anne was tolerably happy trim- Whatever it might be to Anne, not even Lady ming her rose-trees, and arranging and rearranging | Kidderminster's society soothed and comforted Jack the furniture, visiting at the big houses, and corre- as Dulcie's did. This small Egyptian was a hard sponding with her friends, and playing on the piano, task-mistress, for she gave him bricks to make withand, with her baby, in time, when it came to live out any straw, and kept him a prisoner in a land of with them in the vicarage. Trevithic was tolerably bondage ; but for her he would have thrown up the miserable, fuming and consuming his days in a rest-work that was so insufficient for him, and crossed less, impatient search for the treasures which did not the Red Sea, and chanced the fortunes of life; but exist in the arid fields and lanes round the vicarage. with Dulcie and her mother hanging to the skirts of He certainly discovered a few well-to-do farmers bis long black clerical coat, how could be go? riding about their enclosures on their rough horses, Ought he to go? £ 400 a year is a large sum to get and responding with surly nods to his good-humored together, but a small one to provide for three peoadvances; a few old women selling lollipops in their ple, -- so long as a leg of mutton costs seven shiltidy front kitchens, shining pots and pans, starchlings, and there are but twenty shillings in the pound caps, the very pictures of respectability; little tidy and 365 days in the year. cbildren trotting to school along the lanes, hand in hand, with all the strings on their pinafores, and It was a hot, sultry afternoon, the dust was lying hard-working mothers scrubbing their parlors, or thick upon the lanes, on the country roads, that hanging out their linen to dry. The cottages were went creeping away white in the glare to this and few and far between, for the farmers farmed im- that distant sleepy hollow. The leaves in the mense territories; the laborers were out in the fields hedges were hanging upon their stalks ; the convolat sunrise, and toiled all day, and staggered home vuluses and blackberries drooped their heads beworn out and stupefied at night; the little pinafores neath the clouds that rose from the wreaths and released from school at midday, would trot along the piles of dust along the way. Four o'clock was furrows with their fathers'and brothers' dinners tied striking from the steeple, and echoing through the up in bundles, and drop little frightened courtesies hot, still air; nobody was to be seen, except one

he walked along the dusty lane which led to the “I know you always had a hapkering after those vicarage. He found his wife in the drawing-room, unsavory flesh-pots,” Austin said, with a laugh. "I writing little scented notes to some of her new should think Skipper would jump at your offer, and friends, and accepting proffered dinners and teas from all I hear there is plenty to be done here, if it and county hospitalities. Little Dulcie was lying is work you are in want of. Poor little Skipper did on her back on a rug, and crooning and chattering; his best at one time; I believe he tried to collect a the shutters were closed ; there was a whiff of roses fund for some of the poor creatures who could n't be and scented water coming in from the baking lanes. taken in, but what is one small fish like him among It was a pretty home-picture, all painted in cool so many guardians ? " said Mr. Austin, indulging in whites and grays and shadows, and yet it had by one of those clerical jokes to wbich Mr. Trollope degrees grown intolerable to him. Jack looked has alluded in his delightful Chronicles. round, and up and down, and then with a sud- Jack wrote off to his bishop and to his wife by den impulse he went up and took his wife's hand, that day's post. Tivo different answers reached and looked her full in the face. “ Anne," he him; his wife's came next day, his bishop's three said, “ could you give up something for me, days later. something, everything, except what is yours as a Poor Anne was frantic, as well she might be. right? Dear, it is all so nice, but I am very “Come to Hammersley for two months in the heat unhappy here. May I give up this pretty home, of the summer ; bring little Dulcie ; break up her and will you come and live with me where we can home!- Never. Throw over Lady Kidderininsbe of more use than we are here?” He looked so ter's Saturdays; admit a stranger to the vicarage! kind and so imploring, that for an instant Anne -- Never! Was her husband out of his senses?" almost gave way and agreed to anything. There She was deeply, deeply hurt. He must come back was a bright constraining power in Jack's blue eye immediately, or more serious consequences than he which had to deal with magnetism, I believe, and imagined might ensue. which his wife was one of the few people to resist. Trevithic's eyes filled up with tears as he crumShe recovered herself almost immediately.

