SELF-RAISED; OR, FROM "THE. DEPTHS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 88, 15 April 1891, Page 6

SELF-RAISED; OR, FROM "THE. DEPTHS.

DEPTHS."

CHAPTER L.—(Continued.)

Ishmael now possessed the only clear, cool and undisturbed intelligence of the whole party, who were all more or less shaken by the terrible events of the last few days. He had to think for bhem all.

He announced his intention of departing for London on the ensuing Friday morning, and warned the judge that ho should require his final instructions for acting in concert, with bhe solicitors of the Earl of Hurstmonceux.

The judge promised that these should be ready in writing to place in his hands at the moment of his deparbure.

'And while I am in London had I better not see the agents of the ocean steamers, and ascertain how soon we can obtain a passage home for our whole party ? The termination of these trials and the restitution of Lady Vincent's estate really leave us nothing to do here, and we know that Lady Vincent is pining for the roposo of her native home,' said Ishmael. ' Certainly, certainly, Ishmael ! The execution of Frisbie, the death of tho viscount, the conviction of Mrs Dugald, and the act of Earl of Hurstmonceux, really, as you say, leave us free to go home. I myself, as well as Claudia, pine for my home. And you, Ishmael, though you have not said so, have sacrificed already too much of your professional interests to our necessities. You should be ab your office. Whab on earbh is becoming of your clients all this time ?'

'I dare say they are taken good care of, sir. Do not think of me. Believe me, I have no interests dearer to my hearb bhan the welfare and happiness of my friends. Then I shall engage a passage for us all, in the first available steamer ?'

'I—l think so, Ishmael. There is nothing to keep us here longer thab I know of; we have nothing to do,' said the judge, hesitatingly. 1 2" have something yet to do, "before I return homo,' smiled Ishmael, with a quick and quickly withdrawn glance in the direction of the countess ; ' bub I shall do ib before we go, or if nob I can remain behind for another steamer.' *No, no, Ishmael! You have stayed Jong with us ; we will wait for you. Whab do you say, Claudia?' Claudia said nobhing. Ishmael replied : • I shall endeavour to accomplish all thab I propose in time bo accompany you, Judge Merlin. Bub if I should nob be able to do bo, still I think thab you had bebter all go by the firsb steamer in which you can get a passage. You should, if possible, cross the ocean before March sets in, if you would have anything like a comfortable voyage.' 'Heavens, yes ! you are right, Ishmael! Our labe voyage should teach me a lesson ! I musb nob expose Claudia to the chances of such shipwreck as we suffered,' said the judge, gravely.

Ishmael turned and looked ab Claudia. She had nob once spoken since her name had been introduced into the conversation. She had sab bhere wibh an elbow on bhe table and her head bowed upon her hand, in mournful silence. She was looking perfectly beaubiful in her widow's dress and cap—perfecbly beaubiful wibh thab lasb divine, perfecting touch that sorrow gives to beauby. Surely Ishmael thoughb so as he looked at her. She lifted her drooping lids. Their eyes met ; hers were suffused with tears ; his were full of earnest sympathy, ' You shall nob be exposed to shipwreck, Lady Vincent,' he said, in a voice rich with tenderness. Slowly and mournfully 3he shook her head. * There aro other wrecks,' she said: *" And I beneath a rougher sea. O'erwhelmed in deeper gulfs may be.'" The last words were breathed in a scarcely audible voice, and her head sank low upon her hand. With a profound eigh, thab seemed bo come from bhe very depbhs of his soul, Ishmael burned away. Passing near the Countess of Hurstmonceux, he benb and murmured:

* Lady Vincenb seems very weary.' The countess took the hint and rang for the bedroom candles.

And when bhey were broughb the party bade each other good-night, separated and retired.

Early the next morning they set out for Edinboro', where they arrived about midday. The Countess of Hursbmonceux's servants, who had received belegraphic orders from her ladyship, were waibing ab bhe Btabion with carriages. The whole parby enbered bhese and drove to Cameron Courb, where they arrived in time for an early dinner. After bhis Ishmael and Judge Merlin were closebed in the libary, and engaged upon the preliminary measures for a final arrangement wibh the Earl of Hurstmonceux's solicibors.

