hand, and grasped that of Julian Peveril; but there was such a look of mourning in his welcome, that whatever delight the youth anticipated, spending so long a time in the neighbourhood of Alice Bridgenorth, perhaps in her society, or however strongly he felt the prudence of conciliating her father's good will, he could not help feeling as if his heart was chilled in his company.

CHAPTER II.

This day at least is friendship's-on the morrow

Let strife come an she will.

OTWAY.

DEBORAH DEBBITCH, summoned by her master, now made her appearance, with her handkerchief at her eyes, and an appearance of great mental trouble. "It was not my fault, Major Bridgenorth," she said; "how could I help it? like will to like-the boy would come-the girl would see him."

"Peace, foolish woman," said Bridgenorth, ❝and hear what I have got to say."

"I know what your honour has to say well enough," said Deborah. "Service, I wot, is no inheritance now-a-days-some are wiser than other some--if I had not been wheedled away

from Martindale, I might have had a house of mine own by this time."

"Peace, idiot!" said Bridgenorth; but so intent was Deborah on her vindication, that he could but thrust the interjection, as it were edgeways, between her exclamations, which followed as thick as is usual in cases, where folks endeavour to avert deserved censure by a clamorous justification ere the charge be brought.

"No wonder she was cheated," she said, "out of sight of her own interest, when it was to wait on pretty Miss Alice. All your honour's gold should never have tempted me, but that I knew she was but a dead cast-away, poor innocent, if she were taken away from my lady or me.-And so this is the end on't !-up early, and down late-and this is all my thanks!-but your honour had better take care what you do she has the short cough yet sometimes-and should take physic, spring and fall."

"Peace, chattering fool !" said her master, so soon as her failing breath gave him an opportunity to strike in, thinkest thou I knew not of

this young gentleman's visits to the Black-Fort, and that if they had displeased me, I would not have known how to stop them ?”

"Did I know that your honour knew of his visits!" exclaimed Deborah, in a triumphant tone,-for, like most of her condition, she never sought farther for her defence than a lie, however inconsistent and improbable" Did I know that your honour knew of it ?-Why, how should I have permitted his visits else? I wonder what your honour takes me for! Had I not been sure it was the thing in this world that your honour most desired, would I have presumed to lend it a hand forward? I trust I know my duty better. Hear if I ever asked another youngster into the house, save himself for I knew your honour was wise, and quarrels cannot last for ever, and love begins where hatred ends; and, to be sure, they look as if they were born one for the other -and then, the estates of Moultrassie and Martindale suit each other like sheath and knife."

"Parrot of a woman, hold your tongue!" said Bridgenorth, his patience almost completely ex

hausted; " or if you will

prate,

let it be to your

play-fellows in the kitchen, and bid them get us some dinner presently, for Master Peveril is far from home."

"That I will, and with all my heart," said Deborah; " and if there are a pair of fatter fowls in Man than shall clap their wings on the table presently, your honour shall call me goose as well as parrot." She then left the apartment.

"It is to such a woman as that," said Bridgenorth, looking after her significantly, "that you conceived me to have abandoned the charge of my only child? But enough of this subject-we will walk abroad, if you will, while she is engaged in a province fitter for her understanding."

So saying, he left the house, accompanied by Julian Peveril, and they were soon walking side by side, as if they had been old acquaintances.

It may have happened to many of our readers, as it has done to ourselves, to be thrown by accident into society with some individual whose claims to what is called a serious character stand considerably higher than our own, and with