The Heir of Redclyffe

rsuits if

can thy ta

G

, its bright fire and stands of fragrant green-house plants contrasted with the wintry fog and leafless trees of November. There were two persons in the room-a young lady, who sat drawing at the round table, and a youth, lying on

g, Charles; I am glad you are dow

ou,' was the answer, somewh

ked?' sa

ffice, and brought a letter for him. It has th

that?' sa

Redclyffe; Sir Guy

What can he have to

p, 'that my uncle is to be gua

o, I d

he only consented on condition that my uncle should be joined with him; so now my uncle is alone in the trust

out in search of papa,' said Charles; 'he is somewhe

im by convincing him of Jenkins' dishonesty. To say nothing of the benefit of be

ere she was drawing. 'Do you know this

self! What is

f your sister's, which I f

spire is too slender, and that tree-can

took it fo

eener, to throw back the middle distance. That is the

ss, a shade of melancholy gathering on his face. Suddenly, a voic

the laughing face, and light, shining curls of

? Oh, don't take it. I must bring

t of that one flo

r! And I am so proud of having beaten mamma and all the gardeners, for not another will be out this fortnight; and t

een duly admired, 'you must let me put it into

as he took it from her, the solitary flower struck

orry. What a pity!

wered; 'it will last

ery sorry-especially becaus

l be more hurt than mine. I dare say my poor flower would hav

her face in the glass, betrayed her b

a middle-aged gentleman, short and slight, with a fresh, weather-beaten, good-natured face, gray whiskers, quick e

y's hand. Eh? What can be the matter

? Sir Guy

ing to the door, he opened it, and called, 'Ma

, her turned-up nose and shrewd face full of curiosity. She darted up to Amabel; who, though she shook her head, and held up her finger, smiled, and took

ose no one ever repented or suf

s eyes, so that all could see a few lines of hasty, irregular writing, in a forcible hand

MR. EDM

suffered little. Markham will make all arrangements. We propose that the funeral should take place on Tuesday; I hope you will be able to come. I would write to m

very si

Morv

p, 'he writes with a grea

to be left alone there

must start off to him at once-yes, at

uld be the correct thing, and I should not like to

d be the correct thing. I am sure he was always very

rt of jump, lifted her eye

re now the only representatives of the two branches of the house of

rlotte laughed too, an imprudent proceeding, as it attracted attention. Her father smiled, saying, half-reprovingly-'So you are there, inquisitive pussy-cat?' And at her mother's qu

Mr. Edmonstone, returni

on't you remember my brother saying what a satisfaction it was to see such a noble

a fine spirited fe

re,' said Mr. Edmonstone. Shou

father's death has happened at a most favourable time for him. The

s tight a

It would have been a very dangerous experiment to send him at once among the te

do the best we can with him, for I have got him on my hands till he is five-and-twenty-his grandfather h

ll to yourself,

looking more important than troubled. 'All that great Redclyffe estate is no sinecure, to say nothing of the youth himself. If all the

Philip. 'I must see about my leave; only

d away, and Charles began by saying,

gateway, but the honour of naming it is undecided between Hugo de Morville, who murdered Thomas a Becket, and his namesake, the first Baron

, violent race, and the enmity once begun between Sir Hugh and his brother, was kept up, generation after generation, in a most

poor old man, who is just dead, ran a strange career.

he went all lengths,'

t horrible story about his son?'

as bad enough

asked

was very much offended, and there was much dreadfully violent conduct on each side. At last, the young man was driven to seek a reconciliation. He brought his wife to Moorworth, and rode to Redclyffe, to have an interview with his father. Unhappily, Sir Guy was giving a dinner to the hunt, and had been drinking. He not only r

?' asked Amabe

xt day, when thi

'It might well make a re

n before they knew what had happened-before Colonel Harewood, who had been called aside by the servants

he sent for my fat

de him think

that did so much harm in the parish, that my brother was obliged to remonstrate. Sir Guy was very angry at first, but behaved better at last than any of the others. I suspect he was struck by my dear brother's bold, uncompromising ways, for he took to him to a certain degree-and my brother could not help being interested in him, there seemed to be so much goodness i

Stylehurst? I have a dim recollection of

to such society as that of her brother, who was actually maintaining them. That letter was never answered, but about ten days or a fortnight after this terrible accident, Colonel Harewood wrote to entreat my brother to come

lip; 'and it was a very touching one that he wrote to me on my father's

ttled his property on

and, indeed, its life hung on a thread. I remember my brother telling me how he went to Moorworth to see it-for it could not be brought home-in hopes of bringing, back a report that might cheer its grandfather,

than anything real-the fine old red sandstone house crumbling away in the exposed parts, the arched gateway covered with ivy; the great quadrangle where t

Mrs. Edmonstone; 'I am glad you

bout him,'

ed to the grand courtesy which showed he had been what old books call a fine gentleman, that made him suit his h

way?' ask

the solemn echoes with shouting, whooping, singing, whistling. The

his suit o

history of his doings, laughing, rubbing his hands, springing about with a

hat Sir Guy di

d, to show that he was attending; but it was such slight encour

I hope he has not this tremendous Morville tempe

in him, and only thought how to keep him out of harm's way. He would never let him be with other boys, and kept him so

everything freely to hi

oing to say that, as long as that

cent cliffs overhanging the sea, and fine woods crowning them. On one of the most inaccessible of these crags there was a hawk's nest, about half-way down, so that looking from the top of the precipice, we could see the old birds fly in and out. Well, what does

rick for you!' cried

, and spent every spare moment on them. At last, a servant left some door open, and they escaped. I shall ne

said Mrs.

ascal right,'

her word. I saw Guy no more that day, and all the next he was quiet and subdued. But the most remarkable part of the story is to come. A couple of days afterwards we were walking in the woods, when, at the sound of Guy's whistle, we heard a f

Amabel. 'That is a very

into one of his usual raptures. He took them home; but the first thing I heard in the m

f his own accor

ught it would be wanton to irritate him by questions. However, I must be going. Good-bye, Amy, I hope your

can bury it in old Sir Guy's grave, unless you mean to fight it

stone looked annoyed, and Laura said, 'Charlie, I

ng else to carry me

are a blessing; but why misuse them? If they are given to suppo

n abashed, and the compunction se

e, 'I must go and see afte

u to encourage Charlotte to stay, Amy, when you know how

egretfully; 'but I had not

, that you only want bones and

ter, I had rather she had no bones at all, than that they stuck out and ran int

t over it his still whiter, and very bony fingers, pinching her 'soft pi

her sadly,' said Laura, sm

and Laura do to each

aid Amabel, in a shy, simple tone,

le as Laura!' said she,

urls; 'unwish it forthwith. Where should I be without silly little Amy? If every one weighed my

han Laura,' said Amy, sti

aura is so prematurely wise, that I am in constant dread that nature wi

, indignantly. 'Laura

uld be to see her over head and ears in love

say such thin

uty who did not fall in lo

one with her very old father

at that moment, he announced to her that they had been agreeing that no

ful daughter,' said Laura, re

of time, sat down to practise. Laura returned to her drawing, and Charles, with a yawn, listlessly turned over a newspaper, while his fair delicate features, which would have bee

uch a contraction of the limb as to cripple him completely, while his general health was so much affected as to render him an object of constant anxiety. His mother had always been his most devoted and indefatigable nu

as old enough to be introduced; and the governess departing, the two sisters became Charles's companions in the drawing-r