The judge, in his good opinion of the earl, would have trusted to a simple, informal rendition of his daughter's fortune.

Bub Ishmael, bhe ever watchful guardian of her inberests, warned her father that every legal form musb be scrupulously observed in bhe rosborabion of the property, lest in the event of tho death of the Earl of Hurstmonceux his brother and successor, the disreputable Captain Dugald, should attempt t® disturb her in its possession. The judge acquiesced. And this business occupied the friends the whole of that afternoon.

Ib the evening bhey joined the ladies ab their tea-table. in bhe little drawingfoom.

After tea, when the service was removed, they gathered around the table in social converse.

A servant broughb in a small parcel that looked like a case of jewellery done up in paper, and laid it before the countess. She smiled, wibh a deprecabing look, as she book ib up and opened ib and passed ib around bo her friends for inspecbion.

Ib was a miniabure of the countess herself painted on ivory. It. was a faibhfui likeness, apparently very recenbly taken, for on looking ab ib you seemed bo see the beaubiful counbess herself on a diminished scale or bhrough an inverted telescope. 'Ib has been making a visib,' smiled the counbess. ' A poor young arbisb in Edinboro' is gebbing up a "Book of Beauby" on his own account. He came here in person to beg the loan of one of my portraits to engrave from. I gave him this, because ib was bhe lasb I had taken. I gave ib bo him because a refusal from me would have wounded his feelings and discouraged his enberprise. Otherwisd,l assure you, I should nob have let him have ib for any such purpose as he designed. For the idea of pubbing my porbraib in a " Book of Beauty" is a rich absurdity.'

' Pardon me, I do not see the absurdity ab all !' said Ishmael, earnestly, as in his turn he received the miniature and gazed with admirabion on ibs beaubiful features.

•Young gentleman, I am forby-five !' said the countess.

Ishmael gave a genuine starb of surprise. He knew, of course, bhab she musb have '?een of thab age; bub he had forgobben bhe

flight of time, and the announcement startled him. He soon recovered himself, however, and answered with his honest smile : ' Well, my lady, if you are still boautitul at forty-five, you cannot help it, and you cannob prevent artistic eyes from seeing it. I, as one of your friends, am glad and grateful for it ! And I hope thab you will remain as beautiful in form as in spirit even to the ago of seven4y-fivc, or as long after that as you may live in this world.' 'Thank you, Mr Worth! I really do value praise from you, because I know that ib is sincere on your part if nob merited on mine,' said Lady Hurstmonceux. Ishmael bowed low and in silence. Then he resumed his contemplation of the picture. And presently ho looked up and said : ' Lady Hurstmonceux, I am going to ask you a favour. Will you lend me this picture for a week ?' The countess was a little surprised at the request. She looked up ab Ishmael before answering it. Thoir eyes meb. Some mutual intelligence passed in those meeting glances. And she then answered : 'Yes, Mr Worth! I will intrust ib to you as long as you would liko to keop it; without reserve and without even asking you whab you wish to do with ib.' Again Ishmael bowed, and then he closed the case of tho miniature and deposited ib in his breast pockeb. ' I hope that youth is not falling in love with his grandmother ! I have heard of such things in my life,' thought the judge crossly within himself, tor the judge was growing jealous for Claudia. He had apparently forgotten tho existence of Bee. As Ishmael was to leave Cameron Court at a very early hour of tho morning, before any of tho family would be likely to be up to see him off, he took leavo of his friends upon this evening, and retired early to his room to complete his preparations for the journey.

CHAPTER LI

ishmael's errand.

I tell thee, friond, I have not seen So likely an ambassador of love ; A day in April never came so sweet. To show that costly summer was at hand. Shaksfere. Ishmael lefb Edinboro' by the earliesb express train for London, where he arrived at nightfall.

Ho took a cab and drove immediately to Morley's Hotel in the Strand, where Herman Brudenell was stopping. Carpet-bag in hand, Ishmael was shown into that gentleman's sitting-room. Mr Brudenell sat writing ab a table, bub on hearing Mr Worth announced and seeing him enter, ho started up, threw down his pen, and rushed to welcome the traveller. *My dear, dear boy, a thousand welcomes !' he exclaimed, hoarbily shaking Ishmael's hands.

