man? If you have not, depend upon it you are ignorant of one of the most engrossing sensations known to the human organization. A man without a grievance is like a kettle half-filled, or rather a kettle merely filled with cold water; but let him only consider himself unfairly treated, let him brood and hatch his grievance till it pervades his system, and straightway he frets, and seethes, and simmers, till at last he boils over in a perfect ecstasy of self-condolence. As I walked silently alongside the Squire, on our homeward journey, I felt ill-used, I knew not whyI felt dissatisfied with all the characters of the drama in which I had lately taken part, and, above all, with myself. My companion was neither loquacious himself, nor tolerant of loquacity in others, so I had no one to whom I could unbosom myself; and as I kept chafing over Kate's indifference, which piqued me to the core, and at the same time despising my own folly in caring two straws about it—as what could it signify to me?-I gradually worked my feelings up to that state in which a man finds he is ready for any action, no matter how foolish, that takes him from himself. In such a mood the sympathy of a female friend is likely to prove dangerous in the extreme, and to such peril was it my fate unwittingly to expose myself. As we entered the shrubberies that surrounded Topthorne Lodge, I caught sight of a light-coloured dress fluttering in the breeze before us, which could only belong to the widow, and declining the Squire's invitation to " kennel with more decision than I could usually find courage for, I pushed on to overtake and walk home with Mrs. Montague, partly in the hope of unburdening my mind by a detail of our afternoon visit, partly with a lurking feeling of triumphant vanity in the thought that here at least I could command an interest in one sympathising breast-that in those blue eyes I should read no malicious sarcasm, no cold forgetfulness.

It had been dusk an hour ere the dressing-bell summoned us into the house. Backwards and forwards, to and fro, up and down those winding walks and well-kept shrubberies, had we walked and talked, and hinted and hesitated, and lingered, often trenching upon the topic which I believe was nearest both our hearts, and yet the fatal words were unspoken. Grateful to my wounded vanity was the healing salve of Mrs. Montague's implied admiration-triumphant reflection to think that it was in my own power to show Mrs. Bagshot that she was not the only person who could forget: and besides such considerations, the widow's smiles, to do her justice, were sufficiently intoxicating in themselves to make a wiser man than me forget prudence, foresight, and everything but the companion by his side. Yet when I went to dress for dinner I was still a free man-the last meshes of the net were unwoven-the spell was incomplete-I had not passed the Rubicon, but by Jove I had been uncommonly close to its brink.

(To be continued.)

man? If you have not, depend upon it you are ignorant of one of the most engrossing sensations known to the human organization. A without a grievance is like a kettle half-filled, or rather a kettle mer filled with cold water; but let him only consider himself unfairly treat let him brood and hatch his grievance till it pervades his system, d straightway he frets, and seethes, and simmers, till at last he boils o in a perfect ecstasy of self-condolence. As I walked silently alongs the Squire, on our homeward journey, I felt ill-used, I knew not why I felt dissatisfied with all the characters of the drama in which 1 lately taken part, and, above all, with myself. My companion was neit loquacious himself, nor tolerant of loquacity in others, so I had no e to whom I could unbosom myself; and as I kept chafing over Kat indifference, which piqued me to the core, and at the same time despis my own folly in caring two straws about it—as what could it signif me?-I gradually worked my feelings up to that state in which a finds he is ready for any action, no matter how foolish, that takes from himself. In such a mood the sympathy of a female fries likely to prove dangerous in the extreme, and to such peril was it fate unwittingly to expose myself. As we entered the shrubberies surrounded Topthorne Lodge, I caught sight of a light-coloured fluttering in the breeze before us, which could only belong to the and declining the Squire's invitation to kennel" with more di than I could usually find courage for, I pushed on to overtal walk home with Mrs. Montague, partly in the hope of unburden mind by a detail of our afternoon visit, partly with a lurking fo triumphant vanity in the thought that here at least I could com interest in one sympathising breast-that in those blue eyes read no malicious sarcasm, no cold forgetfulness.