“ Then why would you interrupt the match ?" asked Chinnery, who had very few scruples of <6 you can be.” “ Because I am a villain !" exclaimed the Who, I?" exclaimed Basil, in surprize . " What marriage? I have not uttered a word? “I beg your pardon," replied Chinners; 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 “Should you ?” cried the artist, seizing his it he added, with an air of “ Because Mr. Apsley has done me an ihjury,” 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!" delicacy when he wished to fish out the truth. artist, with passionate " because I am energy; sa le , 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 vas 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 While he was considering the probable cossequences of this discovery, which be a resolved to fathom to the bottom, the figure beo fore him gave another sigh, and litzz up his head, repeatedly kissed the portret, best so sooner perceived the stranger, then be hasta huddled it up, and concealed it in his boss * That's a capital Eikeness, , of Mx Tr vanian," said Chindery, bo 25 deze to show what bttle be Iber, 25 tbe Sebes means of ferreting out the residia. “ Of Miss Trevarias Hie? web the artist, in considerable oni: saw it, did you :-Yes, I 525 euros, se paint it for Mr. Gins* As ties Words be turned hiced oni tant sort of action which is res * a ser 39 faz. ther interrogations, but, ad made dem-sastraties Chinnery, boxera, 725 247 bafiled, and loss time 124 Ez z staunch boud, be este in res talking just 90+, Se, Fisting 2. petentie marriage puz opponent they had to encounter. Not a moment aigh 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 both of them a pitiful and temporary expedient, p 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 preli . minary arrangements, such as the procuring the chaise and four, with assistants; proper and when in this expectation the artist had enabled them to get possession of their prize, the Squre was to jump into the chaise, and leave the or three of his trusty followers to take charge of the deluded tool they had employed, until the fugitives were beyond all danger of pursuil . Whoop! Nick, has the fellow courage On the de publ whic Aitor, bu tee of |