bad tea, Miss Esther," said Alfred, suddenly stooping his head close to her cup.

"So it does," added Nelson, "it looks quite consumptive, it will give you some horrible complaint: don't drink it;-I'll make you a cup of coffee on genuine Paris principles,"-and having dexterously removed Margaret's cup, he soon brought her a draught that fully warranted his boast. She received it gratefully, and gave it all the praise it deserved. "Yes, yes," said he, laughing, "I know it is good: they know better here than to send me up bad coffee. I am convinced, Miss Esther, let Alfred say what he will, coffee is the original nectar of the gods: Helicon is nothing in the world but weak tea, like my mother's, which accounts for the milk and water so often found in poetry."

"Don't listen to him, Miss Esther," said Alfred, he is a very Vandal in such matters: he never could learn his Lempriere at school, and cried for a whole afternoon over 'Gray's Last Bard.'"

"And who wouldn't have done so in my place?" cried Nelson, “I shudder now at the thoughts of it. I was set to learn it by heart when I wanted to be at cricket and being tolerably guiltless of all superfluous knowledge of English history, it appeared to me the most formidable hieroglyphic ever mortal eye looked upon-let alone a poor school-boy."

:

"And did you ever succeed in learning it?" asked Margaret, smiling. "Succeed! no—' Ruin seized me,'

in the shape of a ruthless tutor, and 'confusion has waited' on all my young ideas ever since. He chastised and explained by turns, but all in vain—to this day I do not understand it, and never shall."

Meanwhile Mrs. Crawford was laying plans for the day's amusement, and settled that she would take Miss Armadale in the coach to see some of the "lions" of the neighbourhood, to which Miss Martin, with an inward shiver, was forced to give a smiling assent. "You will like to go, girls, I suppose," said their mother," and what are you gentlemen going to do? "What is our young friend here going to do?" asked Mr. Crawford, nodding at Margaret.

"Oh! I dare say she will be able to amuse herself for an hour or so," said Mrs. C., with a condescending smile. “I am sorry, my dear, I have not a seat in the carriage for you, but I am sure the children will take care of you, and if you like a walk, they will be too glad of your company." Margaret bowed with proper humility, and so it was settled, and so done, for Rose, and Rory, and nurse Wilton, were delighted with this arrangement.

As soon as the carriage drove off, they set out; but had not gone far, before Rory looking back, exclaimed, "Here come Alfred and Nelson, they are going with us, oh how nice!"

"Yes, here we are," said Nelson, "and here we are likely to be, if Miss Esther and Madam Wilton will allow us."

"Now, Mr. Nelson," said nurse Wilton, persuasively, "please don't lead Rory into mischief, recollect the last time you went out with us."

"You forget, nurse, it was not my fault then, it was Alfred's: I sent them home together, as straight as they could go, and by some miraculous ingenuity they contrived to lose their way!"

Alfred, who was striding rapidly along, with his coat buttoned up to his throat, and his hat pulled over his brows, as if to defy the world, shook his head at this, and observed, "that would not happen to him again in a hurry." It was a fine morning, but bitterly cold and there were threatening clouds, and a tremendous wind, promising snow. Nelson led the way, down lanes, across fields, "up hill and down dale," running races with Rory, and making Rose jump ditches, to the terror of nurse Wilton; laughing and talking without ceasing, and at every interval exchanging a war of wits with Miss Armadale, in which he very often got the worst. Under this cheering influence, Alfred expanded perceptibly: forgot his timidity, and remembered his politeness: had an arm ready for Margaret wherever the road was bad, and performed some eccentric attempts at agility, that perfectly electrified the children. Margaret's spirits rose with every step; and she felt quite sorry when nurse Wilton declared they must go home. "Stop a bit," said Nelson, as they came to a garden gate, with which he seemed very familiar, "we'll just show this lady the

vicarage." And without waiting for an answer, he walked in; opened the door without the ceremony of ringing, and led the way to an old-fashioned comfortable parlour. The door was ajar, and he put in his head, as he said, to reconnoitre.

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May we come in, Mr. Leyden?"

"That depends upon how many you are," was the reply.

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'Why we are a tolerable party," laughed the intruder, with a look over his shoulder at his companions, "but children go half-price."

"Not if Roderick the Goth is one of them, as I suspect by the noise in the passage-" retorted the voice, upon which Rory bounced in without further ceremony, and the rest of the party thought it time to follow. Margaret, considerably embarrassed by this proceeding, drew close to nurse Wilton, and felt very much like a detected impostor, when the Vicar, who singled her out immediately, with great courtesy bade her welcome.

"This is Miss Esther, sir," said nurse Wilton, a friend of Miss Armadale's, staying with her at the Grange-"

"Miss Armadale's companion," cried Rory, "isn't she much prettier than Miss Armadale though, Nelson?"

The young lady's face glowed, and the Vicar could not help smiling, as he took her hand, and led her to a seat by the fire: however no notice was taken, Master Rory's speech only gained him a private cuff

rom Alfred, and Margaret soon regained her usual self-possession.

"I am afraid, sir, we are interrupting you," she said, glancing at the well strewed table, "I must plead not guilty, for until I was at your door, I did not know where I was going."

"You are most welcome, my dear young lady," said the old gentleman, "and as this visit was involuntary, I can only hope you will come again of your own accord. Here comes Mary, who will say the same thing, but with a better grace." A very sweet-looking girl entered as he spoke, who blushed slightly at the sight of Nelson, but greeted both him and Alfred with unaffected cordiality; kissed the children, shook hands with nurse Wilton, and being introduced to Margaret, shook hands with her too. The whole party now sat down with the manifest intention of being comfortable; and while the conversation went on, Miss Armadale had leisure to observe the room and its inmates, and felt her heart warm to them as she did so.

The Vicar was an old man, but still vigorous: his spare frame was slightly bent with age, but his active and temperate habits had left him his faculties unim-paired, and his bright grey eye, though it had lost its power, still retained its intelligence and penetration. His dress was that of the olden time; his silver hair sprinkled with powder, an oldfashioned coat with large pockets, silk stockings, and buckles; nor could any remonstrance or entreaty persuade him to admit

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