North and South

win a la

the thin

s for life

loyal g

om the fest

to the sta

by your tru

ourtship's

. BRO

parler du soleil et l'on en voit les rayons;' and the brightness of the sun came over Margaret's face as she put down her board, and went forward to sh

asked he, in a lower tone tha

in the Highlands that I never

ght they needed a Mentor to take care of them. And indeed they did; they were quite beyond my uncle's management, and kept the old gentleman in a panic for sixteen hours out

ed that. To be sure, she has written in such a

. Edith gave me all sorts of messages for you. I believe I

t alone and unwatched, she made the excuse of going to tell her mothe

ith verbenas and geraniums of all bright colours. But the very brightness outside made the colours within seem poor and faded. The carpet was far from new; the chintz had been often washed; the whole apartment was smaller and shabbier than he had expected, as back-ground and frame-work for Margaret, herself so queenl

she said. It seems strange, for the

everything was a difficulty and a hardship; and Mr. Lennox's appearance took this s

in such low spirits this morning about something - I don't know what. I went into the study just now, and he had his face on the table, covering it with his hands. I told him I was sure Helstone air did not agree with him any more than with

e had listened patiently, in hopes that it might be some relief to her mot

oming will do papa good. And never mind the dinner, dear mamma. Cold meat will do capitally for

ith him till then? It is

ws, and that will take him out of your way, mamma. Only

d accepted the invitation with a glad readiness that made Mrs. Hale wish she could add something to the cold beef. He was pleased with everything; delighted with Margaret's idea of going out sketching together; would not have Mr. Hale disturbed

ret. 'These are the cottages that haunted me so during the r

y are to be sketched - and they are very picturesque - we had

n the Highlands! Look at this beautiful trunk of a tree, which the wood-cutters have left just in t

stool! Stay, I will move, and then you can come

going to take it down, as soon as the old man who lives in the other is dead, poor old fellow!

him. Mr. Lennox hastily introduced the two figures into his sketch, and finished up the landscape with a subordinate reference to them - as Margaret perceived, when the

ught you were making old Isaac and me into subjects, wh

trong a temptation it was. I hardly dare t

came back rather flushed, but looking perfectly innocent and unconscious. He was glad of it, for the speech had s

uence of a brace of carp, most opportunely presented by a neighbour. Mr. Hale had returned from his morning's round, and was awaiting his v

favourably he impressed every stranger; still her quick eye sought over his face and fou

d to look at

u not?' as he returned Margaret's to her, and held out his hand

wn so much darker in the rain. Is it not like, papa?' said she, peeping

is just poor old Isaac's stiff way of stooping his long rheumatic back. Wh

it makes my head so hot. I wonder if I could manage figures. Th

eat faith in the power of will. I think myself I have succeeded pretty well in yours.' Mr. Hale had preceded them

n made her for the arriere-pensee of a compliment. But I don't believe Margaret - Stay!' exclaimed he, 'Let me help you;' and he gathered for her some velvety cr

movements in Italy to be exchanged; and in the interest of what was said, the unpretending simplicity of the parsonage-ways - above all, in the neighbourhood of Margaret, Mr. Lenno

for our dessert,' said Mr. Hale, as the hospitable luxury o

ale would only have looked behind him, he would have seen biscuits and marmalade, and what not, all arranged in forma

th wall which are worth all foreign fruits and

into the garden, and eat

t, warm and scented by the sun. The worst is, the wasps are impudent enou

e proper way, and with all the ceremonies which had gone on so smoothly hitherto, especially as she and Dixon had got out the finger-glasses from the store-room

of eating fruit so primitively as you describe are over wi

r, inclined to cull fastidiously the very zest and perfection of the hour he had stolen from his anxiety, chose daintily the ripest fruit, and sat down on the garden bench

I am afraid that the truth is, I have been nothing better than a cockney. Just now I feel as if twenty years' hard study of law would be amply rewarded by one year of such an exquisite serene l

our leaves do fall, and get sodden: though I think Helstone is about as perfect a place as any in the world

ret That is rat

of what I was very full at the time, and you - what must I call it,

' said he, warmly. They tu

e wished herself back with her mother - her father - anywhere away from him, for she was sure he was going to say something to which she should not know what to reply. In another moment the strong pride that was in her came to conquer her sudden agi

have been hoping for these three months past to find you regretting London - and London friends, a little - enough to make you listen more kindly' (for she was quietly, but firmly, striving to extricate her hand from his grasp) 'to one who has not much to offer, it is true - nothing but prospects in the

friend; and, please, I would rather go on thinking of you so. I don't like to be spoken to as you hav

et his with their open, straight look, expressive o

eyes. 'Forgive me I have been too abrupt. I am punished. Only let me hope. Give me the poor comfort of telling me you have never seen a

ancy into your head! It was such a p

t yet, I see - there is no hurry - but some time --' She was silent for a minute or two,

e I could never think of you as anything else. Pray, let us both forget that all this' (

. Then, in his habitual col

nt to you, it had better not be remembered. That is all very fine in theory, that plan of forgetting

id she, sadly; 'yet

d for a moment with his real disappointment, and then answered

who has been carried out of his usual habits by the force of a passion - well, we will say no more of that; but in the one outlet which he has formed for the deeper and b

. Hale, whose whereabouts had been quite forgotten by them. He had not yet finished the pear, which he had delicately peeled in one long strip of silver-paper thinness, and which he was enjoying in a deliberate manner. It was like the story of the eastern king, who dipped his head into a basin of water, at the magician's command, and ere he instantly took it out went through the experience of a lifetime. I Margaret felt stunned, and unable to recover her self-possession enough to join in the trivial conv

as she believes,' thought he to

r. Hale was puzzled. His visitor was a different man to what he had seen him before at the wedding-breakfast, and at dinner today; a lighter, cleverer, more worldly man, and, as such, dissonant to Mr. Hale. It was a relief to all th

As a proof of it, I believe I love you more than ever - if I do not hate you - for the disdain with w