"What's the row?" said Law.

"Who was there? I thought it was always the same old lot."

"And so it is generally the same old lot. We don't vary; but when pretty girls like Lottie say their prayers regularly, heaven sends somebody to hear them. Oh, yes; there is always somebody sent to hear them. But you are quite right to allow nothing to be said about it, my child," said the captain; "not a word, on the honor of a gentleman. Your feelings shall be respected. But it may be a comfort to you, my love, to feel that whatever happens your father is behind you, Lottie - knows and approves. My dear, I say no more."

sofa, a suggestion of warmth and comfort | impatience. What did he mean? It had in contradistinction to storms and chills not occurred to her to connect Rollo with outside, as in the opium-eater's picture of the anthem, but she perceived by the look his cottage, to carry out the ideal-cir- on her father's face that something which cumstances altogether wanting to the tea would be displeasing to her was in his of the Despards, which was eaten (passez-mind. moi le mot, for is it not the bread and butter that makes the meal?) in the warmest hour of an August afternoon. The window indeed was open, and the Dean's Walk, by which the townspeople were coming and going in considerable numbers, as they always did on Sunday, was visible with its gay groups, and the prospect out side was more agreeable than the meal within. Mrs. O'Shaughnessy, next door, had loosed her cap-strings, and fanned herself at intervals as she sipped her tea. "It's hot, but sure it cools you after," she was saying to her major. The Despards, however, were not fat, and did not show the heat like their neighbors. Law sat at the table and pegged away resolutely at his bread and butter, having nothing to take his mind off his food, and no very exciting prospect of supper to sustain him. But the captain took his tea daintily, as one who had heard of a roast fowl and sausages to be ready by nine o'clock, and was therefore more or less indifferent to the bread and butter. He patted Lottie on the shoulder as she gave him his tea.

"My child," he said, "I was wrong the other day. It is not every man that would own it so frankly; but I have always been a candid man, though it has damaged me often. When I am in the wrong I am bound to confess it. Take my hand, Lottie, my love. I made a mistake."

Lottie looked at him surprised. He had taken her hand and held it, shaking it, half playfully, in his own.

"My love," he said, "you are not so candid as your poor father. You will get on all the better in the world. I withdraw everything I said, Lottie. All is going well, all is for the best. I make no doubt you can manage your own affairs a great deal better than I."

"What is it you mean, papa?"

"We will say no more, my child. I give you free command over yourself. That was a fine anthem this afternoon, and I have no doubt those were well repaid who came from a distance to hear it. Don't you think so, Lottie? Many people come from a great distance to hear the service in the Abbey, and no doubt the signor made it known that there was to be such a good anthem to-day."

Lottie did not make any reply. She looked at him with mingled wonder and

"By Jove! What is it?" cried Law.

"It is nothing to you," said his father; "but look here, Law. See that you don't go out all over the place and leave your sister by herself, without any one to take care of her. My engagements I can't always give up, but don't let me hear that there's nobody to walk across the road with Lottie when she's asked out."

"Oh, that's it, is it?" said Law. "I thought they'd had enough of you at the Deanery, Lottie. That's going to begin again, then, I suppose ?"

"I am not invited to the Deanery," said Lottie, with as much state and solemnity as she could summon up, though she trembled; "neither is it going to begin again. There is no occasion for troubling Law or you either. I always have taken care of myself hitherto, and I suppose I shall do it till the end."

"You need not get on your high horse, my child," said Captain Despard blandly. "Don't suppose that I will interfere; but it will be a consolation to you to remember that your father is watching over you, and that his heart goes with you," he added, with an unctuous roll in his voice. He laid his hand for a moment on her head, and said, "Bless you, my love," before he turned away. The captain's emotion was great; it almost brought the tears to his manly eyes.

