true; yet twilight found him thinking of the False one still; and on his cheeks, livid with passion, were the traces of the bitter tears of slighted love.

Meanwhile, an animated scene had been going on at the Rectory. Grunter, Miss Tibby, and Annie, had preferred their several complaints in the presence of Mr. Lindsay, the Reverend Gregory, and his offending

wife.

66

Kinsmon," said Miss Tibby, as if conferring a great favour, "I've shared your wealth, and I'll nae shrink fra sharing your poverty. But Mistress Lindsay has reproached Annie and mysel with being incumbrances on her, and that I canna and I wunna be sae ony langer."

"Mrs. Lindsay," said the Reverend Gregory, addressing his wife, his usually mild eyes flashing fire, "what is this?-have you dared, under my roof, to insult the friends of my brother, in his hour of sorrow? speak, for, by

Heaven, if you have, the same roof covers us no longer! I would not dwell with one so basely ungrateful-no, not... ..."

"You haven't heard both sides," sobbed Mrs. Lindsay. "You're always so ready to side against me!"

"Let me hear what you can urge in your defence," said her husband.

Mrs. Lindsay told her story so meekly, and so exaggerating the wounds and evils she had received, that Mr. Lindsay said:

"Brother, urge this no further. this no further.

Your wife

regrets her hasty expressions, and Miss Tibby and Annie will, I am sure, forgive."

"I think, sir," said Grunter, "it is I who am the injured party; it is I who have been abused, reviled, and insulted, by Mrs. Lindsay........"

"You! what you, in whom she recognizes a near relation ?"

"No longer now, sir; now that my fortunes fall with the ruin of yours."

"What have you to say to this?" asked Gregory, sternly.

"I will make any apology," sobbed Mrs. Lindsay; "I am sure I meant nothing. I was always of a quick temper

speak my mind."

too ready to

"I never knew that before," said Mr.

Lindsay.

"Nor I," growled Grunter.

"Nor I," echoed Miss Tibby and Annie. At this moment a note was brought to Mr. Lindsay; he read it, and turned pale.

"Julian has left us suddenly," he said; "he is gone to London." He looked sternly at the Matchmaker, who trembled. " I wish to speak with Augusta; let her be summoned."

Some minutes elapsed, and then Augusta came, pale, her eyes red and downcast, and her head bowed upon her breast.

"Augusta," he said, "Julian is gone!"

Augusta uttered a faint shriek; her lips grew white, and she sank on a chair. "Why? where?....." she murmured.

66

you

Why!" said old Lindsay, sternly, “ perhaps can tell better than I can. Where, it can little matter to you to know; you have rejected him."

"Oh! no, no! she did not, she could not!" cried Ellen. "Speak, Augusta; you have not done it! he is not gone."

But Augusta spoke not; she cast an appealing glance at her mother; but the Matchmaker looked another way; she did not wish to be implicated in this, too.

"Yes, he is gone," said old Lindsay: "you have rejected him, because he was ruined. You have sent him with a broken heart to battle with a cruel world. Be it so! You have strewn his pillow with thorns, but God grant some gentle hand may pluck them away yet! In your own heart, I believe, you will find

an undying one planted there by remorse. Brother, for all your kindness, I bless and thank you; but I must go hence now, and I return no more. In one hour, as a ruined man, I have learnt what years of prosperity could never have taught me. Come, then, all ye insulted ones, who will share my beggary; let us depart at once. I go to live in a foreign land, on the scantiest pittance, but I go, no longer deceived. Ellen, my weeping darling, farewell!"

"No! no!" shrieked Ellen, darting forward, and kneeling before him. "No farewell! -no farewell to me! Where you go I will follow you. I will be no burthen, no expense to you. I have some savings of your bounty, some gifts of your benevolence. I will be no burthen to you; but I will serve you, tend you, toil for-ay, if needful, beg, for you. But shall not go forth into a foreign land,

you

the very language of which you know not,

F 5