condition. Whatever you and I might think of one another, or feel for one another, those feelings and thoughts might not be made known except this could be done in strict compliance with the rules. Why?"

66

Well, certainly, it might be difficult to

Precisely so; just as it would be difficult to account for our doing a lot of other things as the slaves of custom or fashion. I will proceed further, but you will bear in mind that I am a philosopher."

"I do bear that in mind."

"That very reply shows you are an apt pupil. Let us come then to our next position. Suppose, as a philosopher-you will not allow one word to lose its due effect, but for greater certainty I will repeat—suppose, I say, that I should fall in love with you, and that you should do the same kind office for me, what would philosophy dictate ?"

"You would have to say 'Miss Rowland

'-unless philosophy, or love, or something else prompted you to say, 'Hilda,'—I— in short, you would have to announce the fact."

Yes, and it would be necessary for me to go still further and enquire if the feeling was mutual."

"And I should have to give a philosophical reply according to the state of the But there is poetry in the world as well as philosophy, and don't you think this would destroy all the poetry?"

case.

"It would be necessary to ascertain wherein consists the delight of loving and being loved. Is it the slight shade of mist and uncertainty which generally hovers around the early chapters of the story, and is the proverbial indifference of married life attributable to this-that all the mist and uncertainty vanish without leaving even a dispersing sun to warm with its beams ?"

"I am glad to think I shall escape the

solution of that problem, for here we are at home."

"Before we go in, however, I think that, as a philosopher, I am entitled to know from you, in your character of philosopher and in return for my own admissions, what you think of me?"

"I think you are a very nice philosopher," and she ran upstairs, leaving Tom trying to decide whether all his philosophy had not vanished with the impressions of Ada Lindsay.

CHAPTER VI.

EXTRACTION.

Ich komm' aus dunkler Felsen Schoos;
Mein Lauf geht über Blum 'und Moos.

GÖTHE DAS BÄCHLEIN.

OR Ada's influence seemed to vanish

away as that of Hilda increased. Was he one of those vascillating individuals who lacked constancy, and were attracted by every new specimen of beauty? Would it be unsafe for him to unite himself to any woman? These and similar questions arose in his mind to perplex him during his sojourn at Bainbridge Holme.

And this beautiful girl was sister to Robert Rowlandson! How was it that her gentle influence did not change his character ? Tom

knew well that much of the affection between brothers and sisters was contained only in story-books, whilst in real life there were numerous cases in which brothers and sisters regarded one another with the most supreme indifference, or even with feelings of a less harmless nature, many young men reserving courteous conduct for any strange lady whatever rather than manifest it towards those so closely related to them. Still, he had seen that Charlie Rowlandson was an exception to this rule, and that between Hilda and her younger brother the tenderest relations subsisted.

Then arose those gloomy reflections upon his own origin, and both Ada and Hilda seemed to be unattainable for him. He resolved that as soon as he quitted Bainbridge Holme he would take steps for solving the mystery which enshrouded his early life, and until then-whatever he might do afterwards -he must steel his heart against all tender