the next two or three hours. "True. And yet and yet - but I must even trust." said Mr. Farquhar, somewhat incoherently. And at last he removed his eyes from his friend's face, loosed his grasp of his hand, and went from the room. And in his own apartment long did George Farquhar sit thoughtful, with a very so that they should not get into the way for "Who should be able, if not yourself?" Vaughan replied; "you who have been to And altogether the evening passed with me friend, counsellor, and helper - you more cheerfulness and less restraint than who know all my follies and weaknesses might have been expected. Its events may as intimately as though I were a conscienbe briefly epitomized: Mr. Farquhar devoted scious Romanist, and you my father conhimself to conversation with Mr. Hesketh, fessor." and to all appearance both gentlemen were soon deeply interested in a discussion on Chancery Reform; a dry subject, from which Vaughan escaped at the commencement, to follow Caroline to the piano, to lean over the back of her chair while she played, and to interrupt by ever-recurrent whisperings the sweet strains of Bellini, Donizetti, and Verdi, thereby occasioning changeful expression in his dark face many varieties of harmony not contemplated by those composers. Light bursts of laughter occasionally rang upwards from this distant corner of the room, and then a momentary glance could hardly be resisted by either of its other occupants a glance that took in a picture very charming in its way; white-robed, golden-haired Caroline, and Vaughan, handsome and chivalrous of bearing, speech, and look, watching her fingers as they played elfish tricks about the ivory keys, or trying to tempt her to look up at him for a moment-it was sure to be only for a moment- and then she would droop her head again, and extraordinary bursts of sound would ensue, as if- as indeed, was the case - she was wrathful with her own self-consciousness. sometimes of pain, keen and sharp enough to make the lip quiver, and to contract the brow as with some physical spasm; anon of doubt, deep and perplexing;— till at length pain and doubt were both silenced, as it seemed, by the voice of a strong resolve. And then he rose from his seat, walked rapidly up and down the room for some minutes, and then-the mouth quite fixed and firm, although the brow was still clouded and the eyes were not all peace nor all thoughtfulness - he drew pen, and ink, and paper to him, and began to write rapidly. Let us look over his shoulder: leave Redwood early to-morrow morning. "MY DEAR VAUGHAN, -I am going to I beg of you to tender my apologies for the abruptness of my departure to your good uncle, and my earnest thanks for the friendly hospitality he has so kindly shown me. affairs. I have been considering their posi"So much for myself; now to your own tion, and I can see no righteous solution of the difficulties that would arise from their further postponement. You tell me that your marriage is to take place before longan additional reason why all should be made clear and straight for your future career. I can, indeed, see reasons why an esclandre at this juncture is to be specially deprecated, yet worse even than that would it be for you to take new responsibilities upon you while the trammels of former difficulties still remain. "Let there be no delay. Arrange the the requisite sum; you shall repay me at whole matter at once. I will advance you your convenience. I rely upon your often reiterated assurances and solemn promises never to incur another of these accursed 'debts of honor.' I rely, too, on the fact 66 The servant bowed, and retired, too proficient in his vocation to betray surprise, however sudden the plan. It so chanced, that on his way along the corridor he met Mr. Vaughan Hesketh's own man." He was discreet enough not to mention the fact of their approaching departure; but, in order to prevent accidents, he gave him the letter to deliver to his master next morning. Furthermore, it chanced that the man, being summoned to Mr. Vaughan Hesketh's apartment again that night, gave him the letter. that you are about to link with your own to Mr. Vaughan Hesketh's man, to deliver fate that of a good and noble woman, whose to his master as soon as he comes downlove, I believe and trust, will awaken in you stairs.” high ambitions towards a nobler life than has yet been yours. Moreover, I have sufficient faith in your generosity to believe that you will not disregard the knowledge that this loan to you will cripple my resources for the next few years. Let me have the real happiness of finding that it has done good