Having completed the bargain, and received the agreement. I went to the tavern and joined the others, where it was not to seek what I had to say to the Baillie for his double-dealings.

"So, Mr. Waft," said I, "ye're a slick hand at secret selling can you expect to get the hundred dollars, after having been already hawking your ware from door to door?"

"But I did not sell't though; nobody was the wiser by my telling I had a secret to sell."

"True; but ye told enough to 'waken curiosity. We shall see what a price the Agent will ask for the land, when he has explored the shores of the lake, and found out your physicwell, your fountain of Esculapius. I doubt, my friend, it was a rainy day yon, when you took your hen for sale to the landoffice. In short, Mr. Waft, I never was more confounded than when the Agent told me you had been with him-for you know well, sir, that had you stated the fact, I never would have undertaken the fatigue and hazard of this dreadful journey." "Oh, Mr. Todd," was the reply, "ye need na mount your What I have shown high horse to ride me down in that way. you was a secret; and, saving among ourselves, is a secret still. Nay, nay, Mr. Todd, thy hundred dollars are as safe for me as if they were in my own pouch."

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"But the land, spring and all, are sold. What do you say to that ???

"If that's the case, then I will say there is less honour and more roguery in this world than ought to be. Ay! the land sold-and the spring likewise! Who can be the buyer! Do you think he knows the quality of the water?"

"Just as well as I do, Mr. Waft."

"Dear me, dear me, Mr. Todd, but that's pathetical. Who can be the purchaser? Surely, Mr. Semple would never be guilty of that."

"Mr. Waft," exclaimed I, "can I credit my ears ; did you tell Mr. Semple too? In the name of honesty, how could you think of taking me in in such a manner ?”

"Weel, Mr. Todd, if ye'll be quiet, and no bow-wow at me, I'll tell you the Gude's truth. Ye see, ye were not come here -ye were on the perils of your voyage, and Mr. Semple is a spirity man, and most liberal, as every one knows who deals with him, which is more in a certain sense than can be said of you. So I thought, if I could turn a penny by him, I was under no obligation to wait for you. Now that's the plain truth; but if he has gone in a clandestine manner, and bought the land-where's honesty?"

By this it was quite evident the Baillie had been at his old trade; so, after some farther jeering, I told him the land was secured by me, and that he should have the hundred dollars; but while we were speaking, one of the clerks from the Landoffice came for me in great haste, to beg I would give up the agreement, as the Company at Albany had just sent orders on no account to dispose of that particular piece of land, and the letter was in the office, though unopened by the Agent, while I was making the bargain.

On hearing this, I observed Baillie Waft fidgetty and uneasy, and finally snatching his staff from the corner where he had placed it, he left the room, and we saw no more of him for some time.

It appeared that he had opened a correspondence with the Company, and, in the hope of a reward, had disclosed the secret, and described the situation of the spring; but not receiving a satisfactory answer, he came to me. So that, had I not exercised my wonted alertness, I might have been cut off from the happiest chance which had yet befallen my family;- say family, because, content with what the store and the land spec had done for myself, I only laboured in the affair of the saltworks for the benefit of my eldest son.

CHAPTER VI.

"Shall I abide

In this dull world, which, in thy absence, is
No better than á stye?"

On reaching home, where great anxiety during the snowstorm had been felt for us all, I found an important event had taken place. The two Cockspurs, perceiving that in the prosecution of their country improvements it would not be in their power, particularly during the winter, to be much with their mother, had signified to her they would no longer oppose her union with Mr. Herbert. On the morning after my return, that gentleman called to inform me of this; and it was determined between us, that no time should be lost in completing the marriage.

No event, which did not directly affect myself, ever gave me

so much pleasure as this. It seemed to me all that was necessary to consummate the happiness of a most excellent and admirable person; and I had many a consultation with my better half, as to what we ought to do, in order to show our esteem for the gentleman and the lady on the occasion of their wedding. Not that it was to be distinguished, by any inordinate doing-quite the reverse. It was, in every way, to be brought about as an ordinary occurrence; but we were anxious to present them with some testimonial of our respect. It was singular, however, and we have often since both spoken of it. that notwithstanding our earnestness, we never came to any agreement concerning what the compliment should be; which, it must be allowed, was remarkable,—it was ominous.

An early day was fixed for the ceremony, Mr. Bell was bespoken to perform it, and all the nick-knacky preparations usual on such occasions were sedately going forward. But three days before the time appointed, a tremendous drifting snow-storm came on. Mrs. Cockspur, at the time, was with my wife, and, in the hope it would abate towards the evening, consented to spend the afternoon at our house. But the hurricane continued to increase; the violence of the wind was hideous; no person of Mrs. Cockspur's years could wrestle with it; it tore the roofs off the unfinished buildings, scattering all things that came within the sweep and swirl of its skirts.

