"I asked her, if you and she did not despise me for the mean and despicable act of engaging the heart of an innocent, guileless child, and then-"

"Forgetting her," I put in, as he paused.

"No, not forgetting; good heavens! no, my memory was too tenacious. Some day I want to tell you my story, Nellie; I must seem so base in your eyes."

"I tell you, I know it all; and as for thinking basely of you, I happen to feel sure—” "Well-"

"I happen to know—”

"Well, Nellie-"

"I don't think at all basely of you-just the contrary."

My Nellie !"

"Oh, don't; but-but-there is one thing; it was strange of you entangling so young a girl into an engagement.'

"It was, Nellie, it was-but the fact is, all Portsmouth was ringing with the beauty and desolate condition of this pretty young thing. I went to see her, just out of curiosity. With all the ardour of a sailor, I rushed, pell mell, into

any scheme to save her. I saw her soft heart. stealing out of her eyes: I knew the bets that were being made about her, as to who should carry off the prize. Though I had not spoken one single word to her, I took my chance, (the only one I had,) to rescue her from these careless, somewhat coarse-minded fellows. Goodhearted in their way, but quite unfitted, any one of them, to be the guardian or husband of so refined a creature. I took my chance also, when she accepted my offer, of her mind being equal to her person. You know I could not say I loved her, though I had abundance of admiration

and pity to spare. You can only love that of which you know the value-as I do you, Nellie."

"Ah! I see; you made Selina engage herself to you, to escape being the wife of any of these other people, who only thought her a pretty high-born girl."

"Yes, I was just going to sail; I saw enough of her heart through her eyes, to know that the poor little thing only required something to love to be quite contented and happy. She was so young.

VOL. III.

S

"But very firm," said I.

Yes," answered Noel, sighing heavingly. And the brow became corrugated with lines. I took advantage of his abstraction to spring up, and free myself from his clasp.

"Ah, Nellie, you hate me," he exclaimed. "No, I am tired of kneeling."

"I wish, I wish-"

:

"Noel, what do you wish anything that I can do for you?"

Nothing that you can do; but I wish you had a heart."

"It is very unkind to say I am heartless." "Selina thinks it."

So I went away, wondering both at my guardian and Selina. But no thoughts brought me any ray of reason on this speech.

Only my guardian grew restless and uneasy. He would colour, and his face be turned eagerly to the door when I entered. And if I came near his chair, he would grasp my dress, and detain me. I did not think ill of him. How could I, knowing what poor Lady Maria had confessed in her mortal agony.

66

CHAPTER XXV.

Oh! let the soul its slumber break

Around its senses, and awake
To see how soon

Life with its glories glides away,
And the stern footstep of decay

Comes stealing on."

JORGE MANRique.

SUDDENLY two events occurred, even in one week. Phebe announced her intention to get married "upon young Archie Allison; solely caused to do so," quoth she, "because mither and father couldn't bide any mair wi-out her." High rose the anger and wrath of the young Glynne. Said he, in lofty scorn

"Phebe, you're a humbug."

"Humble or not, sir, I shall be aye proud I was your nurse."

"Remember you marry without my consent." "Deed and I hope so, Master Neville. I wad be sorry if ye parted easy wi' me.'

This being unanswerable, they kissed in token of forgiveness and fresh amity; and Neville forgot part of his anger, in anxiety to choose a proper dress for the bride elect.

The other event was the sudden death (they seem to go together, marriages and deaths) of Mr. Scann. He died apparently of damp and mildew. So aunt Scann came to live with us, the daisies, dandelions, and nettles.

And she basked and sunned herself in full enjoyment, even while she mourned over the loss of the dearest and best of brothers, purring with inward satisfaction on all the fresh, sweet arrangements of her room, but never permitting one syllable to pass her mouth in reference to the dull dolefulness of her past home.

"Surely, aunt," said my guardian, one day, no one but you could have borne such a life with so much patience."

Then gleamed forth an expression in aunt Scann's face that made it ever more saint-like It told the tale of her forbearance,

to me.