make my own way at once.'

in the world; and so I must needs set about it

Like all discussion in which the affections mingle, the arguments were various and discursive; but Nelly maintained her point it was settled that she was to go to town, and, residing, if possible, at the old lodgings in Gower Street, to there pursue her studies. She wrote that day to the proprietor of the Fine Arts establishment at Richmond, who had been her earliest patron, to inquire about some drawing-master whose charges should be within her slender means. As a supplement to his teaching, it was her purpose to attend the classes at South Kensington.

Having got over the first and worst difficulty-that of wrenching herself from her generous friends-Nelly felt somewhat more composed in mind; but the need of solitude after so much mental struggle was imperative. For the second time that day she took a walk alone. On this occasion she went inland, as being the less likely route on which to meet people, and especially Mr. Milburn ; she chose a footpath through the fields that led to the high downland above the village, and on the down she walked for miles with untiring feet, in a clear wind that blew the sea-gulls about the skies, and the weariness and worry out of her brain. In youth nature will do this for us, though in old age the sunshine and the breeze fall but as rain upon a stony soil.

On her way down she saw a female figure coming up the path; by the daintiness with which she crossed the stiles and picked her way she knew it was Miss Milburn, and would gladly have avoided the rencontre. There was a little wood between them, through which were two paths, one direct and the other leading to a small farm, and so by a circuit to the same point of egress. Nelly took the longer route, calculating that this lady would take the other, but when she emerged there was her friend seated on the stile, and dinting the soft ground with the point of her parasol.

'My dear Miss Conway, I am so glad to have found you,' cried she, with enthusiasm. Indeed, I came out on purpose. I felt that I could never have sat down to dinner, or have met you in any cold or formal way, as usual, without expressing to you what I felt without telling you how admirably, how nobly, you have behaved!'

I am glad to hear I have earned your good opinion, Miss Milburn,' said Nelly coldly; but I am at a loss to know what I have done to deserve it.'

'Well, it is not what you have done, so much as what you have not done: not one girl in a thousand, in your position, would have resisted such a temptation. To see the incongruity of things, and

VOL. XXXV. NO. CXXXVII.

I

114

the impropriety of any line of conduct in the presence of a great advantage, is given to so very few people.'

'You speak in riddles,' answered Nelly: her tones were ice; her face was stone.

'Ah, there again you are so judicious; you are quite right to keep dear Herbert's secret as though it were your own: only, as it happens, he has told me everything.'

'Everything!' repeated Nelly slowly. He surely, surely, could never have told this woman that sacred secret which she had hidden from every eye but his, and only revealed to him in merciful kindness.

'Oh, yes; how you refused him, though he actually offered to make you mistress of the old Hall. It was a most imprudent impulse, but, there! you had the good sense to see it in its right light. Most fortunately-as I told him-you were a girl of independent spirit, and who understood the fitness of things. He will understand it himself if he has time for thought, and is let alone. Then, what a comfort it will be to you to reflect that you acted as you have done. My dear Miss Conway, it may seem a liberty, but if you knew how gratified I feel for your conduct to dear Herbert -might I kiss you?"

I really don't see any reason why you should,' said Nelly, drawing herself back from the threatened embrace.

'Well, at all events you may count upon me to be your friend for life.'

'You are very good, but I am afraid there will be few opportunities of our meeting in future. Our ways will lie far apart. It will be my lot to earn my own living-if, indeed, I am able to succeed in that while you

'One moment!' interrupted Miss Milburn sprightlily: never mind about me, for I'm nobody in this matter: I am only thinking of dear Herbert. You have often talked, you know, about earning your own living, but in the mean time you continue to remain here with Mr. and Mrs. Wardlaw.'

'Well?'

What I was about to say is a little embarrassing, my dear Miss Conway,' continued the other, and it must be confessed by no means in her usual style, which was florid and flowing. Indeed, if I was not certain that your good sense would insure its being taken as it is intended, as a friend's advice, I could hardly mention it: but the fact is, so long as you remain at Sandy beach, there will be still danger.'

'To whom?'

'Well, really you are quite abrupt: I mean, of course, to dear

you

Herbert. You have behaved admirably, and, as it were, saved him from himself: but he is not yet-ahem-well-' she looked towards the coppice and found a metaphor-out of the wood. It is possible he may himself fly from temptation: I recommended that course to him very strongly, but then men are so weak. What I wish to ask -and I know it is a great favour-would you mind going away?' As it happens, Miss Milburn,' said Nelly quietly, I am going away to-morrow or the next day at latest. I am bound to say, however, that, if it had not been so, your request would not have moved me. I think it officious, I think it impertinent, and to the last degree unbecoming in-I will not say a lady--but any woman.' Nelly's blood was fairly up; she mounted the stile with a vigour that rather alarmed her late companion, who made room for her with great alacrity, and hurried home.

It was very well that she was going; that she had thoroughly made up her mind to leave Sandy beach, and informed others of it, or she felt as though she must have stayed, in defiance of that insolent request.

However, there was one good thing about it; it had reminded her, in a manner not easily to be forgotten, of her own position in the world, of the humility of which, at times, she had perhaps been in danger of losing sight. It was high time that she should begin life upon a genuine basis.

On the day after the morrow she would receive a definite answer from the lodging-house keeper; indeed, such had been her haste to escape from Sandybeach, that she had begged her to telegraph in case of the house being full, so that she might lose no time in applying elsewhere. How much better it would have been could she have fled at once, that very morning, and so escaped the unmannerly and insulting advice of Catherine Milburn!

As it happened, that lady might, after all, have spared herself the trouble-and perhaps even the pain-of making herself so disagreeable, for when she got home to the hotel she found her brother had in her absence quitted it for London. He had confided to her the fact of his rejection, simply to account for his departure, which he had intended to take in her company, but the manner in which she had received his news was so offensive to him (though she was quite unconscious of it) that he had felt her society to be for the present insupportable. He left word that she should join him in town, whither business had suddenly summoned him, so soon as she heard from him again.

'How very, very weak he is!' was his sister's reflection. He evidently dare not trust himself near the girl, for fear he should make a fool of himself a second time, and not so easily escape.