ainst Evelyn must have been allayed by the manner in which she rec

gave her disease or seizure a Latin name-wrote a Greek or Hebrew prescription-or something equall

t nothing of the sort, if she had been indiscreet enough to let out her true opinion of him and his measures, in a moment of irrepressible emotion. "For," she pursued, "it is expedi

onds-all of winch are tangible and visible, and in our own possession. We have no debts-you pay house-bills monthly, and I, fortunately, have just settled off every account I have in the world, and have

erson it was intended for prayed that

nce then I have come to the conclusion that there is a great deal of undue and very impertinent meddling with the heathen;

, Miriam; you talk like a

mean. No, I am not a sophist, Evelyn; any thing else than that! I wish

of her at that moment, or speaking with that re

g judgment, which we refuse to recognize as verities in the light of our open-eyed, daytime responsibility? I, who had declared myself no sophist, knew later that I had de

m our own, made years before by my father's permission for the convenience of his friend; the night was a dark and stormy one, yet she went forth alone, or seeme

gh locked when she went out by another egress, and which the man, who returned with her, readi

lamp fell in bands of light across its surface. But I was inside this time, by the glamour of my dream, and I saw them emptying the open chest painfu

e contents-heavy as lead-and, between them, they bore it out into the storm and darkn

lantern she bore, and which she again hung in its accustomed place, stealing quietly away into the darkened hall, to grope her way up

this time. Their arrangements being completed without restraint, for again the old man was absent, doing the duties of another, who, knowing not the motive of such reques

uggested as truth, and what later-but let me not digress or anticipate here, in the thickest of my troubles, the jungle-pass of my story a

ainrothe's power. Unless I could prove that he had removed the treasure for unworthy uses-why speak of it at all? I should only irritate and set him on

the concealed chest-so easy to lay the robbery on Mor

hat kept him from home all night, so that I had time to revolve and resolve on my course of action before I saw him, which was no

n the other side-I was preoccupied and agitated, Claude courteous and self-possessed, Evelyn lofty and confident, as though she had lived or trodden down her emotions, and, to my surprise, Mr. Basil Bainrothe wore his

ins of truth. One fact was beyond contradiction-a second Samson had drawn down the ruins of a temple, not on the heads of his

d I saw him hiding away not have been appropriated to the purchase of bank-stocks-should it have

mily domestics-live without labor, or terror of the future. But would this be? I waited, as I

st, without an effort on his part to explain or ameliora

business was in question, he asked for me. I went to him alone

ce the certainty of our misfortune, we had received no society, and would not long be obliged to decline

ied by my father, his hand supporting his head, his hat and delicate ivory-headed ca

om deep reverie-then arose and extended his hand to me, grasping mi

h a groan, and looking steadily and silently into the fire for some minutes after

of his words-his manner. Disappointed probably by my silence

at last-weary as I was of this histrionic p

w of. This house, this furniture, well preserved it is true, but old and out of style. Your carriage and ho

ful for a bare competence; but why, under existing circumstances, were you in such haste to remov

lf-possessed position, one foot crossed lightly over the other, I remember, and one hand at his side-a fa

for an answer, "unfortunately, the gold you refer to was exchanged for worthless bank-stocks in September last, according to the requisitions of your father's will; and, as that was the latest paid in of the loans he had made, and as all other means had

of defiance was blended with his habitual coolness. It was only from his lurid and kaleidoscopic eyes, on which the light from an opposite window fell sharply, as he was speaking

my question or accusation; unconscious of my daily examination, he has borne aw

through my mind like a flash-so that there seemed scarce a momentary interruption between h

e-" I said, merel

ne; but, recovering instantly, he gave me a clear, cool stare in return for the q

Mr. Bainrothe," I observed, hau

not before. At present, I have only Evelyn Erle to satisfy

my guardian," I said; "I believe that pri

y. "I regret this for many reasons: I should be glad to quiet any doubts you may entertain at once, but it is impossible that, compatibly with self-resp

ence. No, I will know at once. I will write to Mr. Gerald Stanbury-I will go to t

iriam," he repeated, resuming his post by the mantel-shelf, without evincing the least discomposure at my behavior to him; "your own good sense, your own good feeling will come to your assistance when you look this matter fully in the face, and di

reproachful words; but my heart was as hard toward him as a nether millstone, and his words

e subtle manner, ought still to be in its hiding-place? Why did you preserve, even from Evelyn, your knowledge of that retreat, and the payment of the loan, which she asserts you have never

dence in Evelyn Erie, in her truth, her sincerity, her honesty, even. I would not place temptation in her way. There, that is why I concealed the secrets of the spring-lock and recess in the wall from her, to secure them for you. As to the depositing of gold in that iron chest, I did i

earth, like the shedding scales of a serpent, before my simple discernment. Yet his words, his manner, did in

could trust one another sufficiently to become confederates? Alas! I did not reflect that it is of such conflicting

fish, scheming, but, at all events, was not in league with this vampire. That was much. We might still make common cause against him-sh

omfort in t

whereby the action of the mind excels even that of light, Mr. Bainrothe was again settling himself down in my fa

now reside in, and some few small tenements I hold for rent, I find every thing swept away from me. Claude, it is true, is comfortable, and on his slende