'I am very glad to come and see you again, sir. I hope that you are quite well?' said Ishmael, cordially responding to this warm welcome.

•As well as a solitary man can be, my dear boy ! How did you leave our friends — in good health, I trust?' 'Yes ; in tolerably good health, considering the circumstances. They are, of course, somewhab shaken by bhe berrible evenbs of bhe lasb few days.' 'I should bhink so. Heaven! what an ordeal to have passed through ! Poor Claudia ! Bow has she borne ib all ?'

« With the most admirable firmness. Claudia —Lady Vincenb, I should say—has come out of hor fiery trial like refined gold,' said Ishmael, warmly. • A fiery trial indeed ! Ishmael, I have read the full account of the Banff tragedy, as they call it, in all tho morning papers ; no two of them agreeing in all particulars. The account in the " Times " I hold bo be the most reliable : ib isab least the fullestit occupies nearly two pages of that greab paper.' ' You are right : the account in bhe '• Times" is the true one.'

* But, bless my life, I am keeping you sbanding here, carpeb bag in hand, all this time ! Have you engaged your room?' ' No ; they say the house is full.' 'Nob quite! Mine is a double-bedded chamber; You shall share it with me, if you like. Whab do you say ?' ' Thank you, I should like ib very much.' ' Come in, then, and have a wash and a change of clothes, after which we will have supper. What would you like ?' ' Anybhing ab all. I know bhey cannot send up a bad one here.' Mr Brudenell bouched bhe bell. The waiber speedily answered it. 'Supper directly, James. Four dozen oysters ; a roast fowl; baked potatoes ; muffins; a bobble of sherry ; and, and, black tea ;—thab is your miltc-sop beverage, 1 believe, Ishmael,' added Mr Brudenell, in a low voice, burning bo his guesb.

'Thab is my milk-sop beverage,' replied Ishmael, good-humouredly. The waiter went away on his errand. And Mr Brudenell conducted Ishmael into the adjoining chamber, where tho young man found an opportunity of renovabiug his toilet.

When they returned to the sibbing-room bhey found bhe supper served and the waiber in attendance.

But ib was nob until the traveller had done full justice to this meal, and the service was removed, and the waiter was gone, and the father and son were alone bogother, thab they enbered upon confidenbial bopics. Mr Brudenell questioned Ishmael minutely upon all the details of tho 'Banff Tragedy.' And Ishmael satisfied him in every particular. One circumstance in these communications was noticeable —Mr Brudenell, in all his questioning, never once mentioned the name of the Countess of Hurstmonceux. And even Ishmael avoided bring ib inbo his answers. W T hen Mr Brudenell had learned all bhat he wanbed bo know, Ishmael, in his turn, said :

' I hope, sir, that the business which brought you to England has heen satisfactorily sebbled ?' Mr Brudenell sighed heavily. 4lb has been sebbled, not very sabisfacborily, bub afber a fashion, Ishmael. I never bold you exacbly whab that business was. I intended to do so ; and I will do ib now.' Mr Brudenell paused as if he were embarrassed and doubbful in whab terms to tell so unpleasant a sbory. Ishmael settled himself to attend. 'It was connected wibh my mother and sisters, Ishmael. They have been living abroad here for many years, as you have perhaps heard.' * Yes.' • And they have been living far above their means and far above mine ; and, consequently, debts and difficulties and embarrassments have come. Again and again I have made large sacrifices and settled all claims against bherxt. lam sorry to say ib of my mother and sisters, Ishmael; bub if bhe bruth must be told, their pride and e*cbravagance have ruined bhem and me, so far as financial ruin goes. If thab had been all, it might have been borne. Bub bhere was worse bo come. Aboub' a year ago my sister Eleanor—who had reached an age when single women begin to despair of marriage—formed the acquaintance of a disreputable scoundrel, one Captain Dugald, a younger brother, I hear, of the presenb Earl of Hursbmonceux—'

• Capbain Dugald ! 1 have heard of him,' exclaimed Ishmael.

