claimed Grace, interrupting him, and withdraw. ing her hand with a slight blush, "I must be happy, I ought to be happy, and yet my heart beats and throbs as if it would burst, and my head seems dizzy, and my eyes don't mind these tears," she continued in a voice of increased tenderness; "" indeed, Norton-Mr Apsley, I mean, I am very happy, I am in deed." And then, as if to escape from thoughts and sensations that at once bewildered and dis tressed her, she rallied her spirits, launched into her enthusiastic vein, and running towards the dwelling while her pallid face again flared up with a look of exultation, she exclaimed aloud, “Lord! thou hast made me glad, I will triumph in the work of thy hands. He hath had trial of bonds and imprisonment. He hath escaped from his chains-he is free! he is free! Open to me, my sister, and hearken to me, O my father, for I come to ye anointed with the oil of gladness."

1

Reuben had seen enough of Malachi's sturdy independence, to feel convinced that the smallest mention of pecuniary recompense for the per

formance of what he considered an imperative duty, would be received as an insult; and he therefore counselled his uncle, who was too apt to consider money an universal panacea as well as acquittance, to negociate with Grace, while he himself should keep the old man engaged in conversation. In pursuance of this plan he pushed forward to the barn, passing through the midst of his quadruped and feathered acquaintance, allotted in their respective habitations, and entered the dwelling-house, where he found every thing wearing the same air of exquisite order and neatness as on his former visit. Malachi, who had been hastily apprised of his arrival, without having learnt the change in his circumstances, held out his right hand, and grasped that of Reuben with his iron muscles, now braced to an additional degree of tension by his indignant recollection of the enormities that had been perpetrated upon the people of the Lord since their last meeting. He made not the smallest allusion to his son Joel, for his individual griefs seemed to have been swallowed up in the sufferings of his country, but he

shall

groaned with very agony of spirit when he referred to the atrocities of Jeffreys. "Surely," he exclaimed, "the Lord shall avenge the blood of his slaughtered saints and servants; he shall strike down the murderer who killeth the poor and needy; the tyrant and the oppressors perish; will not the earth open and swallow them up, as it did the company of Dathan and Abiram? O that I had mine eyes, and that I could wield the sword of the Lord and of Gideon !" For some time he would hear nothing, bursting out into appeals to Heaven, or indulging in the anticipation of future free dom and indemnity; but he at length became more calm, and listened with apparent interest to the detail of Reuben's adventure, and of his fortunate escape from prison.

Goldingham, in the mean while, having taken Grace apart for that purpose, was sounding her as to the most acceptable service that he could render her and her father in return for their protection of his nephew. Reuben had observed that her religious fervour was daily rendering her more unfit for her situation at Lady Tre

vanian's, and had therefore suggested that she would be made much happier, and find herself in a more congenial element, if she were enabled to remain at home with her father. This hint was no sooner thrown out than she embraced it with ardour, declaring that there was nothing she more earnestly desired than to dwell always at the farm, that she might read the Bible to her blind parent, and minister to his wants. Goldingham assured her that her wishes should be gratified, and that he would order such quarterly payments to be made to her as should more than suffice to procure the comforts for herself and her father that were now scantily supplied by her service at Harpsden Hall. Attaching but a secondary importance to the mammon of this world, Grace felt not the smallest humiliation in becoming the pensioner of a rich man on whom she had conferred a previous service; she accepted his offer; therefore, with a becoming gratitude, but at the same time with a natural and modest dignity, adding, that she should now be completely happy. A deep sigh escaped from her as she

AFSLEY

spokę, and her looks were so decidedly at variance with the wish she had expressed, that Goldingham, meaning to cheer her up, said in up,'sand', a bantering tone,“ Adod! my pretty dear, you do not look so. What! do you grieve to leave your sweetheart behind you at Harpsden Hall, eh ?"

Grace shook her head, and pressed her hand upon her heart in silence.

"Nay, nay, my good girl," resumed Goldingham, who thought he saw a confirmation of

"if affections his suspicions in this action, your are engaged, let me but know who it is, and if I can do any thing to make you happy/

not talks “Oh, no, no, no-pray, pray Sir, do

for I to me thus: indeed I cannot tell you,

and

know not myself why my heart-why I feel so sad, when I ought to be filled with joy a gratitude." She took a small Bible from her pocket, and laying it upon her bosom, continued, "The Israelites were cured of the bites of the fiery snakes by looking upon the brazen serpent raised up in the Wilderness, and perhaps this