"What is the row?" said Law, when his father had gone. Law's attention had been fully occupied during the service with his own affairs, and he did not know of the reappearance of Rollo. would think he was going to cry over you,

"One

Lottie. What have you done? - Engage- tion. He could not give up meeting Emments! he has always got some engage- ma in order to take his sister for a walk, ment or other. I never knew a fellow though, indeed, this idea actually did with such a lot of friends I shouldn't wonder if he was going to sup somewhere to-night. I wonder what they can see in him," said Law with a sigh.

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Law, are you going out too?"

Oh, I suppose so; there is nothing to do in the house. What do you suppose a fellow can do? Reading is slow work; and, besides, it's Sunday, and it's wrong to work on Sunday. I shall go out and look round a bit, and see if I can see any one I know."

"Do you ever think, I wonder," said Lottie"papa and you that if it is so dull for you in the house, it must sometimes be a little dull for me?"

She was not in the habit of making such appeals, but to-night there was courage and a sense of emancipation in her which made her strong.

"You? Oh, well, I don't know-you are a girl," said Law, "and girls are used to it. I don't know what you would do if you wanted to have a little fun, eh? I dare say you don't know yourself. Yes, I shouldn't wonder if it was dull; but what can any one do? It's nature, I suppose," said Law; "there isn't any fun for girls as there is for us. Well, is there? How should I know?"

But there was "fun" for Emma and her sisters of the workroom, Law reminded himself with a compunction. "I'll tell you what, Lottie," he said hastily; "you must do just as other girls do. You must get some one to walk with you, and talk, and all that, you know. There's nothing else to be done; and you might have plenty. There's that singing fellow, that young Purcell; they say he's in love with you. Well, he's better than nobody; and you could give him the sack as soon as you saw somebody you liked better. I thought at one time that Ridsdale

"I think, Law," said Lottie, "you had better go out for your walk."

glance across his mind as a rueful possibility. No, he could not go; he had promised Emma to meet her in the woods, and he must keep his word. But he was very sorry for Lottie. What a pity she had not some one of her own - Purcell, if nobody better! and then, when the right one came, she might throw him off. But Law did not dare to repeat his advice to this effect. He went and looked at her remorsefully. Lottie had seated herself up-stairs in the little drawing-room; she was leaning her elbow on the ledge of the little deep window, and her head upon her hand. The attitude was pensive; and Law could not help thinking that to be a girl, and sit there all alone looking out of a window instead of roaming about as he did, would be something very terrible. The contrast chilled him and made him momentarily ashamed of himself. But then he reflected that there were a great many people passing up and down, and that he had often heard people say it was amusing to sit at window. Very likely Lottie thought so; probably, on the whole, she liked that better than going out. This must be the case, he persuaded himself, or else she would have been sure to manage to get some companion; therefore he said nothing to her, but went down-stairs very quietly and let himself out softly, not making any noise with the door. Law had a very pleasant walk with Emma under the trees, and enjoyed himself; but occasionally there would pass a shadow over him as he thought of Lottie sitting at the window in the little still house all alone.

But indeed, for that evening at least, Lottie was not much to be pitied. She had her dreams to fall back upon. She had what is absolutely necessary to hap piness not only something to look back to, but something to look forward to. That is the true secret of bliss-someHe laughed. He was half pleased to thing that is coming. With that to suphave roused and vexed her, yet half sorry port us, can we not bear anything? After too. Poor Lottie! Now that she was a while, no doubt, Lottie felt, as she had abandoned by her grand admirer and all often felt before, that it was dull. There her fine friends, it must be dull for her, was not a sound in the little house; everystaying in the house by herself; but then body was out except herself; and it was what could he do, or any one? It was Sunday, and she could not get her needlenature. Nature, perhaps, might be to work to occupy her hands and help on her blame for not providing "fun" for girls, thoughts. As the brightness waned slowbut it was not for Law to set nature right. ly away, and the softness of the evening When he had got his hat, however, and lights and then the dimness of the apbrushed his hair before going out, he came proaching dark stole on, Lottie had a back and looked at Lottie with a compunc-great longing to get out of doors; but she