service to you and yours. The money shall be paid to your creditors (according to the list of them with which you furnished me) directly I reach London, and the receipts sent to you. I purpose a foreign tour for the remainder of the vacation. When I return, I trust it will be to hear that all has gone well with you. A worthy life lies before you embrace it! See that you use well the good gifts Fate places in your way. Your past has not deserved such gifts, Vaughan Hesketh - - take heed that your future repairs its errors. I am not given to sermonizing, so this must end. I am yours faithfully, GEORGE FARQuhar. "Write me word to my chambers that you agree to this. I shall have left for London before this reaches you." This written, he rang for his servant. "Jenkins, we leave this at six o'clock to-morrow-no, this morning. Call me at five; see that the horses are ready. And remember before we start to give this letter He read it. For a little while he appeared to be considering, his hand shading his eyes. He looked up sharply at the waiting-man. "Was this to be given to me at once?" "Yes, sir-no, sir. Leastways, Mr. Jenkins told me to give it you the first thing in the morning." "Ah! you need n't mention that you gave it to-night." "Very well, sir.' And Vaughan Hesketh, serenely content, turned to his slumbers. CHAPTER VI the slightly marked path which wound and wound itself between the trees and great clumps of gorse, and then was lost, as though it led to a brink beyond which lay only sky and air. The hall windows looked out on the hill. At one of them Vaughan Hesketh stood, with his hands clasped behind him, his head bent down, and the peculiar eyes cloudy, ominous, yet with a fiery sparkle in them, looking out as if they saw more than the gleams and shadows of the autumn afternoon. Anon he turned away, and began Ir was an afternoon in September. One upon the narrow path leading to the moor, of the fairest autumn days was lingering lovingly and regretfully about the embrowned beeches and dusky firs of Redwood. The shadowy, sweet presence of the season most dear to poet and to artist, was discernible everywhere. She glanced from the midst of many a copse and pinewood; her soft, tender smile shone from faint rifts of cloud that girdled the horizon when sunset was near; the hem of her skirt had touched the dells and hollows where the grass grew lush and tall had turned the ferns to amber and the grasses to gold. On the smooth turf of the hilly slope that led to the moor, idly rolling about the billiard-balls, till his she had left footprints, of a pale brown quick ear caught the rustle of a robe, and fading color, that contrasted with the vivid he looked up to see Caroline descending the emerald of the moss around the tree trunks. staircase. She came towards him; the And across the hill, through the tree almost serious composure of her face gave branches, and the feathery grasses, and the way to a smile, and the bloom on her cheek amber ferns, came the slanting sunlight, deepened. His own aspect cleared; it making shadows everywhere, and flickering brightened into the free, candid sunshine of "O, Carry! are you going to practise the Farquhar philosophy? Do you begin to see the vanity of all things?" "I begin to see the vanity of you at least," she rejoined, laughing; "the rest will follow in time. Doubtless poor Mr. Farquhar's theory had reason in it." "Poor Mr. Farquhar! Why such a tender adjective?" "O, I always felt sorry for him, and I regretted his abrupt departure. I wish he hadn't gone abroad last week. I wish he had stayed longer at Redwood." Farquhar seems to have made a wonderful impression on your susceptible ladyship." "Is it so wonderful? Were you not sorry yourself, when your friend left us so suddenly?" 66 No, Carry; I had no room for sorrow, regret, or disappointment. I was in perfect content with everything in the world." She colored, in silence, as she led the way into the dining-room, declaring again that "luncheon was ready." But apparently neither of them cared much for that repast. It was very soon dispatched, almost in silence, and then Caroline seated herself before the fire and Vaughan took a chair beside her. He leaned his elbow on his knee, his head upon his hand, and looked up into her face thoughtfully. Some fascination seemed to lead the conversation back to the former theme. "After all," he said, with some emphasis, "he is an excellent fellow, in his way." "Who?" she asked, waking from her own reverie. "But what is his way y?" "That of a man of the world - a man who has drained life of all its sweetnesses, and is rather apt to quarrel