pled the note up in his hand and flung it across the “How ridiculous you are, John," she said, pet- room. It was for this he had sacrificed the hope of tishly. “Of course I will do anything in reason ; his youth, of his life, - for this. It was too late but it seems to me very wrong and unnatural and now to regret, to think of what another fate inight ungrateful of you," said Mrs. Trevithic, encouraging have been. Marriage had done him this cruel herself as she went on, “ not to be happy when you service : It had taught what happiness might be, have so much to be thankful for ; and though, of what some love might be, but it had withheld the course, I should be the last to allude to it, yet I do sweetness of the fruit of the tree of life, and only think when I have persuaded papa to appoint you disclosed the knowledge of good and of evil to this to this excellent living, considering how young you unhappy Adam outside the gates of the garden, are and how much you owe to him, it is not graceful, Old Mr. Bellingham did not mend matters by to say the least, on your part ...."

| writing a trembling and long-winded remonstrance. John turned away and caught up little Dulcie, Lady Kidderminster, to whom Anne had comand began tossing her in the air. “Well," said he plained, pronounced Trevithic mad; she had had “i we won't discuss this now. I have made up my some idea of the kind, she said, that day when he mind to take a week's holiday," he added, with a behaved in that extraordinary manner in the lane. sort of laugh. “ I am going to stay with Frank “It's a benevolent mania," said Lord Axminster, Austin till Saturday. Will you tell them to pack her eldest son. up my things?”

Mrs. Myles shook her head, and began, “He is “But, my dear, we are engaged to the Kidd...." not mad, most noble lady..... Mrs. Trevithic, who

“You must write and make my excuses," Jack was present flushed up with resentment at Mrs. said, wearily. “I must go. I have some business Myles venturing to quote Scripture in Jack's behalf, at Hammersley." And he left the room.

She did not look over-pleased when Mrs. Myles

added that she should see Mr. Trevithic probably Chances turn out so strangely at times that some when she went to stay at Hammersley with her people — women especially, who live quietly at cousin, Mrs. Garnier, and would certainly go and home and speculate upon small matters - look on see him at his work. from afar and wonder among themselves as they Jack, who was in a strange determined mood, mark the extraordinary chain-work of minute stitches meanwhile wrote back to his wife to say that he felt by which the mighty machinery of the world works that it was all very hard upon her; that he asked on. 'Men who are busy and about, here and there it from her goodness to him and her witely love; in life, are more apt to take things as they find them, that he would make her very happy if she would and do not stop to speculate how this or that comes only consent to come, and if not she must go to her to be. It struck Jack oddly when he heard from father's for a few weeks until he had got this work his friend Frank Austin that the chaplain who had done. " Indeed, it is no sudden freak, dear," he been elected instead of him at the workhouse was wrote. “I had it in my mind before" - (Jahn ill and obliged to go away for, a time. " He is hesitated here for a minute and took his pen off trying to find some one to take his place, and to get the paper) — "that eventful day when I walked ap off for a holiday," said Mr. Austin. “He is a poor to the rector, and saw you and learnt to know you. sort of creature, and I don't think he has got on So he finished his sentence. But his heart sank very well with the guardians."

he posted the letter. Ah me! he had dreamed a "I wonder," said Trevithic, “ whether I could different dream. take the thing for a time? We might exchange, you know; I am tired of play, heaven knows. If his correspondence with his wife did not fire There is littie enough to do at Featherston, and he per as it should have done, poor Trerithie ras might easily look after my fock while I take the greatly cheered by the bishop's letter, which sol work here off his hands."

only gave consent to this present scheme, but otiere

Saturday

him, if he wished for more active duty, the incum- ' “ They're used to it," said Mrs. Bulcox; " nothing bency of St. Bigots in the North, which would hurts them.” shortly be vacant in Hammersley, and which, al- Jack turned away with an impatient movement, though less valuable than his present living as far as and Mrs. Bulcox went off indignant at his want of the income was concerned, was much more so as re- courtesy. The fact was, that Jack already knew gards the souls to be saved, which were included in more of the Bulcox's doings than they bad any conthe bargain.

