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which had called forth his love, from the | Garston, which ultimately resulted in his fair shape with which he had identified going down to Mallett, nearly a year had it. Now that his eyes were opened he elapsed. During this period Mrs. Lasaw that Katherine was no more that bouchere had tried many plans, and laid sweet creation, than is the player the innumerable snares, into which she hoped mimic queen whose name for the hour her cousin would fall. She had remained she bears. Had her love been false to in town, gone away from town, stayed his, he could have made more excuse for with his mother, absented herself from her than for the cold calculating nature, the house; had been distant, friendly, which set love aside until death untied sad, lively, all in turns, and all to no purthe money bags, that had weighed down pose. Sir Stephen's manner was unalthe scale against plighted troth and pas-tered, and he remained indifferent and sionate devotion. When he read those apparently unconscious. passages in his mother's letters, speaking of the sacrifice which Katherine had made, and which devotion to him alone had prompted, he laughed bitterly; but when, as she grew bolder, Mrs. Prescott ventured to say, that Katherine could not disguise her anxiety to gain any atom of news about him, and that it was plain, to one that watched her narrowly, that her hope of happiness lay in the thought that some day he might forgive her, renew their shattered ties, and live over again those days of peace and joy, about which she never wearied of talking, Sir Stephen felt all his old feelings of hatred and bitterness come back. So, she was going to try and carry out her scheme, and he was to be lured back and cajoled into a marriage.

A complete change seemed to have been effected in their characters. In place of devoted, worshipping Stephen, and calm, calculating Katherine, he now was perfectly self-possessed, while she found herself racked and tossed about, at the mercy of the man who had formerly been her slave; watching for his presence, craving for his love, and guilty on his account of a thousand weaknesses, which she lacked the sense or the strength to conceal.

Money was now valueless in her eyes when compared with Stephen's love;the past glory or present decay of Pamphillon quite forgotten in straining after the goal she was at present putting forth all her energies to gain; and while the object of her solicitude was enjoying the fresh breezes and briny odors of Mallett, Katherine stayed with her aunt, indulging herself by listening to Mrs. Prescott's assurance that, in spite of his altered manner, Stephen's love was unimpaired.

He could fancy himself portrayed by the hands of his mother, how she would picture him heartbroken, wandering in a distant land, banished by a grief he could not overcome, reckless, mad; and so he had been once, but not now. "My In his home letters Sir Stephen had love is dead," he exclaimed joyfully, not thought fit to enter into much detail "dead for ever!" why then keep away? about his visit to Mallett. He had mereAh, why indeed? he would go back at ly told his mother that having found it once he would go home, meet Mrs. La- necessary to give his personal attention bouchere, and by treating her with the to several matters at Combe, he should unceremonious indifference relatives be detained there longer than he had anoften exercise towards each other, show ticipated. He felt sure, he said, that she her that not only was his love for her would be pleased with Mallett, and, as he dead, but that even the memory of it was should go there again in the summer, he forgotten. And truly, if he sought revenge hoped that he should induce her to acin the success of this plan, he secured it. company him. The scenery was wild and Katherine felt humbled to the dust. picturesque, the people very primitive, Nothing could have so completely over-and the air delicious and invigorating. A thrown her. Had he refused to meet postscript added that he had accepted an her, to speak to her, had he poured forth invitation to stay while there with his a torrent of reproach against her, she neighbour, Captain Carthew, to whose could have met it. But with this present house she wouldplease to forward his letmanner how could she act, what fault ters. could she find? She was not a woman to be easily cast down, but her heart sank at the blurred prospect before her.

Between this first meeting and the time when Sir Stephen paid the visit to

"Stephen knows that I will not go to Combe unless you go with me, Katherine," said Mrs. Prescott; "I wonder now, if this is a scheme of his to get us all down to some quiet retired spot." Poor Mrs. Prescott was so anxious for the ful

filment of her heart's desire that she ran every event into that groove.

"I don't suppose Stephen would wish you to ask me, aunt; and if you did, he would not care about my going."

"Now, that is not fair of you, Katie; you seem to expect that Stephen is to suddenly ignore the past, which is utterly impossible. When a great love has been shaken, it takes a long time before it can trust again. Do you think that if he did not like to see you, he would be always telling me to ask you here?"

Mrs. Labouchere restrained herself from giving utterance to the wish that he would object to see her, avoid her, do anything but ignore her.

"I am sure," added Mrs. Prescott, "I hardly ever receive a letter from him without constant mention of you; and that does not look like indifference."

Katherine sighed.

"He must find it very dull at this place," she said; "he does not speak of having met any one there."