No doubb, mosb people have. He is rabher a notorious character. Well, my infatuated sister took a fancy to bhe fellow, misled him into the belief that she was the mistress of a large fortune ; and played her cards so skilfully that—well ! in a word, bhe handsome scamp ran off wibh her, or rather she ran off wibh him;

for sho seems all through to have taken the initiative in her own ruin !'

' Bub I do not understand why she should have run off. She was of ripe age and her own mistress. Who was there to run from ?'

' Her mother ! her mother, who could nob endure the sight of Captain Dugald, and who had forbidden him hor house.' ' Ah !' ' Well, they were married at Liverpool. He took hor to the United States. At my mother's request I followed them there to reclaim my sister, tor report said that the captain had already another wife when he married Eleanor. This report, however, I have ascertained to be without foundation. I could nob find them in tho Unibed States, and soon gave up tho search. Captain Dugald had no lovo for my sister. Ho appears to have treated her brutally from tho first hour thab ho gob her into his power, and when he learned that sho had deceived him, doceived him in every way, in regard to her fortune, in regard to her age, in regard to her very beauty, which was but tho effect of skilful dress, he conceived a disgust for her, abused her shamefully, and finally abandoned her in poverty, in sickness, and in debt.'

' Poor, unhappy lady. Whab olso could she have expected? She must have boen mad,' said Ishmael,

' Mad ! Madness don"b begin to explain ib ! She musb have been possessed of a devil. When thus left, she sold what few miserable trinkets of jowollery his cupidity had spared hor, and took a steerage passage in ono of our steamers and followed him back to England, but here losb sight of him. for ib seems bhab ho is somewhere on tho Continent. She came to my mother's house in London in tho condition of a begarar, knowing bhab she was a pauper and fearing that sho was not a wifo. In this state of affairs my mother wrote, summoning me to her assistance. I came over as you know. I have ascertained that my taster's marriage is a perfectly legal one ; bub I have nob succeeded in finding her scoundrel of a husband and bringing him to book. Ho is still on tho continent somewhere, hiding from his creditors, ib is said.' ' And his unhappy wife. 'Is on her voyage to America. I have sent them all home, Ishmael. They must live quiebly ab Tanglewood.' •But now that bhe Viscount Vincent is dead, and Captain Dugald bocomos tho heir presumptive to tho earldom of Hurstmonceux, his prospects aro so much improved thab I should think he would return to England without fear of annoyance from hia creditors; such gentry being usually vory complaisant bo the heirs of rich earldoms.'

'I doubb if he will live to inherit the title and estato, Ishmael. He is nearly eaten up by alcohol. Eleanor, I know, will not live long. She is in tho last stage of consumption. Hor reposo at Brudenell Hall may alleviate her sufferings, but cannot save her life,' eaid Mr Brudenell, sadly. 'I have only waited until your business hero should be concluded, Ishmael, in order to return thither myself. You have nothing more to do, however, bub to act for Judge Merlin in this matter of restitution, and then you will bo ready to go, I presume.'

' Yes ; I have something else to do, sir ! I have to exposo a villain, bo vindicate a lady, and to reconcilo a long-estranged pair,' replied Ishmael, in a nervous bone, yet with smiling eyes. ' Why, what havo you been doing bub justbhoso things? Whab was Lord Vincenb? What was Claudia? What was your part in that affair? Never, since the renowned Knight of Mancha, tho great Don Quixote, lived and died, has there been so devoted a squire of dames, so brave a champion of tho wronged, as yourself, Ishmael,' said Mr Brudenell.

'You may laugh, bub you shall noblaugh mo out of my next enterprise, or "adventure," as the illustrious personage you have nuotod would call ib. And, by tho way, do you know anything of a fellow-passenger of ours in tho late voyage, the German Jow, Ezra Isaacs ?' ' No ; why ?' 'I need him in the prosecution of this adventure.' ' I have nob seen him sinco we parted at Liverpool. 1 know nothing whatever about him.' ' Well, then, after I have been at the chambers of Messrs Hudson, I musb go to Scotland Yard, and put tho affair in the hands of the detectives, for have Isaacs hunted up I must !' ' Is he the villain you are about to expose ?'