ception of, poor wretches, as they lay snoring the New brooms sweep clean, says the good old adage. comfortable sleep of callousness on their snug pilAfter he took up his residence at St. Magdalene's, lows. "I don't 'alf like that chap," Mr. Bulcox had Jack's broomstick did not begin to sweep for seven remarked to his wife, and Mrs. Bulcox had heartily whole days. He did not go back to Featherston ; echoed the misgiving. “I go to see him when he is Anne had left for Sandsea ; and Mr. Skipper was ill,” said she," and he cuts me off as sharp as anyin possession of the rectory, and Trevithic was left in thing. What business has he comin' prying and spythat of 500 paupers in various stages of misery and ing about the place ?” decrepitude, and of a two-headed creature called What indeed! The place oppressed poor Jack, Bulcox, otherwise termed the master and the ma- tossing on his bed ; it seemed to close in upon him, tron of the place. Jack waited; he felt that if he the atmosphere appeared to be full of horrible moans began too soon he might ruin everything, get into and suggestions. In his normal condition Jack would trouble, stir up the dust, which had been lying so have gone to sleep like a top, done his best, troubled thickly, and make matters worse than before ; he his head no more on the subject of troubles he could waited, watched, looked about him, asked endless not relieve; but just now he was out of health, out questions, to not one of which the poor folks dared of spirits, - although his darling desire was his, give a truthful answer. “Nurse was werry kind, and more susceptible to nervous influences and sugthat she was, and most kinsiderate, up any time o' gestions than he had ever been in his life before. night and day,” gasped poor wretches, whose last This night, especially, he was haunted and overpinch of tea had just been violently appropriated powered by the closeness and stillness of his room. by " nurse" with the fierce eyebrows sitting over It looked out through bars into a narrow street, the fire, and who would lie for hours in an agony of and a nervous feeling of imprisonment and helppain before they dared awaken her from her weary lessness came over him so strongly that, to shake it sleep. For nurse, whatever her hard rapacious off, he jumped up at last and partly dressed himheart might be, was only made of the same aching self, and began to pace up and down the room. bones and feeble flesh as the rest of them. “ Every- The popular history of Jack the Giant-Killer gives body was kind and good, and the mistress came a ghastly account of the abode of Blunderbore; round reg'lar and ast them what they wanted. The it describes “an immense room where lay the limbs tea was not so nice perhaps as it might be, but they of the people lately seized and devoured," and Blunwas not wishin' to complain."

derbore “with a horrid grin” telling Jack “that So they moaned on for the first three days. On men's hearts eaten with pepper and vinegar were his the fourth one or two cleverer and more truthful nicest food. The giant then locked Jack up," says than the rest began to whisper that " nurse "some- the history, “and went to fetch a friend.” times indulged in a drop too much ; that she had Poor Trevithic felt something in Jack's position been very unmanageable the night before, had when the gates were closed for the night, and he boxed poor Tilly's ears, — poor simpleton. They found himself shut in with his miserable companall loved Tilly, and did n't like to see her hurt. See, ions. He could from his room hear the bolts and there was the bruise on her cheek, and Tilly, a wo. the bars and the grinding of the lock, and immediman of thirty, but a child in her ways, came shyly ately a longing would seize him to get out. up in a pinafore, with a doll in one arm and a fin- To-night, after pacing up and down, he at last ger in her mouth. All the old hags sitting on their took up his hat and a light in his hand, and opened beds siniled at her as she went along. This poor his door and walked down stairs to assure himself witless Tilly was the pet of the ward, and they did of his liberty and get rid of this oppressive feeling not like to have her beaten. Trevithic was affected, of confinement. He passed the master's door and he brought Tilly some sugar-plums, in his pocket, heard his snores, and then he came to the lower and the old toothless crones brightened up and door opening into the inner court. The keys were thanked him, nodding their white night-caps en- in it, - it was only locked on the inside. As Jack couragingly from every bed. Meanwhile John sick- came out into the court-yard he gave a great breath ened: the sights, the smells, the depression of spirits of relief: the stars were shining thickly overhead, produced by this vast suffering mass of his unlucky very still, very bright; the place seemed less Godbrothers and sisters, was too much for him, and for forgotten than when he was up there in his beda couple of days he took to his bed. The matron room: the fresh night-air blew in his face and excame to see him twice; she took an interest in this tinguished his light. He did not care; he put it cheerful new element, sparkling still with full reflec-down in a corner by the door, and went on into the tion of the world outside. She glanced admiringly middle of the yard and looked all round about him. at his neatly appointed dressing-table, the silver top Here and there from some of the windows a faint to his shaving-gear, and the ivory brushes.