manner, that its intent was unmistakable, little dreaming how

, and the blood rushed indignantly to my brow. "Yet I hope," I added,

learned its loftiest lessons. Had he looked through my eyes, Miriam-" (he was standing before me now, his arms extended, his eyes blazing, his cheeks and lips strangely aglow), "he would have seen you as you are, the rose, the ruby of the world." He seized my hand impetuously, and pressed it to his lips, then r

sed in my ear, "and sooner

some strange lunatic. I was for a time frantic with rage and shame. But no one came to my succor, except poor old Morton. He crept feebly from the pantry, and found me sobbing in my father's chair. As he stood

ise of the Lord to rely on. Has he not said the seed of the just man should never kno

and kissed it fervently, bathing it with my tears. "Morton," I said, "dear old Mort

hall work for you to the bone, and, if I understand matters aright, we still have the good roof left over our heads, and some little means for all immediate wants. God

less you, Morton,

w laid at rest, and the practical good sense of a suggestion, that, if successfully carried out, would take

pediency as well as the

ding-school. Our father's spotless name, and our undeserved mis

lid attainments (I viewed things with the naked eye of truth that day, and thus the ba

up into his dear, old, withered face, "I will acquaint Evelyn with it before I sleep. Ay, and with

my agitated face, in which many emotions contended, probably (as in my heart), but I only said, "Let me pass now, darling!-One thing will," I thought, "b

up-stairs, after we had parted, "Evelyn has gone out, and le

e you were in the library with his f

him, Mabel?-the parlors

the front-door, until she went down, only five minutes, sister Miriam. He did not mind it at all. He sent her up t

etter,

rich now; but she had to go to New York to see the lawyer, so

en the sealed note which Mabel had given me. Its

ppress us further. God knows we have both suffered enough, already, at his hands! My maiden aunt, Lady Frances Pomfret, is dead, and makes me her heir. I will show you the lawyer's letter when I return. The legacy is spoken of in the letter as small, bec

rewell for the present, dear Miriam. I shall stay with Emma Gilroy, and return in a very few days. Write to me,

VE

r, between sisters, which possesse

it unnecessary to take with her to New York, her identity being already established, beyond a doubt, with that of the legatee, in the eyes of the American agent in possession of all the facts of the case from the London a

ter, confirming the whole transaction of Mr. James Mainwaring, the London attorney, with its foreign post-mark, and huge office seal. This was accompanied by one from a legal gentleman of New York, whos

misgivings even then, which I felt to be both unjust and ungener

ourselves alone together since his return. "You scrutinize that will as if you were a legal

f Mr. Mainwaring, who had in his letter declared himself the copyist, the original codicil remain

ldren had trodden on the tail of the old maid's poodle-she lived with him it seems-and offended her beyond repair, or somethin

observes that it is only important to send a copy of the codicil, since it revokes all

scarcely know how I got the idea, to be frank with you; it may be incorrect

he sheet of paper on which it appeared was unoccupied-this was the word "thirty," at the beginning of the enumeration of moneys, for thirty thousand pounds (repeated below in figures) was the sum set forth in the codicil as the bequest of the Lady Frances Pomfret to

ked in my blood, from the time of Jacob, and which, so far, had not evinced itself,

t took from one sister to enrich the other

I knew it, and I was aroused from reverie by Claude

ecord, Miriam; it seem

lse of self-command that belonged to me by nature; "no more-not en

de strange improvement in your beauty, Miriam-you are hardly the same little dark, quick, yet quiet girl, I parted with when I w

emotions conflicting in my bosom-"feared that she might be delicate,

to do with Miss Erle and her energ

l hope to act out Milton's noble line, and 'stand and wait.' And now, if you have a few minutes to spare, do give me the résumé of your experience at Copenhagen. What of the climate-what of the people-what of the court? Are the women pretty or plain, as a general thing-and had Hamlet light or dark h

ere frequently, Miriam, and can tell you all about the dreary, decayed old town, t

ew, when Mrs. Austin suddenly summoned her away; and again Claude Bainrothe and I were left for a few minutes tête-à-tête. When my visitor departed, or rose to do so, we shook hands frankly; and I thought, on the whole, he seemed grateful for my mode

wever, on the threshold,

wish I could be certain of your friendship. I may put it to f

l principles alone. You did not respond fairly to my friendly manifestations in times past, after-after a certain expla

he very reason of his superior strength. It is so hard to resist a pleading woman! O Miriam! more than any one living, I respect-reve

den leg," I interrupted, deris

never knew, until I lost you, what you were to me; how superior to all other women, how pure, how unworldly, how strong, how rich i

d of another woman! the moment you sully my ear with your addresses, your effusions of sentiment. They are no more, I know; but even these I will no

secret by means of which I can compel wealth to flow back to your feet, in the old channels, if you will be mine. You would not have thought this condition hard a year ago. What has occurred to change you? You loved m

ye, was mingled with the feeling of entire emancipation from all past weakness, which this hour s

ow, his head dropping on his breast,

d creation-had proved false, or treacherous, or ungrateful? I should have wronged my youth, my soul, my descent, my God, had I so yielded. Go and fulfill your contract faithfully this time; a second rupture might not go so well with you as the first. There are persons who are singularly tenacious of

ently at the hall-door, at some delay apparently in undoing its faste

in connection with what had passed long before, when I alone was the injure

us it