"Oh, no! there is no society of any kind; it is a most out-of-the-way place. Your uncle had been there in his boyhood, and he used to speak of it as being most wild and un-get-at-able. The inhabitants in his day were a set of semibarbarous smugglers and wreckers. Of course things are changed for the better there as elsewhere; but I fancy it is still very far behind the rest of the world." "Combe is a very small estate?" asked Katherine.

"Quite, in comparison to Pamphillon. I hope Stephen will not be induced to lay out a lot of money on the place. It would be very foolish, for he could never live there."

"Ah! how valueless is money when one cannot do the good with it one longs to!" said Katherine sadly.

"I know what you mean, dear;" and Mrs. Prescott pressed her niece's hand tenderly; "but we must have patience. I fear Stephen's pride is a strong bar to his happiness; perhaps thrown, as he must be now entirely upon himself, he may see things in a very different light. Poor fellow, I wonder how he gets through his evenings?"

Very merrily, she would have said, could she have seen the despondent swain standing up with the Captain and Hero perfecting himself in the mysteries of a reel, which Alice played on the oldfashioned piano.

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A little faster, Alice," Hero would call out, her whole energies bent on

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My wig and feathers, child, I must take breath. You youngsters forget the amount of ballast I carry." Notwithstanding which the old man danced away as merrily as his pretty daughter.

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Alice, look round; he does it capitally; isn't it all right? Now you may sit down, Sir Stephen, and we'll release you. Alice dear, thank you; nobody plays the Fairy dance as you do. I'm longing for to-morrow evening, it will be such fun."

"Remember, you are to be my first partner," said Sir Stephen.

"I am not likely to forget that," returned Hero.

“Oh, I don't know; I daresay I shall have all the beaux of the place looking daggers at me for my presumption. Miss Carthew is sure to be surrounded by admirers, is she not, Miss Joslyn ?"

"Yes, indeed," replied Alice, "I'd advise you to secure her beforehand; for she is always engaged for every dance, and there is generally a contention about taking her home."

"Taking her home!"

"Yes," laughed Hero, "you know there is but one fly in all Mallett, so it is our fashion to walk home with our last partner and

"Now you have done for yourself," said Sir Stephen, "for I put in the first claim to the last dance. It is of no use your looking 'No' at me; you will have. to give up your pre-arranged tête-à-tête walk with

"Tell me his name," he whispered to Alice; but Alice shook her head, and Hero, with a pretty confusion, which betrayed itself in most becoming blushes, said, “I am sure I would rather go home with you than with any one who will be there to-morrow."

CHAPTER VIII.

SORRY TO GO.

"THE doings up to Combe" were over. Both parties had given the greatest satisfaction, and in each cottage and house about Mallett the entire conversation ran on the events which had taken place on the particular evening when those who spoke were present. Nothing could exceed Sir Stephen's popularity. He had been so attentive to everybody that, as Miss Batt truly remarked, each for the time felt the favoured one. Then it was

so nice of him to take Mrs. Randall down | ried his head as high as if he was the to supper. Of course, the Captain had Emperor o'Rooshia's son; and so he may told him about her father having been a be for anything I can gainsay, or anybody K.C.B. and the governor at the Cape; for else in Mallett, I take it." nobody knew better than the Captain what was proper - you might always trust to him.

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My dear," exclaimed Mrs. Jamieson to her deaf sister, Miss Kellow, "did you ever see such a magnificent supper?” "Splendid, and all from Dockmouth too; it must have cost a pretty penny." "That's what I like to see -the heart to do it, and the means to pay for it. How nice all the girls looked, to be sure! I don't believe there was one but Sir Stephen danced with. As I said to Captain White, I'd be bound for it, he didn't often see prettier faces than he met here."

Among the second batch opinions were equally favourable. Sir Stephen had led off the triumph with Mrs. Carne; joined in the reels, and made a most beautiful speech, the best part of which was, that he was coming again in the summer, and that then he should ask them all back again.

"Cap'en took good care nobody was passed over," said Hepzibah Bunce, who, uniting the trades of grocer and tobacconist, was generally sure to have several loungers in her little shop.

"Sir Stephen's still up to Sharrows, I s'pose?" said Wallis.

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Well, the talk was he was goin' a Friday, but he ain't gone yet, for he was in to Joe's this morning."

"Well, I'm glad to see he ain't in no hurry to be off. I'll wager he don't find better quarters." In which opinion perhaps Sir Stephen shared, for the festivities had been over now for four days past, and yet he lingered at Mallett.

He had, however, positively decided upon leaving the next morning. a decision he was somewhat ruefully contemplating, as he stood waiting for Hero to join him in a farewell stroll to Combe Point.

