"I must detain you a moment. Do you remember the night on which Lady Geraldine Trevor died, and all that passed between you and Arundel Raby in the oak parlour at midnight? Ah! I see you have a good memory. I happened, no matter by what chance, to be concealed in that `room, and saw and heard all. If need were, I can swear to the cajoling arts I saw you practise to rouse the passions of a young man then on the eve of recovery from a fit of insanity. I can swear that you have by these arts obtained such influence over him, as to prevent his ever being a free agent where you are concerned, I certainly cannot swear to the connexion which exists between you and Mr. Raby during the seasons of his illness, but I heard enough that night to imagine it. His physician and his personal attendants are all friends of yours; and they know very well to what they lend themselves. Are you satisfied, Miss Hastings, that you do not deceive me?"

She turned slowly towards him, and spoke these words: "I am satisfied now that my instinct to distrust—to hate you was a right instinct. You are a bad man! You believe only in evil."

"We will not dispute about words. I am a clear-sighted man: when I find it suits my purpose, I am a plain-spoken man. Hear me further."

Sir, I have long been aware of all that is in your power against my unfortunate friend. Of the depth of your ill-will towards myself you have now informed me fully. It will in nowise alter my conduct. Your menaces cannot affect the connexion which subsists between your nephew and myself. We know you! Lord Carleton does not suspect how much it is to your interest to disturb his domestic peace. Nay, nay! you shall hear me now. If Lord Carleton and his brother die without children, you are the nearest heir to the Carleton estates. But the breach you effected between Frank and Alice the day before their marriage has been repaired since I came to town. She will, I trust, be a happy mother this summer! -ere she dies, the mother of many children. From out their number an heir to North Ashurst may be selected. You know

that Arundel can leave his property to whomsoever he chooses, provided his nearest kin testify that he is of sound mind when he makes his will. Rest assured that he will not wait until you are his nearest kin to adopt an heir. He cares too much for the welfare of North Ashurst to leave you any chance of becoming master there. I think it best to deal with you as I deal with every one else-directly and truthfully. Henceforth I am prepared for calumny from you; and you are prepared for an endeavour on my part to open Lord Carleton's eyes as to the real character of your advice to him on all family matters."

"Miss Hastings!" he exclaimed, furiously, "you go too far. You, a poor dependent on the Raby family-a woman who has lost character by her disregard of all decorum-whose own family are ashamed of her undisguised connexion with a young nobleman who is scarcely a responsible person,—you, to presume to threaten me! Beware that I do not disturb the security of your residence at Carleton. I have only to open the eyes of Lord and Lady Carleton to the improper-the immoral-nature of your attachment to Mr. Raby. He is not to blame, poor afflicted creature!"

"Try your worst, Mr. Morton. I abide the result."

With these words Margaret left the room. Mr. Morton was enraged to find that his antagonist was of so brave a spirit. He had expected to frighten her by threatening the security of her position in the Carleton household, if he revealed what he had overheard on the night of Lady Geraldine's death. He had not the remotest conception that her love was, in any respect, different from the love of ordinary women for ordinary men. A passion which contented itself with warming the inner life, and, upon principle, abstained from giving the senses the least dominion-this was a love he would have laughed at as the silliest Platonism. In the case of Margaret and Arundel, by circumstances thrown into daily communion of the most intimate nature, he did not believe that any such Platonism could exist. He did not believe it then; he laughed at those who endeavoured afterwards to

convince him that Arundel had resolved to be childless, because he thought it wrong to risk the continuance of a race liable to the curse of his disease. Therefore it is no wonder that when Arundel adopted a nephew of my aunt's, Mr. Morton declared openly his conviction (for it was his conviction) that the child was his own son by his designing mistress and nurse -Margaret Hastings.