light was burning and painting the bars in gigantic Jobn was feverish and thirsty, and was draining a shadows upon the walls; and at the end of the bottle of mirky-looking water when Mrs. Bulcox court, from what seemed like a grating to a cellar, came into the room. " What is that you are drink- some dim rays were streaming upward. Trevithic ing there, sir?" said she. “My goodness, it's the was surprised to see a light in such a place, and he water from the tap, -- we never touch it! I'll send walked up to see, and then he turned quickly away, you some of ours; the tap-water comes through the and if like uncle Toby he swore a great oath at the casspool, and is as pasty as nasty can be."

horrible sight he saw, it was but an expression of " Is it what they habitually drink here?” Trevi- honest pity and most Christian charity. The gratthic asked, languidly.

ing was a double grating and looked into two cellars which were used as casual wards when the peal. You will do more good in a week than he regular ward was full. The sight Trevithic saw is has done in a year. I must not wait now," Mrs. not one that I can describe here. People have Myles added. “ You will come, won't you ? — at read of such things as they are and were only a seven; we have so much to say to you. Here is little while ago, when the Pall Mall Gazette first the address.” published that terrible account which set people As soon as Jack had promised to come, she left talking and asking whether such things should be him, disappearing with her strange little court boband could be still.

bling after her to the very gate of the dreary place. Old Davy had told him a great many sad and Jack was destined to have more than one visitor horrible things, but they were not so sad or so hor- that afternoon. As he still sat writing busily at his rible as the truth, as Jack now saw it. Truth, desk in the little office, a tap came at the door. It naked, alas! covered with dirt and vermin, shud- was a different apparition this time, for an old wodering with cold, moaning with disease, and heaped man's head peeped in, and an old nutcracker-lookand tossed in miserable uneasy sleep at the bottom ing body, in her charity-girl's livery, staggered of her foul well. Every now and then a voice feebly into his office and stood grinning slyly at broke the darkness, or a cough or a moan reached him. “ She came to borrow a book," she said. him from the sleepers above. Jack did not improve She could n't read, not she, but, law bless him, his night's rest by his midnight wandering,

that was no matter." Then she hesitated. “He Trevithic got well, however, next day, dressed had been speaking to Mike Rogers that morning. himself, and went down into the little office which You would n't go and get us into trouble," said the had been assigned to him. His bedroom was over old crone, with a wistful, doubtful scanning interthe gateway of the workhouse and looked into the rogation of the eyes: “but I am his good lady, and street. From his office he had only a sight of the 'ave been these thirty years, and it do seem bard men's court, the wooden bench, the stone steps, the upon the gals, and if you could speak the word, sir, grating. Inside was a stove and green drugget, a and get them out. ...." little library of books covered with greasy brown “ Out?” said Jack. paper for the use of those who could read. There “From the black kitchen,- so they name it," was not much to comfort or cheer him, and as he said the old crone, mysteriously; " the cellar under sat there he began to think a little disconsolately of the master's stairs. Kate Hill has been in and out his pleasant home, with its clean comfortable ap- a week come yesterday. I knowed her grandpointments, the flowers round the window, the fresh mother, poor soul. She should n't have spoke chintzes, and, above all, the dear little round face tighty to the missis ; but she is young and don't upturned to meet him at every coming home. know no better, and my good man and me was

It would not do to think of such things, and Jack thinking if may be you could say a word, sir, - as if put them away; but he wished that Anne had con- from yourself. May be you heard her as you went sented to come to him. It seemed hard to be there up stairs, sir; for we know our cries is 'eard." alone, - him, a father and a husband, with belong- So this was it. The moans in the air were not ings of his own. Trevithic, who was still weak and fancy, the complainings had been the real conout of sorts, found himself making a little languid plaints of some one in suffering and pain. castle in the air, of crooked places made straight, “Here is the book," said Jack, suddenly; "and of whited sepulchres made clean, of Dulcie, grown I'm afraid you can have no more snuff, ma'am." tall and sensible, coming tapping at his door to And with a start poor old Betty Rogers nearly cheer him when he was sad, and encourage him stumbled over the matron, who was standing at his when he was weary.