"I feel quite sorry to go," he thought, "I've taken such a fancy to the place, and as to old Carthew, I seem to have known him all my life; I never felt so at home in any house. My mother must like them; that girl has such pretty, unaffected ways, I'd defy any one to see her at home and not be charmed with her. What a nice wife she'll make! I don't see any one about this place for her to marry, though;" and here, giving a rather lugubrious sigh, his meditations seemed to come to an end, and he stood making thrusts in the direction of a clump of old as-sea-pinks, too sturdy to be easily dislodged. Suddenly a sound above made him look up. It was Hero, running down the steep path with the surefootedness of a goat.

"I say," she continued, "didn't Miss Hero look a reg'lar booty, all in white with a red rose in her hair."

The heads were nodded in general

sent.

"I reckon," said Ned Wallis, "her'd take the wind out the sails of some o' the taller-faced Londoners he sees. Coastguardsmen was asking o' me if he wasn't casting a eye that way."

"The very same struck me," said Hepzibah, "and a pretty pair they'd make too; folks do say, her's gived her company to that young Despard, but I for one hope

'tisn't so."

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"Take care! take care!" he called out, his admiration of her agility curbed by fear lest she should slip.

"Take care of what?"

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No, indeed; " and a quickening of his heart, as he looked at her, made him instinctively lower his voice, as he said, not quite knowing why he said it, "And will you promise that you will not forget me before I come again?

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"Come along, Alice," said Hero following him; but Alice shook her head," No, I am going to stay with the Captain," she answered, "I am too tired to mount that hill."

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"We shall only be a few minutes gone," said Sir Stephen, with a great increase of cheerfulness. "Now, you must let, me help you, Miss Carthew. Give me your hand." But Hero did not stir.

"Nonsense, Alice," she said, "you are not so tired as all that. Come along, I shall not go unless you go," and she made as if she would step down to the beach again.

Forget you, Sir Stephen!" and Hero opened wide her eyes in astonishment, "you don't know what an event your com- "Hero! Miss Carthew," Sir Stephen ing has been to us all; we shall do noth- whispered, "remember it is my last evening but talk of it until you come back ing. Why cannot you come with me?" again." She did not answer. "Alice," she re"Then you will think of me some-peated, with a look, which made Alice very times?" reluctantly prepare to accompany them. Sir Stephen of course could say nothing, but he felt unreasonably angry. Un"To hear you," she answered, not look-til Alice proposed staying behind, the idea ing up from the imaginary picture she was drawing with a bit of cast-up stick on the sand, one would fancy that I had heaps of things to take my attention. Why, I shall think of you fifty times more than you will think of - Mallett."

How she wished that her father and Alice would make haste!

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"Say, of me," and he bent down towards her.

"Mallett and me mean the same." "No, I am afraid not; Mallett is mine already, you know, but

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"Dear me, what a time they are in coming! exclaimed Hero, suddenly springing up on the nearest stone; "I think I hear them," she continued hurriedly. "Papa! Alice! come," she called, as Captain Carthew and Alice appeared leisurely strolling down together. "It will be nightfall before we get to the Point."

“I wonder what on earth made her do that!" thought Sir Stephen. "By Jove, I believe my head was gone. What odd beings women are! I wonder if she had any idea what I was going to say."

Hero gave him no further chance for a tête-à-tête. She so managed it, that they all four walked side by side until they reached the Point, where Sir Stephen proposed they should scramble up to the old bullace-tree.

"Yes, do," said the Captain. "I'll stop below, and give the signal of recall; but remember there's no keeping the tide waiting."

"Come, Miss Carthew," said Sir Stephen, as he jumped upon the flat slippery rocks.

of going alone with Hero had not presented itself; but directly it did, and was frustrated, it seemed to him the thing he most desired and cared for. It was in vain he tried to conceal his vexation; a cloud seemed to have settled upon them, and it was not long before they rejoined the Captain. During the walk back Sir Stephen remained unusually silent. He had never felt a more irresistible desire to quarrel with any one, than he did with Hero, in whose direction he never once looked, although she cast several furtive glances towards him. "I almost wish I had gone,” she thought. "If he only knew about Leo, I would not mind; but we won't keep it secret any longer, I would rather now that every one knew. I can see that he is vexed with me." By the time they reached the house, even the Captain began to feel the chill which had fallen upon them. "It's turned quite cold," he said, "I hope Betsey has had an eye to the fire while we have been gone."

Hero ran out to the wood-basket, and returned with a couple of fir cones, which she threw on the fire; then turning round, she found Sir Stephen close by her the others were not in the room.

