angel of mercy! lean on me; I cannot refuse a boon asked by those sweet, though pallid lips."

Ellen's was no vain boast; she was of use; she knew where to find every thing needed; she spoke not; she did not faint. Jobb was an extremely clever operator, and a shrewd man; in a moment he guessed the whole affair a duel. Julian had been wounded the bullet had entered the breast near the shoulder, luckily, not touching the lungs.

The exquisite pain to which the probe put him, aroused Julian to consciousness; but he was a man of the greatest bodily courage; and though a flush of agony passed over his pale features, he did not utter a groan. His eyes fell on the kneeling form of Ellen; he extended his hand, murmured "Dear, kind Ellen!" and fainted away.

Ellen silently held his hand, silently strove to recall him to life, bathed his forehead and his palms with Eau de Cologne, and performed, with a firm and gentle touch, several offices,

which none but a woman's hand could have performed so well. And it was not till Jobb triumphantly exclaimed, "Here it is!—it's clean out, and he'll do well!" that Ellen burst into an agony of tears.

It was at this very moment that Augusta, who had learned, from the terror-stricken and speechless Ruth, that something dreadful had happened, and who, on the girl's bursting into tears when she asked if Julian was well, had concluded that her cousin was in some way the cause of the girl's emotion, rushed, in her white wrapper, her long hair dishevelled, and her face pale with alarm and horror, into the library.

Augusta had not Ellen's unselfish control over her feelings; but she had both passion and sympathy in her nature, and the sight of the man, whom she loved best on earth, apparently lifeless before her, roused her to the wildest agony of despair.

Regardless of every thing but the expression of this feeling, Augusta rushed forth, threw herself on her knees beside 'ulian, and

shrieked wildly. Aroused by her screams, he opened his eyes, tried to clasp her upraised hands, and said, "Fear not, beloved one! be calm this grief will kill you- I shall soon be well-the worst is over-I cannot die now that I see Augusta cannot spare me."

At these faintly whispered words, Augusta shrieked more wildly still; tears poured from her eyes; she would have thrown her arms around him, when suddenly she found herself forcibly removed by the authoritative arm of Mr. Jobb.

"You will be his death, miss! — you've almost spoiled the best day's work I ever did," he said, angrily. "Here, young woman," calling to a housemaid, who was bringing towels into the room, "attend to miss. In a quarter of an hour I'll see her in her own room-she must lose a little blood."

So saying, Mr. Jobb placed Augusta on a chair in the hall, and, returning to the library, bolted the door on her and on Mrs. Lindsay, who was about to rush in, in a flannel gown and an immense and towering nightcap. "Ex

cuse me, madam, but sickness before ceremony-it's a case of life and death. Ladies, I'll attend you presently."

When Jobb returned to his patient, he found Ellen supporting his head on her arm, and De Villeneuve bathing his hands.

"Is there a bed-room on this floor?"

66

"Yes," answered Ellen, almost joyfully, -"a small spare room; I will have it prepared."

In a few minutes the servants, directed and aided by the pale but resolute Ellen, had prepared the room.

"It is ready," said Ellen-"my cousin's valet is returned with two surgeons."

"Two too many," said Jobb, rubbing his hands. "Let them be dismissed, with the compliments of Mr. Jobb, of Great Quebec Street, and they're a day after the fair."

"They are already gone," said Ellen. "I told them my cousin was in good hands; but his own valet and my uncle's are ready to assist you to remove him into the bed-room; and now I will leave you till he is in bed, and then,"

she said, with a faint smile, like sunshine on a snowdrop, while the large tears stole down her cheeks, "as I have redeemed my pledge, and, at any rate, done no harm, perhaps, Mr. Jobb, you will allow me to be one of his nurses?"

"I must say, miss," said Jobb, washing his hands, "as a medical man-I must say you're an honour to your sex. If you'd been a man, miss, you'd have been an ornament to the profession. Few regular nurses have half your nerve, miss; and if you can hold up, I cannot refuse your occasionally looking in upon my patient. But you cannot stand it long, miss; I shall have you on my list for this before two days are over our heads. Allow me....why, your pulse is like a bird's; however, if you will take some draughts hourly, which I will send you, I have no objection to your being now and then in the room with my patient. But directly I get home, I shall look out for two steady, regularly-educated hospital nurses, for my two patients. One (it's a curious thing) is a Mrs. Jobb-no relation, as you may believe; indeed, she has no right to the dou