' No ; but he has been the tool of that villain, and I want him for a sorb of Sbabe's evidence against his principal.'

* Ah ! I wish you joy of your adventure, Ishmael. It reminds one forcibly of tho windmills,' said Mr Brudenell.

Ishmael laughed good-hurnouredly

'I think ib will do, sir, when you find that the objects you have been mistaking for giants are only windmills after all,' ho said.

' I do nob understand you, my dour fel low.'

Ishmael took from his breast pockeb, the miniature of tho Countoss of Hursbmonceux, and opening ib and gazing upon ib, he said :

' This is the likeness of the injured lady, whoso honour I have sworn to vindicate.'

'Is ib Claudia's ?' inquired Mr Brudenell, stretching his hand for ib.

' No, it is nob Lady Vincent's. Pardon mo, upon second bhoughts, sir ! I wish bo bell you bhis lady's sbory before 1 show you her porbraib,' answered Ishmael, shubting bhe ease and returning ib bo his pockeb.

Mr Brudenell sab back in his chair, and looked puzzled and abtentive.

' This lady was bhe young and beaubiful widow of an aged peer. She was a3 pure and noble as she was fair and lovely. She was soughb in marriage by many attractive suitors, but in vain, for she would not besbow her hand where she could nob besbow her hearb. Among bhe mosb persevering of bhese suitors wa3 a profligate fortune-hunter, who, as the near relative of hor labe husband, had the entrde into her house—'

>' Ah ! I think I have heard this story before,' said Mr Brudenell, with the slightest possible sneer on his handsome lip. ' One side of it, sir, the false side. Hear bhe other, and the true one. The beautiful widow repulsed this suitor in disgust, and pererapborily forbade him the house. Determined not to be baffled, he resorted to a stratagem thab should have senb him to bhe hulks —thab did, in facb, banish him from all decent society. Are you listening, sir?'

• With all my soul !' said Mr Brudenell, whose mocking sneer had disappeared before an earnest interest.

'By tempting the cupidity of a poor kinsman, who was a member of the young widow's family, he managed to get himsslf secrebly admitted to her houEe and concealed in-her dressing-room, whose front windows overlooked bhe streeb. In the morning this man opened one of these windows, and stood before ib half dressed, in full view of bhe sbreeb, brushing his hair for tho entertainment of the passers by. The glare of lighb from the open window, shining through the open door into the adjoining bed chamber of the sleeping beauty, awakened her. At sight of the sacrilegious in truder,she wassoebruck with consternation thab she couldnotspeak. He took advantage of his position and her panic, to press his repugnant suit. He pleaded bhab his ardenb passion and her icy coldness had driven him to desperation and to extremity. He argued that all stratagems were fair in love. He begged her to forgive him, and to marry him, and warned her thab her repubabion was irretrievably compromised if she did nob do so.'

Ishmael paused and looked to see whab effecb bhis sbory was having upon Mr Brudenell.

Herman Brudenell was listening with breathless interest.

Ishmael continued, speaking earnestly, for his heart was in his theme :

' Bub tho beautiful and spirited young widow was nob one to be terrified into a measure thab her soul abhorred! Her first act, on recovering bhe possession of hor senses, was to ring the bell and order the ejectment of the intruder. And despite his attempts ab explanation, expostulation and remonstrance, bhis order was promptly obeyed. And bhe lady never saw him afterward. Soon after this she left Edinboro' for the south of England. Ab Brighton sho meb wibh a genbleman who afterwards became her husband. But ah ! this gentleman, some time subsequent bo their marriage, received a one-sided account of that affair in Edinboro' He was then young, sensitive and jealous. He bolioved all thab was told him; ho asked for no explanation of his young wife ;_ he silently abandoned her ! And she—faithful to the one love of her life—has lived through all her budding youth and blooming womanhood in loneliness and seclusion, passing her days iv acts of charity and devotion. Circumstances have lately placed in my power the means of vindicating this lady's honour, even to the satisfaction of her unbolioving husband !' Ishmael paused and looked earnosbly into bhe troubled face of Herman Brudenell.

