"Of course you would," answered the lad, in a matter-of-fact voice, "but I wanted to surprise you and mamma by playing a duet one evening with Arabella-which I am not quite perfect in yet. He," -indicating Herbert by a glance over his shoulder-"begged me to keep my secret until after he was gone, and if it hadn't been for Miss Stanley, slipping his hand into Ella's, and looking archly up into her face "I should have refused to play to-night; but when he heard that she wished it, he could hold out no longer."

"I feel extremely grateful to Miss Stanley for being the means of affording me an opportunity of thanking Mr. Seymour for all the trouble he must have taken with you," said the man of wealth, bowing, and fixing his eyes so keenly and attentively upon her, that she felt her colour rise considerably under his scrutiny, and was obliged to turn away her head, lest he should discover how much she was discomposed by Albert's simple words, as well as his own inquisitive inspection of her glowing countenance.

It did not lessen her confusion when Herbert approached them with a message from Lady Stanley.

To Mr. Snapson's surprise, he appeared as much embarrassed as herself, merely delivering it without a word of comment; and instead of offering her his arm, or showing the least disposition to accompany her as she crossed the wide room in obedience to her mother's summons, he stepped back in order to make way for another gentleman, who had been for some time hovering near, waiting for an opportunity of addressing her, and allowed him to carry her off in triumph.

At first, Mr. Snapson was inclined to suspect Herbert of indifference, but a second glance undeceived him-the settled gravity of his thoughtful countenance, the sad, wistful expression of his large dark eyes, as he gazed after her much-loved form, the close pressure of his finely curved lips, and the painful contraction of his full wide brow, giving undoubted evidence of another and totally opposite feeling.

CHAPTER LXXXI.

RELATIVE VALUE OF £20,000.
"There's something in a noble boy,
A brave, free-hearted, careless one,
With his unchecked, unbidden joy,
His dread of books and love of fun,
And in his clear and ready smile,
Unshaded by a thought of guile,
And unrepressed by sadness,-
Which brings me to my childhood back,
As if I trod its very track,

And felt its very gladness."

WILLIS.

"I BEGIN to understand it now," mused Mr. Snapson, with a confident movement of his head. "The poor fellow is attached to her —that's certain; but, being straitened in his circumstances, he thinks he has no chance of obtaining her, and prefers going abroad to running the risk of a refusal. Well! I am sorry for him; but it can't be helped, I suppose."

Having arrived at this conclusion, he would, under ordinary circumstances, have dismissed the subject from his mind; but the gratifying discovery he had just made regarding his son's proficiency in an accomplishment of which he had deemed him comparatively ignorant, and the consciousness that the knowledge thus acquired was solely owing to Herbert's kind and disinterested instructions, had produced such a softening impression upon him, by awakening all the latent tenderness and benignity of his rough and untractable nature, that he felt his sympathies irresistibly drawn towards one who had in so many instances voluntarily undertaken the most difficult and arduous tasks, and quietly and unostentatiously performed the most important services without a thought or hope of reward.

Under the influences of this gentle mood, Mr. Snapson began almost unconsciously to review our hero's magnanimous conduct with respect to his own workpeople. He recollected the demoralised state of the neighbourhood when first he went to reside in it-the roughness and uncivilisation that generally prevailed among the inhabitants; the younger part of the population priding themselves upon their rudeness and pert incivility, both in word and deed, to their superiors; the elders showing, by their uniformly sullen and disrespectful bearing, that they were possessed of a spirit of incipient rebellion, such as only wanted a favourable opportunity to break forth into open insubordination. Now there was a thorough and radical change. You might walk from one end to the other of the village of Colton, and even the adjacent hamlets, and meet nothing which could offend the eye or grate on the most refined ear. There was no profane swearing now-no open scoffing at religion-no exciting of each other's minds to evil; for the men had learnt from that Book

CHAPTER LXXX.

MR. SNAPSON IS AGREEABLY SURPRISED.

"Ask what is human life-the sage replies,
With disappointment lowering in his eyes,
A painful passage o'er a restless flood,
A vain pursuit of fugitive false good-
A scene of fancied bliss and heartfelt care,
Closing at last in darkness and despair."

"Man's wisdom is to seek

His strength in God alone;
And e'en an angel would be weak

Who trusted in his own."

Cowper.

Cowper.

ON entering the drawing-room that evening, after taking a long and interesting pedestrian excursion with Albert, and making acquaintances in some of the fishermen's huts, Herbert started back in the greatest amazement.

The colour instantaneously flushed over his face, and as instantaneously retired, leaving it several shades paler than it was before.

His eye gave one quick pleasurable flash, his heart one throb of wild, tumultuous joy-then the gleam of gladness died away, a shadow, so slight as to be scarcely perceptible clouded his brow; he pressed his lips firmly together, and resuming his usual calm deportment went forward.

He had not advanced more than a step or two when he was met by Lady Stanley.

"I am delighted indeed to find you here," she said, cordially extending her hand, and regarding him with one of her tender motherly glances.

"Judging from Mr. Seymour's appearance, mamma, your feelings are not reciprocated," exclaimed the piquant Lucy, coming up to them, and smilingly offering her own hand.

"How easily people are deceived!" thought Herbert, as, having replied to their civilities, he went through the same form with Ella. In her case it really seemed a mere form, for he spoke to her without even venturing a glance at her fair face, radiant with youth and beauty, and then turned abruptly away, and replied to the greetings of Colonel Lansmore.

"I have neither forgotten you, nor your wonderful musical skill," said that gentleman, after presenting Herbert to his wife, a tall gaily dressed and somewhat sharp-visaged lady of about forty. Herbert bowed.

