"But did you accept him, Clare? tell me that. Did you tell him that you loved him as he deserves to be loved?"

"I-I-did not exactly do that, Gwenthlean; but I did not refuse him. I scarcely know what I said, I was so bewildered, and felt so differently from what I used to feel on the like occasions, that I believe he must have thought me a fool. But I hope he quite understood my feelings, and knows that I have always liked him better than any one else."

66

Say loved, dear-liked is a cold word for such a man as he," said Gwenthlean, enthusiastically. "Loving and liking are as different as light from dark."

66

Loved, then, my sweet sister, if you will," said Clare. "I think he guesses that I love him," and she hid her burning face in her sister's shoulder as she spoke the words.

"He is a generous, noble-minded man," said Gwenthlean. "I always saw that he

was attached to you,

when you seemed un

conscious of it. And are you happy, dearest Clare ?"

"Happy!" exclaimed Clare, empha

tically, "how could I be otherwise?

I be

lieve the whole world does not contain so happy a creature. I am happy with dear mamma and you-but, now! oh! Gwenthlean, you cannot understand my happi

ness.

Gwenthlean thought that she had once understood it but too well, and proposed making their beloved mother a participator therein.

CHAPTER X.

Alas, alas!

Why all the souls that were, were forfeit once,
And He that might the vintage best have took
Found out the remedy. How would you be,
If he, which is the top of judgment, should
But judge you as you are? oh, think on that:
And mercy then will breathe within your lips,
Like man new made.

Measure for Measure.

HERBERT and Colonel Llewellen started the following morning, the one for Oxford, the other for Pontavou, the place he thought of purchasing. Lord Hastings remained behind to settle Mr. Grant's affairs-in other words, to settle his own, which were