door. Had the fever come back, and could it be that “Well, what is it you 're wanting now?" said he was wandering? It seemed to him that all the Mrs. Bulcox. “You must n't allow them to come heads of the old men he could see through the grat-troubling you, Mr. Trevithic." ing were turning, and that an apparition was pass “I am not here for long, Mrs. Bulcox," said ing by,- an apparition gracious, smiling, looking Jack, shrugging his shoulders. “While I stay I in through the bars of his window, and coming may as well do all I can for these poor creatures. gently knocking at his door; and then it opened, | Å gleam of satisfaetion came into Mrs. Bulcox's and a low voice said, " It's me, Mr. Trevithic, Mrs. face at the notion of his approaching departure. Myles; may I come in?” and a cool, gray phan- | He had been writing all the morning, covering tom stepped into the dark little room. “How ill sheets and sheets of paper. He had been doing no you are looking,” Mrs. Myles said, compassionately. harm, and she felt she could go out for an hour « I came to ask you to come back and dine with with her Bulcox, with an easy mind. us; I am only here for a day or two with my cousin As Mr. and Mrs. Bulcox came home together, Fanny Garnier. She visits this place, and brought Jack, who was looking from his bedroom window, me, and I thought of asking for you, and do come, saw them walking up the street. He had put up Mr. Trevithic. These — these persons showed me his sheets of paper in an envelope, and stamped it, the way to your study." And she looked back at and addressed it. He had not wasted his time dar the grinning old heads that were peeping in at the ing their absence, and he had visited a part of tbe door. Mary Myles looked like the lady in “Co workhouse unknown to him before, having bribed mus, - so sweet, and pure, and fair, with the gro-one pauper and frightened another into showing tesque faces, peering and whispering all about her. him the way. Mr. Bulcox coming under the win

They vanished when Trevithic turned, and stood be-dow heard Jack calling to him affably: “ Would hind the door watching and chattering like apes, for you be so kind as to post this packet for me?" cried the pretty lady to come out again. I cannot tell Jack. The post-box was next door to the workyou how glad we are that you have come here, Mr. house. Thank you," he said, as Mr. Balcox Trevithic," said Mrs. Myles. “ Poor Fanny has half picked up the thick letter which came falling to the broken her heart over the place, and Mr. Skipper ground at his feet. It was addressed to Colonel was so hopeless that it was no use urging him to ap- the Hon. Charles Hambledon, Lowndes Square,

Saturday

London. “Keeps very 'igh company," said Bulcox | in George Garnier's pleasant old cottage outside the to his wife, and he felt quite pleased to post a letter great Hammersley city, or at number five, and six, addressed to so distinguished a personage.

and seven in our street, as the case may be ; in the “ Thank you,” said Jack again, looking very convent at Bayswater, in the manses and presbytersavagely pleased and amused ; "it was of impor-ies. You or I may belong to the fraternity, so did tance.” He did not add that it was a letter to the many a better man, as the children say. St. Simon editor of the Jupiter, who was a friend of his Stylites, Athanasius, John Calvin, Milton, Ignatius friend's. Trevithic liked the notion of having got Loyola, Savonarola, not to speak of Saints A, B, C, Bulcox to fix the noose round his own neck. He D, and E. felt ashamed of the part he was playing, but he did Mary poured Jack out a big cup of strong tea, not hurry himself for that. It was necessary to and brought it across the lamp-lit room to him with know all, in order to sweep clean once he began. her own white hauds. Mrs. Garnier shivered as Poor Kate Hill still in durance received a mysteri- she heard his story. The tea smoked, the lamps ous and encouraging message, and one or two com- burnt among the flower-stands, the wood fire blazed forts were smuggled in to her by her jailer.. On cheerfully, for Mrs. Myles was a chilly and weakthe Wednesday morning his letter would appear in minded person, and lit her fire all the year round, the Jupiter, - nothing more could be done until more or less. Trevithic, comfortably sunk back in then. Next day was Tuesday : he would go over a big arm-chair, felt a grateful sense of ease and rest to Sandsea and talk Anne into reason, and get and consolation. The atmosphere of the little house back in time for the board ; and in the mean time was so congenial and fragrant, the two women were Jack dressed himself and went to dine with the such sympathizing listeners; Mary Myles's bright widows.

eyes lighted with such kindly interest; while Mrs.

