66 Who, I?" exclaimed Basil, in surprize. "What marriage? I have not uttered a word." "I beg your pardon,” replied Chinnery;

66

you have been talking for some time past, though I believe you were hardly awake; and if it be Miss Trevanian's marriage that you are anxious to prevent, you are welcome to my services, for I should be as glad to hinder it as you can be."

“Should you ?” cried the artist, seizing his hand with great eagerness, and then as suddenly letting it go, he added, with an air of distrust, "but why ?"

"Because Mr. Apsley has done me an injury," replied Chinnery, who found it necessary to assign some motive for his offer.

“Reuben done you an injury.! impossible! he never injured any one: he is all goodness, all generosity!"

"Then why would you interrupt the match ?" asked Chinnery, who had very few scruples of delicacy when he wished to fish out the truth. "Because I am a villain!" exclaimed the artist, with passionate energy; "because I am

an ungrateful scoundrel; or rather, because I am an unfortunate wretch, driven on by his destiny to perpetrate an action that he abhors. But not the less resolved," he continued, grasping Chinnery's arm, and speaking through his clenched teeth" not the less desperately determined to fulfil his fate. Whatever, therefore, be your motives, if you will assist me in breaking off this odious match, which you may do by the utterance of a few words, you will render me eternally your debtor."

Chinnery eagerly professing his readiness, the artist revealed to him the state of the proceedings for the secret marriage; when it was settled, that the former should conceal himself in the church on the following Sunday, for the purpose of forbidding the banns; and after agreeing to meet again at the same house on the next morning, the parties separated.

Big with the important discovery he had made, Chinnery hastened to the Squire, when a council was held as to the measures it might be advisable to adopt, in consequence of this change in the state of affairs, and the new

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Chimmery, who was not deficient in a shrewd apprehension of objects immediately before him, though a very bad calculator of remote contingencies, presently guessed from this lit fle revelation, that the Squire had a new and unexpected rival in the person of the artist.

While he was considering the probable consequences of this discovery, which he was resolved to fathom to the bottom, the figure before him gave another sigh, and lifting up his head, repeatedly kissed the portrait, but no sooner perceived the stranger, than he hastily huddled it up, and concealed it in his bosom.

"That's a capital likeness, Sir, of Miss Trevanian," said Chinnery, who was determined to show what little be knew, as the Exehest means of ferreting out the retainder. "Of Miss Trevanian-of Helet

replied

the artist, in considerable confusion: « saw it, did you?—Yes, I was employed to paint it for Mr. Goldingan At these words he turned himself round with that sort of action which is meant as a ref to for. ther interrogations, buttoned up the cost, and made demonstrations of departure

Chinnery, however, was not to be U CERT baffled, and following the war Ele a staunch bound, be exacinue Yo wee talking just now, Sir, of wisting to prevent the marriage.

opponent they had to encounter. Not a moment was now to be lost, or the very next Monday might defeat all their cabals for ever. As the project for forbidding the banns appeared to both of them a pitiful and temporary expedient, it was determined to avail themselves of the artist's continued intimacy with the family, which Chinnery had ascertained, for decoying Helen into their clutches, and at the same time getting Reuben out of the way upon some plausible pretext. To induce him to act this part, it was to be proposed to him that he himself should run off with Helen, for which Chinnery was to volunteer making all the preliminary arrangements, such as the procuring the chaise and four, with proper assistants; and when in this expectation the artist had enabled them to get possession of their prize, the Squire was to jump into the chaise, and leave two or three of his trusty followers to take charge of the deluded tool they had employed, until. the fugitives were beyond all danger of pursuit.

"Whoop! Nick, has the fellow courage