lshmaol ! ho oxclaimod, of course I have known all along bhab you have been speaking of my wife, Lady Hurstmonceux. If you have nob boen deceived ; if bhe truth is ust whab ib has been ropresenbed bo you bo bo; if she was indeed innocontof all complicity in that nocturnal visit; then, lshmaol, I have done her a g'reab, an unpardonable, an irreparable wrong !' 4 You havo done that lovely lady great wrong indeed, sir; bub nob an unpardonable, nob an irreparable one. She will bo as ready bo pardon as you bo offer reparation. And in her lovely humility she will never know that there has boon anything to pardon. , Angols are nob implacable, sir. If you doubb my judgmenb in this matter, look on her portraib now,' said Ishmael, taking hor miniabure once more from his coab pocket, opening ib and laying ib bofore Herman Brudenell.

Mr Brudenell slowly raised ib, and wishfully gazed upon ib. 'Is ib a faithful portraib, Ishmael?' he asked.

'So faithful thab ib is like herself seen through a diminishing glass.' She is very, very beautiful ; moro beautiful evon than she was in her early youth,' said Mr Brudenell, thoughtfully, gazing uuon the miniature.

' Yes ; I can imagine thab she ia more beautiful now than she was in her early youth ; moro beautiful with bhe heavenly beauty of tho spirit added to the earthly beauty of the ilesh. Look ab bhab picture, dear sir, fancy those charming features, living, smiling, speaking, and you will be better able to judge how beautifnl is your wife. Ob, sir, I think that in times past you never loved bhab sweob lady as she deserved to be loved, but if you were to meet her now you would love her as you never loved her before.'

' If I wero to meet her ! Why, supposing that I have wronged her as much as you say, how could I ever venture to present myself before hor ?'

' How could you ever venture ? Oh, sir, bicause sho loves you ! There are women, sir, who love bub once in all bheir lives, and then love for ever. The Countess of Hurstmonceux is one of these. Sir, since I have lived in daily companionship with her, I have been led to study her with affectionate interest. I have read her life as a wondrous poem. Her soul has been fillod with one love. Hor heart is the shrine of one idol. And oh, sir, believe me, tho future holds no hope of happiness so sweet to that lovoly lady as a reunion wibh tho husband of her youth.' 'Ah, Ishmael, if I could bolieve this, my own youth wo i!d bo restored ! I should have a mot'vo ,o live. You said, just now, thab in the old sad times I had not loved this lady as sho deserved to be loved. No — I married her haßbily, impulsively— flabtered by her ovidonb preference for me ; and jusb as I was beginning bo know all her worth and beauty, lo ! this fact of the nocturnal sojourn of tho profligate Captain Dugald came to my knowledge—came to my knowledge with a convincing power, beyond all possibility of questioning. Ob, you see, I discovered the bare facb, wibhoub bhe explanation of ib! I believed myself the dupe of a clever advenburesa, and my love was nipped in the bud. If I could believe otherwise now—if I could bolieve that; she was innocenb in bhat affair, and bhab she has loved me all these years, and been true to that love, and is ready and.willing to forgive and forget the long, sorrowful pasb —Ishmael, instead of being the mosb dosolate, I should bo the most contented man alive. I should feol like a shipwrecked sailor, long tossed about on the stormy sea, arriving safe ab home ab last!' said Mr Brudenell, gazing almost longingly upon the picture he held in his hand. Ishmael was too wise to interrupt thab contemplation by a single word ab bhis moment.

' The thought that such a woman as this, Ishmael—so richly endowed in beauty of form and mind and heart—should be my loving companion for life, seems bo me too great a hope for mortal man to indulge.' Ishmael did not speak. • Bub here is bhe dilemma, my dear boy ! eibher she did deceive me, or she did nob. If she did deceive me, lovely as she is, I wish never bo see her again. If she did not deceive me, bhen have I wronged her so long and so bibterly thab she musb wish never to see mo again !' sighed Mr Brudenell, as he mournfully closed bhe case of bhe miniature. Then Ishmael spoke: ' Oh, sir, I have resolved to vindicate the honour of bhis lady, and I will do ib ? Soon I will have bhe German Jew, Ezra Isaacs, looked up ; for he ib was who, bempbed by bhe false representations of Captain Dugald, secretly admitted him to her house and concealed him in her dressing-room. And he shall be brought to confess it. Then you will see, sir, the perfect innocence of bhe countess. And for bhe resb, if you wish to prove her undiminished love; her perfecb willingness to forget the pasb ; her eagerness for a reconciliabion —go to her, prove ib all; and, oh, eir, be happier in your sober, middle age bhan ever you hoped bo be even in your sanguine youbh !' The young man spoke so fervenbly, so sbrongly, so earnesbly, bhab Mr Brudenell seized his hand, and gazing affecbionately in his eloquent face, said :

