tle, speechless, sorrowful parting-and then the meeting of quick rapture-the joy of hope satisfied. The creature of his imagination was as familiar to him as if she had been a reality-it seemed as if every tone of her voice had a thousand times thrilled on his ear, as if her smile had penetrated to the centre of his heart.

He was still lying wrapt in the folds of this happy bewilderment, when his vacant eye happened to catch a glimpse of a carriage creeping slowly along one of the avenues of the Thorwold park. He started to his feet and gazed upon it, straining his eyes as if it had been in his own power to abridge, by strong volition, the effect of the distance. Yes, there were certainly four horses and postilions-there was an outrider a little way before he could distinguish him here and there between the openings of the trees-there was an imperial on the top of the carriage itself-there could not be a doubt they were travellers-yes, this was the very party. A speck of white appeared for a moment at the window-ha, herself! the very drapery of his destined fair! After a moment the whole was lost to his view amidst the massy foliage of the beeches. Alas, alas, not one glimpse more! His eye was dim and hot, ere he withdrew it from the vain attempt, dropping the weary lids with the longest, deepest sigh, that had ever heaved his bosom.

He was yet standing like a statue rooted to the spot. when Chisney hallooed to him, and in a moment he was at his side.

"Well, Reginald, what cheer, my boy? What have you been doing with yourself all this time? I'm sure you have had no sport, however, for I must have heard you fire if you had.”

"No, Frederick, I have not had a single shot since we parted."

By Jupiter, I believe you are either a poet or in love As I live you blush, Dalton! Where, in the name of all that is romantic, have you your goddess concealed?—I thought I had seen every pretty face in the parish. Speak out, man, breathe the tender se

cret-I give ye my honour I shall respect your preserve.'

"You're quizzing me, Frederick-" "You're blushing, Reginald-"

"Blushing? Why you would make any body blush I'm no more in love than yourself."

"Perhaps that's not saying very much neither-but let it pass. You won't speak-mum as a dormouse. Well, take your own way. Murder will out-I shall discover it all in due time.

"For God's sake have done, man. I was only lying here looking at the lake."

of

"Only lying here looking at the lake! I'll tell you what it is, Dalton, your good father will make a booby you for life if he dont send you to Oxford-ay, and that the very next Michaelmas. Why, if you stay here much longer, you'll stuff your head so full of these meres and mountains, that you'll never be a man for the world while you exist. I wager you end in a sonnetteering parson, ordained at Carlisle under the proud designation of a literatus."

"I hope not, Chisney; my father was at the university, you know, himself."

"Well, well, the sooner you go to the university, or to some place where there is life and motion, the better for yourself and him too-that's all I shall say. What college was Mr. Dalton at?"

"At Queen's. I told you that once before, Frederick."

66

Queen's! I protest I had forgotten that there was such a barbarous place in the world. You must never go to Queen's though-that's certain-Queen's, ha! ha! depend on't, it will never do, sir. If you had only once heard that old cracked trumpet of theirs braying about their dead quadrangles for dinner, you would never dream of such a thing. 'Tis a Gothic place!" "I thought the building had been Grecian. 'Tis so in my father's old Almanack."

I was

"Poo! poo! you're a Goth yourself, man. not thinking of their confounded pilasters-But se

riously, I hope you will come to Christ-Church--that is to say, if they have rooms for you; but that, I am afraid, is very doubtful."

Here there was a little pause of a minute or so, during which Mr. Frederick kept his eyes on the ground with an air of great wisdom. He then pulled out his watch, and said gayly, "Come, Reginald, we shall scarce be in time for the Squire's dinner-bell-so we'll' say no more of the Queen's folks' trumpet for the present. I shall certainly make bold to talk to the Vicar about you one of these days, however, and I think I shall be able to make him hear a little reason, whatever you may do."

With this the young sportsmen parted, Frederick going down the face of the hill towards Thorwold, at his usual careless, swinging pace, while Reginald with long hasty strides, traversed the lane leading to the vicarage. Every now and then he halted as he went. stood for a moment looking down into the park, and then proceeded again as rapidly as before; so rapidly, indeed, that ere he had accomplished half his walk, he had the misfortune to give his ancle a twist in the crossing of a stile, which unseasonable accident prevented him from arriving at Lannwell near so soon as he had otherwise done. Still, however, he was there a full hour before the time of dinner at Thorwold, so that there was yet "ample room and verge enough," both for dressing at leisure and for walking quietly, or even limping, if that should be necessary, to the Hall. Great, therefore, was his surprise, when, on entering the parsonage, he was informed by the servants that his father had already set out for Thorwold, leaving word for the young gentleman to follow him thither at his leisure. This circumstance would have been of itself enough to perplex his thoughts, even had these been more orderly than they were. As it was, he was quite unable to form any feasible conjecture as to this apparently (it must be owned) strange proceeding on the part of the Vicar; but there were other matters on which we may easily suppose he could not prevent

his meditations from dwelling with even greater interest. His fancy had 'metal more attractive' before it. Altogether, indeed, it was no wonder that his hand shook a little, and that one neckcloth did not suffice for that day's toilet.

At length, however, Reginald was done with his preparations; and making every effort to subdue the violence of his conflicting emotions, or at least to banish their external symptoms, he began to walk toward Thorwold, along that spacious, stately, and sombre old avenue, which extends almost all the way between the manor-house and the village of Lannwell. There was something in the very gloom of the place that was not without its effect in calming the perturbation of his spirits, and he advanced, after a little while, with much composure, and indeed gravity of air. To say truth, in whatever way it was looked upon, he could not be blamed for feeling that this was a day-an occasionof some importance to him. The degree of its impórtance time and the event alone could show. The more he reflected, the more serious did he become ; his efforts to acquire the mastery of himself were strong, and, all things considered, they were far from being unsuccessful.

It is true that when he found himself clear of the avenue, his gathered recollection was for a moment very much disturbed. Nevertheless, although he did not dare to look up towards the windows, he walked right across the court, and there was no time for any more reflection, for he found himself in an instant at the threshold of the drawing-room.

CHAPTER VI.

THE old butler, who happened to be the only servant at hand, was by this time so much accustomed to see Reginald at the Hall, that, being busy at the moment, as well as rather more gouty than usual, he did not think it necessary for him to take the trouble of attending the young gentleman up stairs, and announ cing him in due style:-so he had to make his appearance as he might. He opened the door very modestly, it may be supposed, and had been within the room for two or three seconds, ere any one took notice of him. In fact, there was as yet nobody there but his father, a gentleman standing beside him near the fireplace, and an old stately dame established close by them, in the chief chair of the corner, with her spectacles and newspaper.

It was the last-mentioned person whose eye first lighted on the young man. She kept it fixed on him for a moment, and then, nodding very graciously, said, "Brother, where are your eyes? Here comes a young gentleman, who, I am sure, has no need to send his name before him."

Mr. Dalton of Grypherwast turned round immediately. "A Dalton, to be sure, if there's faith in Sir Joshua. Why, cousin, your son looks as if he had stepped out of one of the picture frames in our old Hall."

So saying, the Squire advanced towards Reginald. took him kindly by the hand, and led him towards his sister, who had already risen from her seat to receive and salute him.

All this was done so suddenly, that Reginald had no time to think of any thing until it was over. The old lady, besides, had called a tenfold blush into his face,