Some two or three hours after dark, the outrageous blast began to lower his horns, and to forbear his tossings, insomuch that Mrs. Cockspur thought, with my help and Mr. Herbert's, she would venture to her own house, though the skies were as black as a pall, and the road, filled with ridges of the drifted snow, was as an ocean suddenly frozen in the rage of a storm: we accordingly got her made up as comfortably for the undertaking as possible, and my son Charles went before us with a lantern: we had not, however, proceeded above half-way, when we all began to repent of having left the house, for we stumbled in among the ruins of a large framed building which the wind had driven over into the street, and in which the snow lay piled in huge gatherings.

Not having heard of the accident, we found ourselves entangled in the wreck before we had any idea of what it was; and the more we endeavoured to extricate ourselves, we plunged deeper into difficulties, till poor Mrs. Cockspur became so alarmed and exhausted that she could make no farther exertion. Lights and aids were soon cbtained, and in the end she was lifted out of her perilous situation and carried home, but

in such a condition, that, there was reason to fear she had received some serious injury.

Next day she was very ill in addition to a dreadful cold and fever, she had received a contusion on the side, that made her unable to raise her right hand, or even to move it without suffering great pain. The distress of her family and of Mr. Herbert was unspeakable; for, although immediate danger was not apprehended, still there was cause to dread the worst so long as the fever continued to increase.

On the day appointed for the wedding, her appearance became alarming, her eyes sank deep in their sockets, her teeth seemed to be protruded, and altogether she was more like the embalmed inhabitant of a tomb than a breathing Christian.

Mr. Herbert was not present, but only Mrs. Todd and myself, when that frightful change took place. Seeing death so manifest, I went for Mr. Herbert, and, as calmly as I could, prepared him for the event fast coming. He accompanied me back to the house; but although I had solemnly warned him of the great alteration, and it had become more awful during the space of my absence, he was so shocked on entering the sick-chamber, that it was with difficulty we got him placed in a chair at the bed-side.

The afflicted lady looked at him, and, it would seem, intended to smile; but her features became so horrible and ghastly, that he covered his hands with his face, and exclaimed, "Oh God!"-Nor could I myself look on the dreadful sight.

Mrs. Todd, who had attended her first husband in his last illness, afterward told me that in his case there had been a similar transformation of the countenance, but that after death the features resumed their original cast. She was much calmer than I was; and the two young gentlemen and their sister being summoned into the room, she dropped the curtains, that they might not see what death was about.

After contemplating the dying lady for a short time, I took the liberty of requesting all present but Mr. Herbert to leave the room: the patient heard what I said, and motioned for her-children to come near to her. By this time her voice was inaudible; but she appeared to be quite sensible of her situation, and to be endowed with more strength than her haggard visage indicated. She folded the hands of the three within her own, and uttered something, no doubt her last blessing upon them, and then she signified they might retire. Then, when they had quitted the room, she motioned to Mr. Herbert to draw close to her, and also folding his hand within her's, a

woful burst of tears rushed into her eyes, and looking up in his face, uttered a fearful sound of sorrow, a feeble hollow howl, and expired.

Mr. Herbert looked at the dead calmly and in silence for some time; he then drew his hand across his eyes, and his tears began to flow; but his grief was at his heart, he showed no other sign of impassioned sorrow.

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'My fate," said he, turning towards me, "is now consum mated! Disappointment has done its utmost, and it has been wonderful in its constancy, and unchanged in its character. Often, often has my cup been filled, and dashed away as often in its brief passage to the lip. Oh, Sophia !--but I shall not tarry long, and when I die our friend will see us laid together; there, when all-confusing time bath mingled our dust, may never herb arise!-barren should be the grave of fruitless hopes and a heart so withered as mine.”

He then rose and went away to his own residence: with great kind feeling the Cockspurs requested him at the funeral to do the duty of chief-mourner; when it was over, he returned home; and on the seventh day after, I did the same sad duty for him, and I placed him by the side of her whom he had loved so well. The town were all there, and tears were that day shed from many an eye that had long forgotten to weep.

CHAPTER II.

You have too much respect upon the world;
They lose it that do buy it with much care."

THE death of Mr. Herbert, apart altogether from the anguish of heart with which his sad and simple story affected all who knew him, was to me a great loss: happening so soon. after my return, before there was time to fall into my wonted custom, it occasioned me a great deal of trouble. I could not, however, bring my mind to business while any thing remained to be done in his personal concerns; and had it not been for the kind conduct of Mr. Oliver Cockspur, who really acted as if he had been the son of the deceased, I would have found myself in no small measure of perplexity. For Mr. Herbert left several relations, and he had made a little money in the