"Yes," said Lottie; "but I have been sitting indoors all the afternoon, and got tired of it at last. I did not like to come out all by myself; but I thought no one would see me now."

could not go and leave the house, for even | in a corner under a tree, and she did not the maid was out, having her Sunday walk see this wayfarer, who was behind her; with her young man. It was astonishing and the reader knows that she did not how many girls had gone wandering past sigh for sorrow, but only to relieve a the window, each with her young man. bosom which was very full of fanciful anNot much wonder, perhaps, that Law had ticipations, hopes, and dreams. It was suggested this sole way of a little "fun" not likely, however, that Mr. Ashford for a girl. Poor Law! he did not know would know that. He too, was taking his any better; he did not mean any harm. evening walk; and when he heard the She laughed now at the suggestion which sigh in which so many tender and delihad made her angry at the time, for to- cious fancies exhaled into the air, he night Lottie could afford to laugh. But thought-who could wonder?- that it when she heard the maidservant come in, was somebody in trouble; and drawing a Lottie, wearied with her long vigil, and little nearer to see if he could help, as was longing for a breath of cool air after the the nature of the man, found to his great confinement of the house, agreed with her- surprise as she, too, startled, turned self that there would be no harm in taking round her face upon him- that it was one little turn upon the slopes. The towns- Lottie Despard who was occupying the people had mostly gone. Now and then seat which was his favorite seat also. a couple of the old chevaliers would come They both said "I beg your pardon," sistrolling homeward, having taken a longer multaneously, though it would be hard to walk, in the calm of the Sunday evening, tell why. than their usual turn on the slopes. Cap- "I think I have seen you here before," tain Temple and his wife had gone by he said. "You like this time of the evenarm-in-arm; perhaps they had been down ing, Miss Despard, like myself— and this to the evening service in the town, per-view." haps only out for a walk like everybody else. Gradually the strangers were disappearing; the people that belonged to the precincts were now almost the only people about, and there was no harm in taking a little walk alone; but it was not a "Surely you may come here in all safety thing Lottie cared much to do. With a by yourself." The minor canon had too legitimate errand she would go anywhere; much good breeding to suggest any need but for a walk! The girl was shy, and of a companion, or any pity for the girl full of all those natural conventional reluc- left alone. Then he said suddenly, “This tances which cannot be got out of women; is an admirable chance for me. The first but she could not stay in any longer. She time we met, Miss Despard, you mentioned went out with a little blue shawl folded something about which you wished to like a scarf-as was the fashion of the consult me time over her shoulders, and flitted "Ah!" cried quickly along the Dean's Walk to the of her dreams. slopes. All was sweet in the soft dark-consult him, and ness and in the evening dews, the grass be neglected. "It was about Law, Mr. moist, the trees or the sky sometimes dis- Ashford. Law his name is Lawrence, tilling a palpable dewdrop, the air coming you know, my brother; he is a great boy, softly over all those miles of country to almost a man- more than eighteen. But touch with the tenderest salutation Lottie's I am afraid he is very backward. I want cheek. She looked out upon the little him so very much to stand his examinatown nestling at the foot of the hill with all tion. It seems that nothing nothingits twinkling lights, and upon the stars that can be done, without that now." shone over the long glimmer of the river, which showed here and there through all the valley, pale openings of light in the dark country. How sweet and still it was! The openness of the horizon, the distance, was the thing that did Lottie good. She cast her eyes to the very farthest limit of the world that lay within her sight, and drew a long breath. Perhaps it was this that caught the attention of some one who was passing. Lottie had seated herself

Lottie, coming back out Yes, she had wanted to the opportunity must not

--

"His examination for what?"

