replied; "the banns es a goin' to be put in

on Saturday night."

On the next day but one Jenifer went up to the Castle, according to Mrs. Dunstable's request, and after a long discussion of colours and shades and what complexions they matched, a silk was chosen of a beautiful pale blue which agreed well with Jenifer's fair features.

Mr. Treleigh, although nearly ninety years of age, still retained his faculties with the exception of his eyesight, which had departed ten years or more. Hearing from his sister of the approaching marriage he expressed his intention of making the young couple some useful present.

"What shall I give, Marian ?" he asked. "Would some books be of service? Young people are apt to forget the furniture of the mind when they are preparing to begin housekeeping."

"I saw the young man's mother yesterday," answered Mrs. Dunstable, "and she told me that he is a great reader, and showed me a copy of Milton which he won as a prize at school, at-where was it they came from ?-Pendruthan."

"But does he read Milton?" inquired Mr. Treleigh.

"His mother tells me that he reads and re-reads it. Rather an odd book, though, in my opinion, for a young fisherman to take a fancy to. I should have thought story-books would have been more in his line."

"If he has a taste for poetry," said Mr Treleigh, "it is worth cultivating. I'll tell you what I will do, Marian, I'll present him with a complete collection of the leading English poets; it will be some thing to last his lifetime, and be always a pleasure to him."

Mrs. Dunstable had a strong opinion. that a washing-tray or something of that kind would prove more useful, but she kept her views to herself out of deference to her venerable brother.

On the following Friday the "banes were put in," as Mrs. Sims phrased it, and when Sunday came Arthur and Jenifer were to be" asked " in church for the first time.

CHAPTER X.

THE BANK BREAKS.

I must be patient, till the heavens look
With an aspect more favourable.

The Winter's Tale.

"NOTICE is hereby given that the business of this bank is temporarily suspended."

Such was the ominous intimation which hung on the door of the St. Cyrus Bank on the morning after the banns were "put in." It meant that business firms which had been tottering for some time would now come down with a great crash. It meant that thrifty working people who had digged and delved to lay by a little store for old age had lost the greater part

of the savings of a lifetime. It meant the snatching away of the slender pittance of the widow and the provision for the orphan. It meant the ruin of many a castle in the air and a rude awakening from many a pleasant dream.

For a day or two vague rumours had been flying about, and the knowing ones had been nudging one another, and shrugging their shoulders, and securing themselves as much as possible from the coming avalanche.

But Arthur and Daniel were not knowing ones, and attended therefore to their nets and boats without thought or fear of the trouble in store for them. About noon on Saturday as Arthur was going home to his dinner he met Mr. Josiah, who stopped and said,―

"Have you heard the news?"

"No; I have heard nothing," Arthur