with the dregs because they are bitter. A man of intellect that has been suffered to lie fallow; of fortune that has been misspent or wasted; of position that has been turned to no account. A disappointed, blasé, cynical man, Carry, whose nature you can hardly guess at, much less understand." "I can understand enough to be very sorry," she said, thoughtfully. There was a pause. "I regret more than ever that he did not stay with us," she went on. "Poor man! poor Mr. Farquhar! He should not have gone away.' "Of course, he is much to be pitied for not staying. But he seemed to think it in-. evitable that he should go, and I presume he knows his own affairs best." "Business affairs-yes. But there are other things. It would have done him good, Vaughan, to have been in this pleasant country, and the beautiful autumn weather we have had ever since you came down. Don't you remember the one day at Crooksforth, how it cheered him? He was like a different person after he had been in the fresh, sweet air for an hour or two." "My dear child, Redwood air is dear to you, I know, and doubly dear to me. But, with all due respect for its merits and its health-giving properties, I yet doubt its power to regenerate a morbid mind." "O, Vaughan! remember that one day on Crooksforth!" "I do remember; shall I ever forget it? But it is not of him I think in connection with that day; it was too full of- - other things. And, since then, there has been so much happiness in my life that all morbidness and misery went out of even my remembrance." He spoke very tenderly, and for one minute Caroline shyly nestled her cheek against his hand. “Dear Vaughan, it is precisely because I He smiled complacently. in his way." "Have I not said?" she returned, with a bright smile. But it faded a little, as she |mation. The fact was, he felt rather rewent on- "If only my uncle were quite lieved that it was no worse. He had long well, and himself again, I should be in the condition I used to repudiate- I should have nothing left to wish for." "He will get strong again, in time; never fear. Dr. Barclay thought well of him yesterday, you know.” "Still it is a mysterious sort of ailment, which makes me anxious. Every day he is later in coming from his room; every day, exertion seems more painful and difficult. He was never very active; now his love of repose almost amounts to torpor. And his memory is not so good as it used to be.” "Ah!" said Vaughan, struck by the fact. "Do you think that is bad?" cried Caroline, in eager alarm. "Dr. Barclay did not take much notice when I told him; he said with the physical weakness all mental disorder would go. And he is very cheerful, always." "That is a great advantage. Don't frighten yourself, or be too anxious, dear child. There is nothing dangerous in the sort of chronic influenza which, after all, my uncle's illness resolves itself into." since reconciled himself to the inevitable necessity of Miss Kendal's neighborhood, therefore he was highly philosophical on the present occasion. "Well, it can't be helped. And she is really there not a mile from the spot we occupy? After this, I'll never believe in magnetism. If there was any truth in it, I should have felt an oppressivenes in the air when the arrival took place." But Caroline's serious eyes took no new at Beacon's Cottage.' light. "Don't look so grave, dearest. Do you know, I fancy your cheek is the least in the world less blooming than it was a week or two since. Suppose we go for a walk?" He had no cause to complain of her want of bloom. Radiant and rosy was her blush as she replied, "O, Vaughan! I've something to tell you something you won't like to hear." "You little puss! I'll punish you "No; don't laugh. It is really something disagreeable. I knew it last night, but I did not wish to vex you before there was absolute need." "What is it, then?" he asked, with a momentary peevishness, which escaped him unawares, being the natural protest against anything disagreeable or vexatious which it was part of his character to feel, though he did not always express it. "It is about Miss Kendal. She arrived at Beacon's Cottage last night, and I am going to see her this afternoon," said Caroline, bravely and directly. She could not help laughing at the wry face with which Vaughan received the infor He watched her face narrowly, though smilingly, as if he expected to see there something different from the simple pleasure and gratification with which she looked up to him. But Caroline was transparent as air. Her second thought brought a shade to her face, a serious tone to her voice. 