for he seemed quite determined to make the most of the opportunity on his own account. He said he was half afraid Margaret had not been well, or was away, as he had never met her since the day she had guided him towards Farley. He inquired after Miss Edge, and begged his very kind remembrances to her. He hoped Margaret was coming to Lady Howick's on Tuesday, and when she said she did not think she should be there, such a look of disappointment came over his face that she coloured slightly, and looked down.

She felt provoked and annoyed; annoyed with him-provoked with herself. And Mrs. Radley rising to leave at the moment, she took the opportunity of changing places with her, and so getting nearer to Mrs. Shirley, with whom she quickly settled her plans, and immediately after said "good-bye." As she shook hands with Mr. Stratton, he said he hoped she would be persuaded to alter her mind about Tuesday. She thanked him, but said she must leave it uncertain, she feared.

Margaret sat up late that evening, for two reasons. The first was that her mind was in a state of unrest, and she felt no inclination for sleep; the second, that she wanted to read over some things she had given to the children to do. She sat resolutely down to her work: she had a good fire in her room, and, with her lamp on the table, wanted neither warmth nor light, nor indeed any apparent comfort.

Although it was in her bed-room that she had ensconced herself, it was so nicely furnished and fitted up that it looked in some respects more like a little sitting-room. She had told the two little girls, that if they liked to try writing for a prize, she would give one to each of them for a short account of any four historical characters or events they chose to write about. The histories were to be very neatly and carefully written, of course, and were to be dedicated to Lady North, and presented to her in a pretty little case, which Margaret was herself to make for them.

She was surprised at the correctness with which the children had accomplished their task, and much pleased and gratified. She packed up the little parcels which contained the pretty prizes which she had got for them. This done, she read for a short time, and then sat watching the fire in a dreamy state of abstraction. All was still, the wind causing the only sound that could be heard. After some time, she went gently into the children's bed-room to see if Fanny was sleeping. The little girl awoke while she was standing by her; and when Margaret bent down and said, "Are you comfortable, dear?" she threw her arms round her neck and kissed her, as she whispered, "Yes."

Margaret sat by her till she was fast asleep again, and then returned to her own arm-chair, by her still bright little fire. It was not really very late; but every body at Northcourt went so early

to bed that it seemed late, and yet she did not feel inclined to follow the general good example, as she usually did.

"It is so wrong of him to behave in this way," she said, "and not let me forget my folly. It is not possible that he can really mean any thing. Why does he have that manner, then ?-But has he? Am I not, after all, absurd to fancy there is any thing different in his way of speaking to me, or looking at me, from that he has towards others?. How gentle, and kind, and thoughtful he was to Miss Edge!" There she paused deep in thought, but yet not thought which can be put into words.

At last, after exclaiming, half aloud, "Oh, how glad I am that I am not going on Tuesday!" she started up, and in a very short space of time her waking cares and dreams were lost in that best of comforters, quiet, deep, refreshing sleep.

*

When the party returned from Howick on Tuesday, they had much to tell, and they amused Margaret and Fanny with their account of all they had seen and done. Fanny had not gone with them; for although much better, it would not have been prudent for her to be out of doors late, or to risk getting tired.

"Oh! you should have seen the way Mr. Kirby pointed out to Sir Gaspard how he was to hit the stone," said Oliver; "such bowings and smilings. I was quite close, because Mr. Stratton took hold of my hand, and got me through the crowd of gentlemen."

"I was with Mrs. Airleigh and Isabel," said Maude. "Mrs. Airleigh said she would see I was safe, so Mrs. Shirley gave me leave to stay with her. We had a very happy day. It was such fun. You can't think how kind Mr. Stratton was. He said he was so sorry Fan was ill. He asked me why you did not come, Miss Stourton; and when I told him you could not leave Fan alone at home, because she was not well, he was very sorry for that. He says he is coming to call on mamma and on Roger as soon as they come home. I told him when we expected them."

"What are you doing with that bread, my dear Oliver ?"

"Oh! why I want to show you how the stones were put for Sir Gaspard, and where I stood. Now, this bit of crust is me, you see; and that is Mr. Kirby, and this is Mr. Stratton."

Margaret, having listened to the explanations with great attention, suggested the propriety of eating up the scene, which, amid much laughter, Oliver proceeded to do; and this was the last act of the evening.

CHAPTER XXIV.

"Now time has fled-the world is strange,
Something there is of pain and change;
My books lie closed upon the shelf,
I miss the old heart in myself.

"I miss the sunbeams in my room-
It was not always wrapped in gloom;
I miss my dreams, they fade so fast,
Or flit into some trivial past."

A. PROCTOR.

"And sometimes when the day was o'er,

Call up the tender past again

Its painful joy, its happy pain,

And live it over yet once more."

LEGENDS AND LYRICS.

OR several days Margaret had had no letters, and she was beginning to be

afraid every body had forgotten her.

The weather, too, was unusually gloomy, and therefore not calculated to assist in cheering her. Half-past eight had struck, one morning, on the great hall-clock, as with her face leaning on her hands, and her elbows on the window-ledge, she watched the little post-boy wrestling manfully

R