66

Now, uncle, I must beg of you that you will refrain from offering Mr. Seymour any compliments," remarked Lucy, in a tone of mock seriousness; since last you met him, he has, I regret to inform you, greatly deteriorated."

66

"My dear Lucy," observed Lady Stanley, reprovingly," you surely do not know what you are saying."

'Pray don't interrupt her," said Herbert, with a smile (he always felt safe with Lucy, and was rather amused at her badinage). "I have no doubt it is perfectly true in more ways than one."

"Ah! you think that by thus candidly acknowledging your errors I shall be induced to withdraw my accusation," returned Lucy, playfully shaking her finger at him; "but I cannot let you escape so easily."

"What is the nature of your charge, my dear? inquired the Colonel, with a little twitching at the corners of his mouth.

"To tell you the truth, uncle, he has grown dreadfully reserved and unsociable; I will not say morose." This was added with an arch, meaning glance at Herbert. "I only hope it may not end in his being caught in the meshes of cynicism and misanthropy, but I greatly fear

A mysterious pursing of the lips finished the sentence.

"Now, Lucy, this is positively disgraceful," exclaimed Sir Edward, with considerable warmth; "I no longer wonder at the tongue being called the 'woman's sword.' Whatever others may do, I can testify that you never suffer it to rust."

66

'I should hope not indeed," laughed the gay-hearted girl, her dark eyes sparkling mirthfully.

"It shows, however," continued her brother, in a graver tone, "that your knowledge of Herbert's character must be a marvellously circumscribed one; otherwise you would scarcely dream of giving him credit for any such tendencies."

66

"I appeal to you, uncle," said Lucy, assuming an injured air; are we not fully justified in judging of people by their actions?"

"In most cases, yes," replied the Colonel, leaning comfortably back in a capacious arm-chair," though it would be hardly fair to apply the same test to every one, as there are some cases wherein circumstances conspire to render it expedient for them to appear as it were incog."

"I can't understand that kind of reasoning," laughed Lucy. seems to me very inconclusive."

66

"It

Supposing we allow the matter to stand over ad referendum," returned her uncle, rising to his feet at the sound of the dinner bell, and offering an arm to each of the young ladies.

“A very good suggestion," said Lady Stanley, leading the way to the dinning-room with Herbert; "you must not mind Lucy's raillery," she went on, addressing the young man in a half-whisper.

"She affects to be very indignant with you for absenting yourself from our house for such a time, and will not, I fear, cease to banter you on the subject."

"Is it quite impossible for me to convince her and yourself that duty, not inclination, was the cause of my absence?" replied Herbert, in the same confidential tone; "had I merely consulted the latter, or discovered a way of reconciling the two, my visits would have been far more frequent."

66

Well, I am bound to believe you," answered the lady, with a thoughtful glance at his agitated countenance; "I know from experience that pleasure and duty are not always compatible."

"Then, may I hope that you at least will acquit me of rudeness and ingratitude?"

"I never blamed you, even in thought," said Lady Stanley, quickly,

and with a gentle pressure of his arm; "on the contrary, I admire your firmness and courage, in being able to resist the importunities of your friends, when you feel it would be unwise of you to give way to their solicitations."

"A sure sign," reflected Herbert, "that she guesses at my unforturate attachment, and wishes to express her approbation of the course I have adopted."

He was confirmed in this opininon when, towards the close of the evening, he accidentally learnt that his presence at Penruthven had occasioned Lady Stanley and her daughters as much surprise as himself felt at their unexpected appearance.

In vain, however, he tried to prevail on Sir Edward to release him from his promise, by allowing him to shorten his visit. The latter declared he would not on any consideration consent to its being curtailed even by a single day; and, after a brief resistance, Herbert was obliged to submit to his friend's wishes.

I am not sure whether, with all his studied watchfulness and selfcontrol, he succeeded in wholly disguising the state of his feelings from Sir Edward or his more observant mother, though they never gave him the slightest cause to suppose that they suspected him of being in anywise different from what he appeared in the eyes of others.

Nothing worthy of particular note occurred during the first week, which passed away like one of those unspeakably pleasant dreams, upon which we love to ponder in after days-dreams so perfect in their felicity-so unclouded in their brightness-so full of deep, unfathomable joy, of heartfelt content, and complete satisfaction, that while they last we feel as if we had nothing left to wish for-no earthly blessing to desire; and when they fade, as fade they must and do, the sun of our lives seems suddenly to have set, and we find ourselves plunged-for a time at least-into sorrow and gloom.

Mr. Snapson came to reclaim his son on the appointed day.

He appeared to take great interest in the young baronet's affairs, and showed by the numerous questions he put to him regarding the manner in which the estates were entailed-the length of time they had been in the family-and all other particulars which might guide him in entailing his own property upon Albert, and establishing him in a position befiting his wealth and expectations, how much he was prepared to sacrifice for the sake of his idolised son and heir.

Before returning to Lanchester he was induced to remain for a night at Penruthven, where he met with an agreeable surprise.

It so happened that several old friends of Lady Stanley's were spending the evening at the Mount. and, some music being asked for, Lucy and Ella each contributed her share towards entertaining the company.

Mr. Snapson was, in the meantime, conversing with Sir Edward in an adjoining room, upon the subject nearest his heart, whilst Albert, who had become quite a favourite with the ladies, was enjoying himself in his own fashion.

An hour had elapsed ere Mr. Snapson showed any disposition to allow his young host to return to the other guests.

Then they were interrupted by Colonel Lansmore, who came in search of his nephew.

"Will you not step into the drawing-room, Mr. Snapson? inquired.

" he