holy volume may allay the pang that is now gnawing at my heart."

"Zooks! my poor child, how should you have any pain at the heart unless you are in love? You look down upon the ground, you blush, there are tears in your eyes;—Ah, ha! slyboots, have I found you out ?"

"You are mistaken, Sir," said Grace, with an air of some reserve; "I know not the meaning of love-I understand not my own most perplexing and painful sensations, but I beseech you to spare me to leave me to speak to me no more."

'Well, well, well," said Goldingham, seeing that she was retiring; "if you want a friend in this affair, come to me. Perhaps you will be more communicative at my next visit, for Reuben and I mean to call upon you occasionally."

"I hope not-I hope not," eagerly exclaimed Grace; "I would have given anything for an interview this morning-but now, methinks, I would never, never, never wish-forgive me, Sir, I would not offend you for the world, but

I scarcely know what I say." And she hurried
off, lest she should betray emotions which
she could not herself thoroughly comprehend,
though she felt that they ought not to be
revealed.

"Not know what you say? Egad! so it seems," said Goldingham: "what simpletons these love-sick wenches make of themselves! If she has taken a fancy to any of the fellows in fine liveries at Harpsden Hall, she shall keep the stipend I promised her for a marriage por tion, and we will take care of the old blind fa ther besides." So saying, he called for Reuben, by whom he was presently joined, when they returned to the carriage, and drove from the Pit Farm. Ascending nearly to the top of the steep road of approach, Grace watched the carriage till it was no longer visible: after which she sate down upon a large stone, and to the feelings with which she had long been struggling by a passionate burst of tears. Relieved by this ebullition, she opened her Bible, read in it for some time, and then returned to composed state of

her father in a much more

gave vent

mind, although her countenance still betrayed the emotions by which she had been recently agitated.

The arrangements for her removal to the farm, and for her receiving a quarterly stipend without the knowledge of her father, were soon carried into effect, and Reuben had thus expressed his gratitude to all those who had been instrumental in his escape, with the exception of Norry Molloy, who had stopped his mouth with an exclamation of "Bletherumskite, and Blarney, and Botheration, entirely!" whenever he attempted verbal thanks; who had indignantly refused all more substantial acknowledgments for her services, and whom he knew not now where to find, even could he have prevailed upon her to gratify his wishes by the acceptance of some permanent provision that might enable her to abandon her roving, hazardous, and lawless life. Norry was the only one whom Goldingham felt little disposition to remunerate, his inveterate prejudices leading him to suspect that no Papist could have thus fisked her life for a Protestant, unless she had

some sinister design against his soul, or his
body, or both.

Reuben now became a frequent visitor at Harpsden Hall, confirming by the sanction of his judgment that deep impression which Helen had made upon his heart, almost from the first moment of his beholding her, and yet determined to avoid any explicit disclosure of his sentiments, until he should have so fully ingratiated himself in her favour as to receive some plausible excuse for declaring himself. It will readily be concluded that he omitted 10 opportunity of placing his disposition and a quirements in the most engaging point of view, and from his personal recommendations and mental attainments, he was not likely thus to exert himself in vain. Adeline, conceiving his visits paid to herself, was almost always present when he thus called forth his accomplishments, and never for a moment doubting that it was she who had animated and inspired him, she was content to sit and listen to his colloquies

with Helen, even when they rose far beyond the range of her own intellect, gazing upon

with admiring eyes as a prodigy of talent, and drinking in fresh draughts of love and confidence every time that she compared his eyes and complexion with the prophecy of the old witch, with which they exactly tallied.

In the expectation that Reuben would avail himself of the first proper opportunity for a more distinct declaration of his sentiments, and sincerely desirous, both for her sister's peace of mind and the maintenance of her character, that such an explanation should be no longer delayed, Helen contrived to afford him frequent occasions for making his avowal in form. Adeline, at all events, was not disposed to lose these moments of tête-à-tête, for, as she mortally hated a cold and unadvancing courtship, she failed not to give him various hints, much more intelligible than delicate, by referring to their first happy meeting, her own ingenious contrivance for getting him domiciliated as a servant, to which she attributed the ultimate preservation of his life, and by urging whatever she thought could give her a claim upon his love and gratitude. Reuben felt the awkward