occasion was discovery. On Reuben's account, therefore, on her own but more especially on Adeline's, whose blind, romantic passion appeared to gather force from its obvious absurdity under the present circumstances, and to be stimulated into enthusiasm by the hourly increas ing dangers of its object, she became convinced that their inmate ought not to be suffered to remain another day within the precincts of Harpsden Hall. Every thing might be lost, nothing could be gained by delay, and she resolved to seek an interview with him at once, to point out to him the predicament in which he stood, to suggest to him whatever precautions might increase the chance of his escape, and to request that he would withdraw himself forthwith, and seek some more secure asylum until he could accomplish his flight beyond sea. She accordingly summoned. Adeline, communicated what had passed in the painting-room, and requested that she would accompany her to the closet, for the purpose of dismissing their visitant.

Reuben, in the meanwhile, remained in his narrow sanctuary, a prey to contradictory emo

tions that were at once grateful and distressing. The conversation which he had overheard had filled him with the most exalted notions of He len's magnanimity in sacrificing her own most cherished feelings, and even her good fame with the world, to her generous protection of an utter stranger; while her affectionate devotedness_to her-sister, when by the utterance of a single word she might have transferred from herself to Adeline all the supposed criminality attached to his concealment, rendered it doubtful whether she had conferred upon her, or upon himself, the more important and inappreciable service. He was equally at a loss whether most to admire the noble-minded heroism of her conduct, or the gentle, feminine, and yet resolute calmness of her deportment, of which he had formed his opinion, without the testimony of his eyes, from the sweetness of her voice, attuned to a singular accordance with the mildness and be nignity of her sentiments. In proportion, hów ever, as it delighted him to think that a highborn female, who united such grandeur of soul to so much suavity of temperament, should have

voluntarily constituted herself his protectress and preserver, it humiliated, it stung him, to reflect that he might be the means of entailing defamation, danger, and unhappiness upon the highly-gifted being who had treated him with such unexampled generosity. Bitterly did he regret that he had not sooner withdrawn himself from the premises, and though he was sensible that his doing so now would not exonerate his benefactress from the unworthy suspicions to which an unfortunate combination of circumstances had subjected her, he determined to fly from the house at all hazards, lest she should become more deeply, and perhaps irretrievably compromised by his presence.

Just as he had formed this resolution the sisters tapped gently at the door of the closet, and requested that he would join them in the painting-room, a summons which was of course instantly obeyed. All fright and flutter, horror and heroics, Adeline apostrophized the fates, both in French and English, declaring that the arrival of Lady Crockatt and her companions was un contre-tems inoui, that the treatment her

sister had experienced was de lui dernière inse famie, and that she herself was desespéréejon new pents plus; but without offering bassingle sug gestion that might relieve them from their own difficulties, or facilitate the escape of their com panion. Reuben seized the first opportunity her empty volubility afforded to address him self to her sister, expressing, in the most beme phatic terms, admiration of her magnanimity... gratitude for his preservation, and anguish that her generous interference should have exposedo her to such unmerited insult. His languagele was eloquent, and his eyes, as he intently fixed them upon the fine, placid, and intellectual features of his protectress, were more eloquente still; for high as had been his anticipations, they fell infinitely short of the beautiful reality now presented to his gaze. mun stor bas „vis

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Blushing slightly at the impassioned earnest ness of his regard, but without the smallest he sitation or embarrassment in her manner, Heleny disclaimed for herself and her sister any pecuss liar merit in what they had done, declaring, thats she should have felt herself bound to extend the

same protection to any other fellow-creatures who might in the same manner have placed his ↑ life in her hands, though she did not affect to conceal her regret at the delicate predicament in which it had placed her, or deny the pain. fully humiliating consequences to which it might lead. She then briefly but clearly stated the considerations which imperatively dictated his immediate departure, and repeating to him the information she had received as to the difficulty of effecting an escape from the coasts of Dorset shire or Devonshire, she strenuously recommended that he should adopt some low dis guise, assume as much as possible the Somersetshire dialect, and strike across the country for the Bristol Channel, in which direction there would be a less vigilant search for the fugi tives, and more numerous opportunities of hir ing a boat or vessel to convey him beyond the reach of danger. To elucidate his route she presented him with a small pocket map of Dor setshire and Somersetshire, and anticipating his arrival at the sea-side, apologized for inquiring whether he possessed the means of remunerating