niece, Miss Vivian; I have told her as much within a few hours past, and have her permission to entreat your sanction of our engagement." Colonel Ashley sprang from his chair, shoving it behind him, and stood gazing with astonishment upon the young man-with simple astonishment, unmixed with regret or resentment. At last "How long has this gone on, sir, without my knowledge?" "I fancied it was not without your knowledge, sir. Our association has been very open. I fancied, from your own words, that you expected the communication I have just made," said Mark, with a surprise almost equal to his own. "No, sir, no! my words referred to a totally dif ferent matter, which I shall explain presently," replied the old gentleman, resuming his seat, with a somewhat changed manner. "So you have addressed Miss Vivian?" Mark bowed. "And won her consent to be yours?" Another bow of assent. "Humph! well-so I have been truly warned, after all! Pray, Mr. Sutherland, have you ever tried to instil into the minds of my sons, your pupils, any of your own opinions in respect to slavery?" "I have never named the subject to them, sir. 1 have endeavoured to cultivate in them principles of truth, justice, and mercy, and left the application of those principles to that subject to time and circumstances." "Humph! Have you ever convened my coloured people, and preached insurrection to them?" "Sir!" exclaimed Mark, with the indignant blood purpling his forehead. "Nay, nay! don't look so. God knows, if you had done so, I should have sought no vengeance, young man." "Colonel Ashley, I am neither mad nor unprincipled, however I may have been misrepresented to you." "I believe it, Mark! I quite believe it. I will not examine you upon the fourth charge! Heaven knows what demonstrations of indignation would meet my question, should I ask you if, poet-wise, you had endeavoured to awaken in Mrs. Ashley's memory any sentimental reminiscences of the past!" Mark smiled. "Yet nevertheless, my dear young friend, it was upon that subject that I wished to speak to you. Mr. and Mrs. Ashley will make this house their permanent home. My son's wife will be the mistress of the establishment, of course. Will it be pleasant for you to meet them in daily, hourly intercourse? I have seen it written, that 'friendship sometimes turns to love, but love to friendship never.' A brimstone sentiment, I admit. Still, I can imagine cases and characters to which it is applicable. For instance, I do not think it possible for you and your cousin ever to be friends." Mark was silent. "You do not speak. Do you perchance imagine that you two could live comfortably under the same. roof?" "Colonel Ashley, I know we could not." "That will do; we understand each other. And I leave all the rest to yourself. I will speak with you again to-morrow. In the meantime, do me the favour to let Miss Vivian know that I wish to see her." CHAPTER XVI. THE CONFESSION. "She'll go with him, in all his weal and woe; In all the perils which may press around him; "COME here, Rosalie; I want to have a very serious talk with you, my child," said Colonel Ashley, rising to meet his niece, as she entered, and leading her to a seat. "Now, my dear, I am very sorry for something that I have just heard. Nay, now, be calm, my dear-I am not going to scold. If I indulge in any sort of reproach, it must be in self-reproach for my own reprehensible carelessness. And so, my child, you are engaged to be married!" Rosalie's face crimsoned, and her eyes fell to the ground. "And what good, Rosalie, do you think will ever come of this imprudent step?" The blush deepened on her cheek, but she did not reply. "And what am I to think of this penniless young man, who uses his position in my family to wile the affections of my niece-an heiress? Would it not be a fair and rational conclusion to set him down as an unprincipled fortune-hunter?" Rosalie started. Her eyes flashed, her lips quivered. She exclaimed "Uncle, you do not believe that-you do not!" “Would it not be fair to believe it?" "Uncle, you are a noble-hearted being-you always recognise true nobility in others. Uncle, be just to Mr. Sutherland-nay, be just to yourself-unsay your words." "Why, Rosalie, ninety-nine out of a hundred would call your lover a fortune-hunter." "Oh, sir, they could not-they could not! knowing that Mr. Sutherland voluntarily renounced a large fortune for an idea of duty." "At any rate, Rosalie, here are the naked facts: Mark Sutherland, being quite penniless, and well knowing that he has no way on earth of supporting a wife, makes the best use of his opportunities to woo and win an heiress!" Rosalie dropped her face into her hands; her bosom heaved convulsively, as with some inward struggle, for an instant, and then lifting a countenance blushing and tearful, yet gently resolute, she said, in a faltering voice: "I must make a confession, even if it cover me with humiliation. I must clear Mr. Sutherland, and take the blame where it truly belongs-upon my own head. Uncle, it was my fault-my own-mine solely." She paused, for her girl's nature would not bear the look the old man fixed upon her. She averted her face, and with deeply flushed check and low, treaulous voice, resumed: "I loved him, uncle. It was impossible, adoring moral heroism as I did, not to love him. God and angels know it, and you must know it, too". Again she paused for an answer, but Colonel Ashley did not reply, and she asked "Uncle! you exonerate Mr. Sutherland now, do you not?" "Yes!" exclaimed Colonel Ashley, speaking as if waking up out of a reverie. "I exonerated him at first; I only wanted to see, Rosalie, whether you would have the honour and generosity to admit what you have. Good heaven! It seems to me fully one-half the love originates with the girls, although they have too much tact to let us know it! Now, there was your aunt: I was two years courting her. In truth, I thought I had a terrible time to win her heart; but listen, now. Some time after we had been married, she told me how many months she had been 'setting her cap' at me before I ever thought of her; and yet you see after she had once gained her point, and brought me to her feet, she kept me on the tenterhooks of suspense for two years!" "May I go now? Are you done with me, uncle?" "No, my dear, I have not begun with you yet! I must give you a lecture! Don't you know it was a very unmaidenly thing of you to 'set your cap' at Mr. Sutherland ?" "Uncle, Mr. Sutherland evidently does not pronounce such a judgment, and therefore it is not so." "No, poor fellow! because he doesn't know you did it He's under the illusion that he did all the love |