mediate advantage of her permission to depart, only too thankful to be off. He felt indeed, as strongly as she could desire, the power of her strong will over his. He was as sure as she could be, that, whatever happened, he must obey her bidding, let it be what it might.

He left her dwelling, and hurried home, to find that, as the reader already knows, his visit at Walpole Hall had been arranged for, and to wonder at Mrs O'Neill's unfailing knowledge. He was really too much cowed by her to fret at present under his entire subjugation to her will.

Dame Una, weary dame, and entrance gan requere.

Fairy Queen.

OTHER O'NEILL reseated herself as the object of her scorn and irritation disappeared, and in so doing she caught sight of a green morocco silver-mounted purse, that must have fallen from her lap as she rose. She hastily pocketed it, and turned round to see if the boy could have perceived it, which he might well have done, for it lay full in view.

But on this point she could not satisfy herself, for he was gone. She turned moodily to the fire, and sat gazing into it, her hands fiercely clenched, one in her lap, one resting on the table; whilst the expression on her features changed gradually from the wrathful contempt she had bestowed upon Hotspur to a wearied yearning look, one bespeaking much misery. She spoke at length

Oh, Jem, Jem! to think of thy mother herself coming to this! Gin- I have bought it; the first since you all left; and this purse, 'tis theft. Not the gathering of the food, which they call theft; but this is what I'd call

theft, and I ought to know. But it makes me safe; and if I get my own, they shall have this if I succeed. And if

I don't, now I can go without. They'll be glad to get rid of me, and it would cost them this much to send me offso!-But oh, Jem, Jem, I would have come to thee with clean hands!'

And she began restlessly to pick the stray sticks and straws out of the fire, and throw them on the top. Soon she began muttering again—

"Tis but two days more. I could not stand much more of it. On Wednesday night I'll try; on Thursday she shall have the purse, after I'm off;-yes-yes, after I'm off. And shall he have his? Not if I'm short. He deserves nothing; he is as tricky as he's blundering, the stupid boy! he deserves nothing from me. He has lost us Grace and that key, but he must manage it while he is at the Hall. And she can't tell on us now, the provoking girl.'

She sat still a few seconds longer, and then slowly and fearfully she drew forth the green purse from her pocket, and began to count its contents. L.6 of Hotspur's money was in one division, three sovereigns and some half sovereigns and silver in another, and a L.5 Bank of England note in a third-little short of L. 17 in all.

Whilst thus engaged, with the money in her hands and lap, she was wonderfully startled by a knock at the door. She thrust it all rapidly back, and pocketing the closed purse, she turned to face her visitor, who was softly opening the door. It was none other than Isabel M'Ivor.

back

Now, to explain her appearance there, we must go to the time when Grace drew upon herself the worst consequences of 'those boys' abominable conduct' by dawdling till she missed Mrs Thirswell.

Neither could she find Isabel nor Amy. But the purse

lay on the former's dressing-table-her father's room; and the time was rapidly approaching when it must be delivered. So Grace dressed to carry it herself.

late.

BOTHER! ten times over bother! But she dared not be

She sulkily proceeded on her way. And she encountered the mother again suddenly in that everlasting shrubbery walk. Of course she was bound to avoid her: but whatever she might, under other circumstances have done, in her present mood, a command was the best security for disobedience. There were times when she could neither be dragged nor driven.

So up she walked to the old woman, and pulled her cloak. 'Ho!' said mother O'Neill, after a momentary glance, and in great displeasure, 'kissed and made friends. Good children!' pointing to the purse, which Grace carried in her hand. This was no random hit; she had heard that forenoon, whilst hidden under a hedge, that Roger was to bring it, and her disappointment was intense to find Grace carrying it.

'No,' almost roared Grace, 'No.'

'Then what are you running his errands for?'

'He made me,' growled the girl.

'Oh, did he! no difficult matter that I suppose! I thought your's was a teacup storm, the other day; and I supposed you'd changed, as you didn't come.'

'They wouldn't let me,' snapped Grace.

'Good child! to be so obedient,' sneered the mother.

'I aint obedient-I won't be,' cried Grace.

'Won't be, h'm! worth a deal that! He won't get punished by you, that's very plain, and he deserves it, the sneak.' 'Sneak' cried Grace, with a startled pause. 'Have you taught Hotspur that word ?'

'Blundering fool,' muttered the mother, this comes of trusting to him!'

'I can punish him well,' continued she, finding it convenient to disregard Grace's last remark. 'I can make him remember it well now.'

She hesitated, feeling her way, and uncertain whether or not Hotspur had succeeded, unless you're all good friends,' she sneered again.

Grace was looking unutterable things. Isabel's warning and influence were full in her mind her temper was pulling her every way, and she was extremely disgusted with her companion. It was a very great sin to tell Grace's secrets; she resented it exceedingly.

'You've told of me !' she grumbled.

'To no one that matters. How could I do it alone? and Master Montgomery won't tell again, for his own sake.' 'I don't want Master Montgomery! especially not him. You'd no business to tell. He's worse than Roger.'

'But I have. So it can't be helped. So it can't be helped. There's no harm done, I tell you! and,' added the woman boldly, 'now you are to help us, for we've gone too far to go back, and we are doing your work. We have a right to your help. You said, in the tower, and so it shall be; but we must have the key! You must hang it there, on that nail, by the bush, by

'I am sure I shan't,' said Grace.

'Eh! shan't? What's the good of you saying shan't? Who thought of it first? who bid me do it? who never spoke with us all this time to stop it? Shan't, indeed! And now you are going to turn tail, are you! why won't you do it, I should like to know ?'

Grace was in no mood to say: Because it will vex Isabel which probably had great weight with her. She