After Margaret's conversation with Mr. Morton, she felt the necessity of doing something to frustrate his designs against her. Margaret was constitutionally brave; her courage rose with the occasion. It is true she shed " some natural tears" after the little scene with Mr. Morton; women are wont to do so after strong excitement, whether painful or pleasurable; but she wiped them soon, and sat down in her own apartment to reflect on her exact position, and to decide on what was necessary to be done. After a quarter of an hour she rang for her little maid, entrusted her with a note, and bade her watch for Lord Carleton's return, and not allow him to go away again until she had delivered the note into his hands. She then dressed herself, and was prepared to go out with her ladyship, who had many farewell calls to pay; her resolution to retire to Carleton Castle on the morrow remaining fixed. Margaret determined not to think of all that concerned herself any more while she was in London; but gave herself up entirely to the bustle and excitement of Lady Carleton's life during that day and night. In the meantime, her note to Lord Carleton had done some good. It ran as follows:

"MY DEAR LORD CARLETON,-You are perhaps aware that my connexion with your family exposes me to ill-will and to misinterpretation. I am now, as always, disposed to brave both in the maintenance of that connexion, provided you and your lady are prepared to give me your countenance against calumnious attacks. Mr. Morton will try to make you believe that I am not what you suppose me to be. Will you suspend your judgment in this matter until your brother's return?

He can satisfy you as to the truth of anything Mr. Morton tell you about “Your old friend,

may

After reading this note, Lord Carleton made up his mind to refuse credence to anything Mr. Morton might advance against Miss Hastings without substantial proof. And it was well for her he did so, for Mr. Morton dined with him at the club that day, in order to discuss some business connected with the Carleton property; and when that was finished, he opened his battery of slander against Margaret. Lord Carleton listened till it was exhausted, and then told Mr. Morton that he was sorry that he had formed so false an estimate of Miss Hastings' character. "I have known her from childhood, and she is incapable of any one of the vices you attribute to her."

Late in the evening of the next day Margaret Hastings was walking to and fro on the terrace at Carleton Castle with its lord and lady. She lingered behind that she might be no impediment to their low talk, many sweet tones of which, however, she could not avoid catching. They harmonised with her own thoughts. Lord Carleton was of opinion that Arundel would not be away more than three months. "I can bear that easily," she said to herself, "now that all things are so different with me! I shall never again have the dull, dreary years of loneliness in this great house! He will be with me when he is himself. When he is not,-when the dread spirit seizes him, and feeling bursts forth uncontrolled by reason or a sense of right,-when, perhaps, he will not recognise me, he will still be with me; and I shall be stronger than ever to bear his affliction and my own."

"What are you thinking of, Margaret ?" inquired the countess, stopping suddenly, and turning upon her a face so radiant with happiness that Margaret was almost startled.

"What are you thinking of Margaret? We have asked you twice a most important question. Shall the eighth Earl of Carleton bear the name of Frederick or Francis? We cannot agree."

"Would it not be wiser to wait until we are sure of a baby Lord Merle ?—You may have a lovely little lady instead.” "That is the way in which she always damps my hopes, Frank!"

"She is a very prudent woman, my dear, and wishes to prepare us for disappointment. Take my advice, and do not heed her prudential warning. Make up your mind to have a son, in spite of her caution."

CHAPTER XII.

THE LAST OF THE RABYS.

"Only the best composed and worthiest hearts
God sets to act the hard'st and constant'st parts."

DANIEL.

THE summer had come and gone over the grey towers of Carleton and the silent greenery of its woods and glades. That summer had brought a child to its owners—a fair, sound, healthy babe; but Margaret's warning had bewitched it, the mother said, "and so it was a girl." After the earl's first feeling of disappointment in its sex, he showed as much pleasure in the birth of his eldest child as most fathers, and took as much delight in watching its feeble struggles to live, move, and have a being. The countess, of course, thought her little girl (perfect, and could not say, "'twas a pity it was not a boy."

The little Lady Alice throve as well as if she had been a peasant's child. Margaret Hastings was head-nurse until the fair mother was able to move about, when she assumed the office herself awhile, until the infant began to require so much manual labour as made its mother glad to convert the professional nurse's office (hitherto a sinecure) into an active one. The year had rolled on, rich with happiness for the countess, now a beloved wife and mother: nor less happy had it been for her husband, in whose heart the youthful passion for the