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he indulged! every thing about Mr. Wilkinson argued his being a man of wealth; and from the warm, the really extraordinary interest he evinced about him, who knew but that there might be a speedy end to all further occasion for intense anxiety about the future?" And yet I murmured so, and desponded!" cried Eugene; really, after so often giving way to repinings, I scarcely merit the good fortune that appears opening to my view; but I trust, in consideration of our natural infirmities, these will be forgiven;" and with the usual proneness of all warm temperaments, or romantic imaginations, he set about castle-building, or, in other words, erecting castles in the air; but as the streets of London are not exactly the places for buildings of this description, not a few were the thumps and angry shoves he met with in consequence, till at last he was fairly compelled to rouse himself from his waking dream.

He and his new friend dined tête-à-tête, nor was there any addition to the party in

the evening, nor any indeed wanted, so well qualified were both gentlemen for supporting an unaided conversation.

From this day almost the principal part of each was passed by Eugene at Mr. Wilkinson's, no matter at home or abroad, that gentleman having informed him that he would always find his library open for him. But though he went, it might be said, at all hours to the house, he never, by any chance, met any one there but Mr. Wilkinson himself; nor did any thing ever transpire from him to render him in any degree acquainted with his connexions. These were circumstances that Eugene but slightly commented on, if at all; there were many people, he knew, who had a dislike to mixed society, and perhaps he had no connexions, or at least, none sufficiently interesting to speak of.

A week had passed in this way, when, one morning that Eugene called as usual, Mr. Wilkinson informed him he had just received a letter from the friend he had before alluded to, entreating him to pass

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a day or two with him at his cottage in Hertfordshire" I am therefore just setting off,” he said, "but in positive expectation of being followed by you-my friend's invitation extending to you, I as sure you. You may feel surprised at saying follow; but the fact is, I am prévented asking you to accompany me, by having to call in my way at a house, where a recent calamity prevents my attempting to introduce a stranger. I know you have no horses of your own; and as I do not think those got at livery stables always safe, I shall send one for you early in the afternoon.":

Eugene thanked him for his consideration about him, and all matters being arranged, Mr. Wilkinson departed.

At his express desire, Eugene took an early dinner in Charlotte-street. He soon found, however, this need not have been hurried, as minute after minute passed away, and still no horse arrived. He was at length beginning to think something had happened to Mr. Wilkinson, and to get

very uneasy in consequence, when he was informed the horse was come. The servant who brought it accounted for the delay, by saying a shoe had fallen off his own, which obliged him to stop by the way.

"That was rather an unfortunate circumstance, my lad," said Eugene, as he prepared to mount, " for I understand the road we have to go is a very lonely one, and there is no moon now."

""Tis a safe road, for all that, sir," was the answer, and they set off.

They were within three miles of what Eugene understood was their destination, and a little way advanced in a dark, narrow glen-like lane, into which they had struck off of the high road, when the servant riding up to Eugene, informed him he was under a necessity of turning back for a parcel which he had forgot to call for at a house which they passed-" But I shall make great haste, sir," he said; "and at all events, you can't miss your way

here, as there is but one turn in the lane that leads direct to the cottage."

"Of course not," was the reply, and the man rode off.

T

Eugene every moment expected to see the turn that had been mentioned to him; but he rode on, and on, till at last he began to think that this lane would prove à contradiction to the old saying, that "the longest has an end;" every moment it assumed a more fearful and savage aspect, both from the fast diminution of the light that still lingered in the sky, and the height of the beetling banks, completely overrun with thickets and trees, that in many places stretched from their summits across it.

Eugene had proceeded a distance that, from what he had heard, should, he conceived, have brought him to the end of his journey, when a pistol was fired across the path, and so immediately close to him, that he felt the ball graze his hat. The horse started, reared, and threw him, and for a moment he was so stunned by the