that she trusted her kindness too well to be afraid of hearing whatever she might have to tell her. So Mrs. Asheton promised to hesitate no longer, though she still felt it very difficult to put what she wanted to say into words that satisfied herself.

"I had a letter yesterday morning from my aunt, Mrs. Lyndsey," she continued, taking one from her pocket, "in which she tells me that another niece of hers, Lady North, is in great perplexity in consequence of finding that her governess is, quite unexpectedly, obliged to leave her. But I will read you what she says." The part interesting to Margaret was as follows, "Louisa North is much perplexed by her governess being obliged to give up returning to her. Just at this moment, when all is settled for Louisa's going abroad with Roger and Emily (who is less well, too, I am sorry to hear), it is, to say the least, very annoying. In fact, to delay till she finds some one to suit her, may make a most material difference to Emily's health; and yet, what else to do she scarcely knows. Do you know of any one likely to suit her, do you think? The old nurse at Northcourt is an unusually superior person in her way, but it is very much to be desired that the governess should be worthy of all confidence, and thoroughly lady-like. To secure which two requisites, Louisa will let the want of accomplishments weigh but little, if all cannot be combined, and the salary she would give would be liberal."

When Mrs. Asheton had read this she paused, and then went to the table to make an alteration in the arrangement of the flowers in the vase. She wanted to give Margaret a few moments for reflection before she spoke again. Then, resuming her seat, she said, "Now you know, dearest, why I wanted to see you to-day. I don't want you to say hastily what you think about it. I dare say I can guess what you are feeling; reality is, I know well, so different from imagination. I thought I would tell you of my aunt's letter; but, after all, the thing may in no way suit you, for you may, perhaps, quite shrink from the reality of what, when only a picture in your mind, seemed to be the sort of thing you were longing to grasp. And not only so," she continued, "but although you may perhaps be feeling glad that your wishes have a chance of being fulfilled, it may be almost a shock to you to find the possibility of entering a new sphere of life thus unexpectedly opened to you."

Margaret's eyes were fixed on the fire, as she leaned forward in her chair, and her lip quivered as she tried to keep back the tears which would force themselves into her eyes, spite of all her efforts to keep them back.

Mrs. Asheton kissed her pale cheek, as she told her how thoroughly she entered into her feelings, and how sincerely she could sympathize with her; and although there was a tone in her voice which was delicious to Margaret's ear, it seemed for a

moment to make the tears come all the faster. But she quickly recovered herself, and words were at her command.

Then they talked long and earnestly, Margaret at first expressing the gratitude she felt for Mrs. Asheton's constant unvarying kindness, and then going on to question whether she could really be fit for such a position as the one referred to in Mrs. Lyndsey's letter.

With regard to that, Mrs. Asheton said she had no misgivings; she felt that she might recommend Margaret with the most perfect confidence. She believed from what little she knew of Lady North, that she would be more than satisfied, and indeed think herself extremely fortunate, if she could leave her children with Margaret. "Besides," added Mrs. Asheton, "Lady North would scarcely think of you as a stranger, when she knew you were my great friend; and you combine in yourself all she wants, for you are accomplished, in addition to all the rest of the qualifications she desires."

"Oh no, not accomplished," said Margaret.

Well, at all events, if you won't let me call you that, I may at least say from my own knowledge that you understand French thoroughly."

"Thanks to Mademoiselle's kindness," said Margaret.

"That you play very nicely, and sing charmingly; now be quiet," she added, as Margaret turned a smiling face towards her; "that you have a talent for drawing figures, witness those I saw at

Teesdale last week; that you know enough German to be able to read an easy book quite pleasantly to yourself; and, finally, are better read than nine out of ten of the young ladies I meet with.”

"Am I really?" said Margaret, surprised, for she did not know it. "Certainly," she added, after a long pause, "Papa and Mamma have done all they possibly could for us, and have often, I believe, deprived themselves of many comforts on our account. I think that half-year at school did wonders for me. It showed me how I might improve myself, and in what I was most deficient."

Mrs. Asheton left Margaret for a little while in the afternoon, to give her the opportunity of thinking over quietly all they had been saying. If she was inclined to offer herself to Lady North, no time must be lost, and Mrs. Asheton intended, should this be the case, to write to her aunt by that night's post.

Margaret did decide in favour of the plan, provided she should still like the idea when she had heard more particulars from Lady North, and provided her parents would give their consent to her leaving them. Mrs. Asheton thought it far from improbable that they would do so. She knew that Captain Stourton had stated facts and used expressions when conversing with her husband, and also indeed with herself, which had made them both fear some such step as that which Margaret now contemplated must soon be necessary.

"I will try and spend some part of Friday with you," she said, when Margaret was saying "Goodbye." "I hope by that time I shall have heard many more particulars. I shall make the fullest inquiries in my letters to-night, and you will have had two days for thinking and talking over what will, I know, require a great deal of both, before you can really say whether it is to be 'yes' or 'no.' Good-bye then, dear, once more; you deserve to do well, if ever a good child did ;" and with these words they parted.

It is needless to attempt to describe all the contending feelings which occupied the minds of the family at the cottage, when on her return home Margaret explained why Mrs. Asheton had wanted to see her. Margaret was but twenty-two, she had been very little from home, and had always been cared for tenderly. Northcourt was in a distant county, at least two hundred miles from Teesdale. The life of a governess was one of which she had never had any experience. She had never seen any of the North family, never even heard of them before, for Mrs. Asheton was only slightly acquainted with Lady North herself; though what little she had seen of her, she told Margaret she very much liked.

But still the opportunity which now offered was not one to be thrown away; for indeed Mrs. Asheton's conjecture was a right one, and Margaret found that although they had said but little either to herself or to her sisters on the subject, her parents