"Oh, Mr. Ashford," said Lottie, "for anything! I don't mind what it is. I thought, perhaps, if you would take him it would make him see the good of working. We are — poor; I need not make any fuss about saying that; here we are all poor; and if I could but see Law in an office earning his living, I think," cried Lottie, with the solemnity of a martyr, "I think I should not care what happened. That was all. I

-a

wanted him to come to you, that you might | pupil. I am afraid he is very backward. tell us what he would be fit for." If I were to tell you what he is doing you might know. He is reading Virgil. book about as big as himself," she said, with a little laugh, that was very near crying. "Won't you sit down here?"

"He would make a good soldier," said Mr. Ashford, smiling; "though there is an examination for that too."

"There are examinations for everything, I think," said Lottie, shaking her head mournfully; "that is the dreadful thing; and you see, Mr. Ashford, we are poor. He has not a penny, he must work for his living, and how is he to get started? That is what I am always saying. But what is the use of speaking? You know what boys are. Perhaps if I had been able to insist upon it years ago—but then I was very young too. I had no sense, any more than Law."

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'Virgil is precisely the book my other pupil is doing," said Mr. Ashford, laughing too, very tenderly, at her small joke, poor child! while she made room for him anxiously on the bench. There they sat together for a minute in silence, all alone, as it might be, in the world, nothing but darkness round them, faint streaks of light upon the horizon, distant twinkles of stars above and homely lamps below. The man's heart softened strangely within him The minor canon was greatly touched. | over this creature, who for all the pleasure The evening dew got into his eyes - he she had came out here, and apologized stood by her in the soft summer darkness, to him for coming alone. She who, negwondering. He was a great deal older lected by everybody, had it in her to push than Lottie-old enough to be her father, forward the big lout of a brother into he said to himself; but he had no one to worthy life, putting all her delicate give him this keen, impatient anxiety, this strength to that labor of Hercules - he insight into what boys are. felt himself getting quite foolish, moved beyond all his experiences of emotion, as, at her eager invitation, he sat down there by her side.

"Was there no one but you to insist upon it?" he said, in spite of himself.

Well," said Lottie meditatively, "Do gentleman - generally — take much trouble about what boys are doing? I suppose they have got other things to think of." "You have not much opinion of men, Miss Despard," said the minor canon, with a half laugh.

"Oh, indeed I have!" cried Lottie; "why do you say that? I was not think ing about men- - but only And then boys themselves, Mr. Ashford; you know what they are. Oh! I think sometimes if I could put some of me into him. But you can't do that. You may talk, and you may coax, and you may scold, and try every way - but what does it matter? If a boy won't do anything, what is to be done with him? That is why I wanted so much, so very much, to bring him to you."

one to

"Miss Despard," said the minor canon, "you may trust me that if there is anything I can do for him I will do it. As it happens, I am precisely in want of some to do the same work as another pupil I have. That would be no additional trouble to me, and would not cost anything. Don't you see? Let him come to me to-morrow and begin."

"Oh, Mr. Ashford," said Lottie, "I knew by your face you were kind-but how very, very good you are! But then," she added sorrowfully, "most likely he could not do the same work as your other

And as he did so, other voices and steps became audible among the trees, of somebody coming that way. Lottie had turned to him, and was about to say something, when the sound of the approaching voices reached them. He could see her start - then draw herself erect, close into the corner of the bench. The voices were loudly pitched, and attempted no concealment.

"La, captain, how dark it is! Let's go home; mother will be looking for us," said one.

"My dear Polly," said the other and though Mr. Ashford did not know Captain Despard, he divined the whole story in a moment as the pair brushed past armin-arm "my dear Polly, your home will be very close at hand next time I bring you here."

Lottie said nothing- her heart jumped up into her throat, beating so violently that she could not speak. And to the minor canon the whole family story seemed to roll out like the veiled landscape before him as he looked compassionately at the girl sitting speechless by his side, while. her father and his companion, all unconscious in the darkness, brushed against her, sitting there unseen under the shadowy trees.