• Whab a woman's advocate you are, ishmael!' "

•Ib is because a woman's spirit has hovered over me from bhe beginning of my life, I bhink.'

• Your angel mother's spirit, Ishmael! Ah, brighber, and sweeter and dearer than all things in my life, is bhe memory of thab pastoral poem of my boyish love. It is the one oasis in bhe desert of my life !' 'Porgeb ib, dear sir; forgeb ib all. Think of your boyhood's love as an angel in Heaven, and love her only so ! Do bhis for bhe sake of bhab sweet lady who has a righb bo your exclusive earbhly devotion.' • Oh, sbrange, and passing sbrange, bhab Nora's son should advocabe the cause of Nora's rival!' said Herman Brudenell, wonderingly.

' Nob Nora's rival, sir! An angel in Heaven, beaming in the light of God's smile, can never have a rival—least of all a rival in a pilgrim of this earbh ! For the rest, if Nora's son speaks, ib is because Nora's spirit inspires him 1' said Ishmael, solemnly.

' Your life, indeed, seems bo have been angel-guided, and your counsels angel-

inspired, Ishmael. And they shall guide me ! Yes, Nora' 3 son ! in this crisis of my fate your hand shall lead me. And I know thab ib will lead mo inbo a haven of rest.'

Soon afber bhis the father and son retired for the night. Ishmael, secure in his own happy love and easy in his blameless conscience, soon fell asleep. Herman Brudenell lay awake, thinking over all that he had heard ; blaming himself for his share of the sorrowful paßt, and seeing always the figure of the beaubiful counbess in her years of lonely widowhood;

Ib is something for a solitary and homeless man, liko Herman Brudenell, to discover suddenly thab he has for years been tho sole object of a good and beautiful woman's love. And to know thab a home as happy and a wife as lovely as his youthful imagination ever picburod, was now waibing bo receive him if he would come and bake possession ! Early the nexb morning Ishmael arose refreshed from a good night's rest; bub Mr Brudenell gob up, weary from a sleepless pillow. Ib was bo be a busy day with Ishmael, so, after a hasty breakfast, he took a temporary leave of Mr Brudenell and set oub. His first visib was to bhe chambers of Messrs Hudson, solicitors, Burton-streeb, Piccadilly. Where all parties aro agreed, business musb be prompbly despatched, despite of even the law's proverbial delays. The Earl of Hurstmonceux and Judge Merlin were quite agreed in this affair of restitution, and therefore their attorneys could have little trouble. As the reader knows, upon the marriage of tho Viscount Vincenb and Claudia Merlin, bhere had been no settlements ; therefore tho whole of the bride's fortune became the absolute property of the bridegroom. Subsequently, Lord Vincenb had died intestate ; therefore Claudia as his widow would have been legally entitled to bub a porbion of bhab very fortune she herself had brought to him in marriage, all the rest falling bo bhe viscounb's family, or rather bo its representative, tho Earl of Hurstmonceux. Ib was bhis logal injusbice thab bhe earl wished bo rectify, by making over bo Lady Vincenb all his righb, bible and interest in the estate left by the deceased Lord Vincent. This business he had intrusted to his solicitors, giving them full power to act in his name. And Ishmael, with tho concurrence of Judge Merlin, made it his business to see bhab every binding, legal form was observed in the transfer, so that Lady Vincent should rest undisturbed in her possessions, by any grasping heir that might succeed the Earl of Hurstmonceux. (To be Continued Next Wednesday.)