phetic warnings that he had given her against the time when she might be left alone as now, but which in her thoughtlessness she had little heeded: and, overwhelmed by the anguish of the retrospect, she laid her head on the table, and wept long and bitterly.

None of her friends, not even Miss Martin, who knew her best, fully comprehended the intense power of loving that formed a part of Margaret's nature. Her love for her father she had hoarded in her bosom as a secret treasure, too precious for vulgar eyes; and because her light spirit soon shook off any thing like depression, and would kindle into gladness if the sun only shone, many had an idea that her affections were as transient as her gloom. Little did they know how her heartstrings had twined and clung round the only being she had to love; nor, when that being was taken away, and an aching void left where he had been, how earnestly she longed for some one to take the broken idol's place, and accept the worship she had poured out on him! Mercifully for her she met. with none worshippers she found; and admirers she found ;-gay, fashionable, even intellectual acquaintance, who welcomed her to their mansions, and made her a sharer of their festivities; but no one whom she could love: the yearning within was still unsatisfied, and in real loneliness of heart she turned to the Hand that chastened her; languidly at first, and in strict concealment; but still in sincerity, and as such did not turn in vain.

BB

Without a guide, without a teacher, surrounded by myriad temptations to frivolity and forgetfulness, it will only appear natural that Margaret's religious principles should be rather undefined; indeed, she was often bewildered about them herself; and, with a reverential love of all that was holy and good, was very apt to look upon them as unattainable, and content herself with admiring what she feared she could never follow. But never was a heart more willing to be taught; more generous, more noble in every sentiment and feeling; therefore it was that the Vicar's exhortations and Mary's example had such instantaneous effect; and that when she had discovered her new path of duty, she set herself so eagerly to walk in it. And as no sincere endeavour ever yet went without encouragement, she already reaped an earnest of hers in the still small voice of comfort that stole into her ears in this solitary hour of bitterness and regret. It reminded her of the Vicar's words: of the mansions he had described as prepared for God's beloved; of the world of eternal rest and peace where tears are never known: and, as she thought of these things, Margaret's mind grew calmer, and she closed her Christmas as is too seldom done, as she had never done so heartily before.

O Religion... star of the soul! it is in darkness that thou shinest best!

CHAPTER VIII.

"The heralds of her court are beggary,

And Want her chamberlain."

MILMAN.

HE late winter sun had not yet risen, nor had even begun to think about it, when Mary Leyden rose; and by the time his beams were playing on the frosted windows, she had already done a good two hours' work; nor did a single hour of that morning go by in which her active fingers had not left some trace of industrious ingenuity. For be it remembered, this was the day of their "children's party," the Vicar's own particular party; and as visitors, young or old, must be housed, amused, and fed, and Mary had but two maids, and an Irish charwoman, she was obliged to be half a dozen herself; not only ordering, and superintending, but actually sharing the labour with a neat apron before her, and her pretty arms protected by a tidy pair of holland sleeves. Mr. Leyden, scholar and divine as he was, and in many respects above the imperfections of his fellow-men, in one little blindness descended to their level: he

had not the remotest idea of the trouble he gave. Never having been a sharer in the perplexities of housekeeping, and finding every thing he wanted always ready to his hand, he had a sort of vague, gentlemanly notion, that "things" were bought and dressed, and he gave the money, and provided the coals, and then concluded all the rest came as a matter of course. So, in the affair of his party, he invited without scruple as to numbers, every presentable child he could find; specially those to whom it would be the greatest treat; and enjoined his daughter to give them as much room as possible, and plenty of light, and no end of sweet things: and as Mary always smiled, and said, " To be sure, papa," it never entered his uninitiated mind-how should it ?—that she must work so hard to accomplish it. Mary would not have let him find it out for the world: it was quite enough for her that he wished it; and so long as he looked pleased in the evening, and everybody was comfortable, she was pleased and comfortable too. To spend and be spent in her father's service, was, in her eyes, her highest honour: dearly as Margaret Armadale loved her parent, Mary's love equalled hers, and was sanctified and stablished by love to that God to whom he had led her, and in whom they loved each other.

With this inducement, difficulties vanished: and by the time her early visitor arrived, a great deal of her culinary business was done. Margaret came, attended

by Antoine, carrying her parcel of necessaries for the evening's adornment: and was much amused at the busy appearance of her friend, who was preparing a "trifle" for the centre of the supper table. "Come in, Esther," said Miss Leyden, laughing—she had the softest, sweetest laugh in the world-"I told you I should be full of business, and you are the only person I shall admit behind scenes."

"But have you no one to help you?" asked Margaret. "Yes, here are the two maids, who do all they can, and we have Irish Katy in the kitchen, to help wash up, and now we have you; so we shall do very well."

"Me! I am nobody: I wish-" Miss Armadale paused abruptly, and looked at Antoine, whose eyes were sparkling with eagerness, "Antoine, you are used to this sort of thing, I know.”

"Oh yes, mademoiselle! "

"He is indeed, Mary: he always used to be the majordomo at our fêtes: he shall stay and help: give me a piece of paper: there, that will do; and there's a pencil now then "and long before Miss Leyden could make out what she meant, or understand anything but that Margaret was flying about the room for paper and a pencil, and pushing everything out of the way to make room to write, and altogether behaving in a most extraordinary manner, a note was written to give Miss Martin her cue, and some directions for Antoine's own edification, slipped into his hand, and he had made his bow, and was gone.