Garnier, silent, available, sat with her knitting unCHAPTER VI. — THE PARCÆ CUT A THREAD OF MRS. der the shade of the lamp. The poor fellow was TREVITHIC'S KNITTING.

| not insensible to these soothing influences. As he MRS. MYLES's cousin, Mrs. Garnier, lived in a talked on, it seemed to him that for the first time in quaint, comfortable-looking low house on the Ches- his life he had realized what companionship and ter high-road, with one or two bow-windows and sympathy might mean. Something invisible, bargables standing out for no apparent reason, and a monious, delicate, seemed to drive away from him gallery up stairs, with four or five windows, which all thought of sin or misery and turmoil when in led to the drawing-room.

company with these two kind women. This was The two widows were very fond of one another what a home might have been, - a warm, flowerand often together; there was a similarity in tastes scented, lamp-twinkling haven, with sweet still eyes and age and circumstance. The chief difference in to respond and brighten at his success and to cheer their fate had been this, — that Fanny Garnier had his failing efforts. This was what it never, never loved her husband, although she could not agree would be, and Trevithic put the thought away. It with him,- for loving and agreeing do not go to- was dangerous ground for the poor heart-weary felgether always, – and Mary Myles's married life had low, longing for peace and home, comfort and love; been at best a struggle for indifference and forgive- whereas Anne, to whom he was bound to look for ness, she was not a very easily moulded woman; these good things, was at Sandsea, fulfilling every she could do no more than forgive and repent her duty of civilized life, and not greatly troubled for own ill-doing in marrying as she did.

her husband, but miserable on her own account, The trace of their two lives was set upon the cous- hard and vexed and deeply offended. ins. A certain coldness and self-reliance, a power of living for to-day and forgetting, was the chief gift Mrs. Trevithic was tripping along the south cliff that had come to Mary Myles out of the past expe- on the afternoon of the next day, when the sound of rience of her life. Fanny Garnier was softer, more footsteps behind her made her stop and look round. impressionable, more easily touched and assimilated As she saw that it was her husband coming towards by the people with whom she came in contact; she her, her pale face turned a shade more pale. was less crisp and bright than Mary, and older, “0, how d' ye do ?” Anne said. ' "I did not exthough she was the same age. She had loved more pect you. Have you come for long?" And she and sorrowed more, and people remember their sor- scarcely waited for him to come up to her, but berows in after-years when their angers are forgotten gan to walk on immediately. and have left only a blank in their minds.

Poor John ; what a coming home! He arrived George Garnier, Fanny Garnier's husband, had with his various interests, his reforms, his forthcombelonged to that sect of people who have an odd fan- ing letter in the Jupiter ; there was the offer of the cy in their world for making themselves and other bishop's in his pocket, — the momentary gladness and folks as miserable as they possibly can, - for worry- elation of return, - and this was all he had come ing and wearying and torturing, for doubting and back to! trembling, for believing far more eagerly in justice “ Have you come on business?” Mrs. Trevithic (or retribution, which is their idea of justice) than asked. in mercy. Terror has a strange morbid attraction “I wanted to see you and Dulcie,” John anfor these folks, – mistrust, for all they say, seems to swered ; " that was my business. Time seems very be the motive power of their lives : they gladly offer long without you both. All this long time I have pain and tears and penitence as a ghastly propitia- only had Mrs. Myles to befriend me. I wish, -I tion. They are of all religions and creeds; they are wish you would try to like the place, Anne. The found with black skins and woolly heads, building two ladies seem very happy there." up their altars and offering their human sacrifices in “Mrs. Myles, I have no doubt,” said Anne, bitterthe unknown African deserts; they are chipping ly. “No," she cried, “ you need not talk so to me. and chopping themselves before their emerald-nosed I know too much, too much, too much,” she said, idols, who sit squatting in unelean temples; they are with something like real pathos in her voice. living in the streets and houses all round about us, “My dearest Anne, what do you mean?” Tre