"It will soon blaze up," she stammered, all her self-consciousness returning; "I'll go and take off my hat, I think," but Sir Stephen did not move, he only stood looking at her reproachfully. "Let me pass," she said, with a little nervous laugh. "No, I won't let you pass," and he laid his hand detainingly upon her arm; "you shall stay here now, and "- but the Captain

was already in the room, exclaiming, However, that don't go for nothin' agen "Halloo! why we're all one colour here! Sir Stephen, for he ain't his man, and his Come, Hero, let's have a light on the sub-man ain't he, or else I shouldn't hope and ject." But Hero had flown, and Sir Stephen began stirring the fire so vigorously, that the Captain said, "What, are you cold, too? I thought there was a change, somehow."

CHAPTER IX.

LEO DESPARD.

"I CANNOT bear saying Good-bye," said Hero.

"I am so sorry he is gone," said Alice, as the carriage which was to convey Sir Stephen to the station, finally turned into Ferry-bridge Lane, and was hidden by Parson's Hill. Captain Carthew had gone to Dockmouth with his friend, so the two girls returned alone to the house, by the gate of which, mounted on the hedge, they found Betsey, whose regard Sir Stephen had completely gained.

"Well, you've seed the last of 'im," she said discontentedly: "I run up here to catch sight of 'em rounding Ferry-bridge, but you might so well look for a needle in a bundle o' hay as hope to see anything for they Norris's clothes; they'm always washin' when any sight's going on." "Ain't you sorry he's gone, Betsey?" asked Alice.

"Well, I be; and that's the truth," said Betsey, descending from her post of interrupted observation; "for he's one whose face I'd rather see than his back any day, though I can't say so much for that Jackanapes he brought to tend on 'im," meaning his man, whose contempt of Mallett and its inhabitants had given considerable offence. "Mrs. Tucker'll shake off the dust as comes from his feet with a light heart, anyhow," continued Betsey, "poor miserable toad, with his brass and his brag, as if anybody couldn't see the lies runnin' out of 'im like ile."

"Come, Betsey," said Hero, "I didn't notice so very much amiss with him."

"I dessay not; he was mealy-mouthed enuf before his betters, but his stomachky ways in the kitchen was past bidin'. I only wish I could ha' got'n to chapel with me; wouldn't he ha' had a slap in the face from Mr. Pethwick to the text of 'All flesh is grass.' He did just speak his mind to a few who needed it, and no mistake; but la! no, my lord must go to church like the gentry. I don't hold with chapels and meetin's,' he says. 'No,' says I, they tell'ee the truth there, and that dont suit your complaint, maister.'

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trust, as I do, that he'll come and live here altogether. This mornin', when he come to wish me Good-bye, he says, 'Betsey,' says he, 'what w'd you say if I was to come to Combe to live?' Say! sir,' I says, 'why that you'd cut yer wisdom teeth at last; for I'm sure nobody, unless they was mazed, would live up to London, I reckon.'

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Why not?" asked Alice.

Why not?" said Betsey, "well, you just hear what Sarah Jane Mudge says of it; why, there ain't a bit o' butter that's fit to eat and as for the milk, 'tis chalk and mess made up together; they don't know the meanin' o' wholesome victuals. Why, when Sarah Jane asked for a tough cake, the baker busted out laughin', and told her she was welcome to take her choice from they in the window; as for pilchards and hakes they'd never heerd tell of 'em. Londoners, indeed! I shan't ever think much o' they after what Sarah Jane's told, and this poor ha'porth o' cheese we've seed. That minds me I'll pot down a hundred or so o' pilchards and some butter, and get maister to send it to Sir Stephen; I'll wager he'll be half starved when he gets back."

"I wish he would come and live here altogether," said Alice, as soon as Betsey had left them. "Do you like him, Hero?" she asked.

"Yes, very much. Why do you want to know?"

"Because I am very sure he likes you very much indeed. Hero, I believe he has fallen in love with you.”

"Alice! you always think that of every body. Sir Stephen is not likely to give me a thought, and if he did, it would be of no use, you know that.”

"Then you have quite made up your mind to accept Leo?" said Alice sadly.

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Quite made up my mind!" repeated Hero. "Why, Alice, you surely have forgotten him. I never have seen any one with whom I could compare Leo."

"I know he is very handsome and nice," said Alice, with a sigh; "but oh, Hero! he is not half as nice as you are; everybody says so."

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Then I am very angry with everybody, and as for you, if you were not so weak, you horrid little thing, I'd shake you until I made you confess that the very handsomest, sweetest, most lovable man you ever saw is Leopold Despard; and when I am his wife, I shall think myself the

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