"Ah! and there was somebody else there, too, that she was talking with; and I knew his voice as well as Beevor's, every bit; and byand-bye I see'd him come forrard, and stand at the window alongside of she; and there couldn't be no mistake-not as I was a living, moving creature, with my heyes and ears all openand 'twas he, Miss-my lord! Lor! if I didn't feel fit to drop down; I was in sich a trimble, and the cold pesperation came out on my forrud. He didn't see me, though," she added, "they neither of 'em didn't. She was a flirting-like, and saying short things with her sharp sounding voice that rings like milingtary heels along a pavement; and he was a twirling his whiskers, and laughing, my lord was, till his little heyes were twinkled up into little bits of metal; but glad enough I was to turn to right about, particklarly as a set of fellers from the barracks was coming by-imperent fellers! And then as we turned the next corner, what should we see but my lord's cab a-waiting. Ain't it dreadful, Miss? -sich goings on! I'm sure I thought I'd have 'sterics; it give me such a upset like. And the thought of that creatur, it quite

took away my appetite; and Jenny for the life of her couldn't make out why I was took so; but I couldn't help it-I couldn't abear to see sich goins go, and felt quite fainty and pespiry all tea-time a thinking what a stuckup Beevor 'twas, and wondering whatever my lord-ah!"

I drew my own conclusions.

CHAPTER X.

"The fox knows much, but more he that catcheth him."

"The good are better made by ill:

OLD PROVERB,

As odours crush'd are sweeter still."

ROGERS.

THE thought of my guardian had now become hateful to me, and it grew more and more horrible day by day; his presence which he inflicted upon me frequently, was like a nightmare; it oppressed my spirits so much, that nothing but the unvarying cheerfulness of Lady Ravensden upheld me; her vivacity acted as a counter charm to the leaden heaviness beneath which I felt buried, when in his lordship's society.

There was an authoritative tone in his manner, which I should not have minded in him, being, as he was, my guardian, if it had not appeared to be assumed for the purpose of balancing, as it were, the disadvantageous position, in which as a lover, I had placed him.

My undisguised dislike was mortifying to his vanity; whilst my indifference to his threats, was a wound to his pride; how to bring me into submission without using positive force, he did not know; yet why did he leave me with Lady Ravensden, who paid him no more respect than she did her butler?

I was fairly puzzled. Her lively ladyship was no favourite of his, I could see very clearly, and had seen it from the first, even when her eccentric little note informed me of the existence of an unknown friend.

I remembered the annoyance he manifested on that occasion, and on others since, in connexion with Lady Ravensden; and the more I thought upon the matter, the more I was perplexed; I should have been enlightened on the subject, perhaps, had I been present during the whole of a conversation which on one occasion took place between them, but that being or

dered to retire, I did so, and remained as mystified as ever.

It was a day or two after I had accompanied the dowager on her visit to Mr. Grey, that being alone in the drawing-room one afternoon, Lord D'Arville was announced.

The first glance at his face, showed me that my guardian was labouring under no ordinary excitement; he was very pale, his lips were set, and there was a look of savage fierceness in his eye, which for a moment terrified me: his step, too, was quicker than usual, and betokened unwonted interest in something or other.

He scarcely received my greeting, but throwing down his hat and cane upon the sofa, confronted me with an expression of anger on his countenance, which would have appalled some girls.

"What am I to understand by this ?" I said with some surprise, "what is the matter with your lordship ?"

Matter, Madam, matter! how dare you look me in the face and ask? You presume to feign ignorance—not to understand—you require an explanation ? Know then that I'm