66 Vaughan, after all, perhaps she would rather that I went alone the first time. I don't think you shall go to-day." "Indeed!" he said, coldly. "Is your friendship so close and so sacred that not even your betrothed husband may come near it?" His cold glance, his displeased tone, struck home. But something of her characteristic repulsion against all unreasonableness and injustice came to Caroline's aid. "You must know what I mean, Vaughan. It is for Miss Kendal's sake, not my own, that I propose to go alone." "And Miss Kendal is, of course, to be considered before me?" She was indignantly silent; a red glow fired her cheek; a significant light flashed ever and anon from her eyes. She looked exactly as she had looked when a child, when Vaughan had been what she called What was it? Even while she tried to pen"wicked," and herself "cross." Vaughan recognized the look; it was one evoked in an instant, and capable of being dispelled as quickly. "O, Carry! you should not try me where I am most weak. On this point I am utterly unreasonable; I confess it." "I am glad you confess it." etrate into the the mystery of her own spirit, Vaughan returned to her, took his old place beside her, looked at her, but not as before. His face betrayed agitation, his utterance was indistinct and hurried. "Caroline, I am obliged to go to London immediately. A-a friend of mine is in a strait, from which I must try and relieve him as best I can." "Don't unbraid me with that measured tone and chill glance. I really intend to "To go to London? O, Vaughan!" was improve; veritably, Carry, the difficult her first cry; but, seeing his look, her feeling enterprise shall be immediately under-changed. Is it anything very wrong! taken." O, do tell me, if there is anything wrong with you." "So you just now said." "That is a heartless insinuation. Pshaw! it was half fun, my ill-humor. You may go to Beacon's Cottage as often as you like, and talk by the hour to my good friend there. It does not signify to me. I will trust you." "Trust me?" "Yes. If she abuses me as she used to do, if she tries to prejudice you against me, why, let her. Ill-nature will be its own reward." Caroline's reply had only got as far as a reproachful, but nevertheless evidently relenting, "O, Vaughan!" when they were interrupted by the entrance of a servant, who delivered a card to Mr. Vaughan Hesketh, and announced that "the gentleman waited in the study." "In the study! My uncle is not down, is he?" said Vaughan, quickly. He had just glanced at the card, and now rose, crushing it in his hand with evident embarrassment and annoyance. He stood as if considering for some minutes. Evidently he hesitated; but at last, without turning to Caroline, only muttering, "I must see him; I'll be back in a few minutes," he left the room. Caroline sat still, thoughtful, and a little troubled. Why was it that in the midst of all the happiness of the last few weeks would sometimes rise shadows such as this that now reigned duskily over her mind? Why would the sense of unsatisfying incompleteness ever and anon oppress her, while to all appearance sunshine most absolute was around her, and, as she had herself said a little while before, she was in danger of " having nothing left to wish for?" It was no tangible care or anxiety that she brooded over now. Her uncle's illness was not in her thoughts. Tell me "With me? O dear, no! It is only an affair of money; but unluckily I am short of cash, and I shan't know where to find even the hundred pounds, all that is needed." "Ask my uncle." "On no account; don't think of such a thing. He would suppose it some extravagance of-of mine." "Of course you would tell him what it was for." "But he is not obliged to believe what he is told," said Vaughan, musing aloud. Caroline looked at him, in innocent astonishment. "I'll tell you, Carry; you might help me- you might do me the greatest service." "How? Tell me." "You might lend me the money; you have as much in what you call your fund.' You told me so the other day." "I will go and ask my uncle for it this minute." Caroline rose, blithely. "How glad I am 66 Stop, Carry. If my uncle keeps it, if you have to ask him, it is as bad; it is out of the question." "Dear Vaughan, why should it be impos sible to ask him such a simple thing?" "It is impossible; I will not do it. I will brave every difficulty, suffer every pain, sooner. Don't ask me why; it is enough that it is impossible." He looked at his watch. "In half-an-hour I must be off." "How long shall you be away?" "I cannot tell; I am almost distracted; I don't know which way to turn. Let me think." He leaned his head down upon his two |