maiden name; and gave her the use of property until her marriage, and all this subsequent to her rescue from the sea. Blake Eastman had evidently confounded Lulu with something he had heard at the seaside hotel concerning the daughter of Captain Rogers having married the officer. It was evidently Lulu's brother-in-law who had escaped death. Strange mistake this, which had filled his soul with unnecessary pain, and given to the angel Hope the fearful drapery of despair. Then lifted the heavy cloud from his existence, and the stars gleamed out again in the firmament of his young life. Then a shudder passed over his frame. "Will she love me? Is her heart another's? Is there hope, indeed?" Unrest again stole into the chambers of his heart; and while it tarried face to face with hope, Levins moaned, and called him to the bedside.

"Is that you, Harry?" he muttered, rising his head partly from the pillow; "here, sit down-here, by the bed. I've been very queer. I can't stand much, lately. It seems to me the wine about this place must be doctored, it makes me so feverish and nervous. I wish I could give it up altogether. It's ruining both mind and body. Poor Syl, I wish I could gratify her gentle heart by shaking off this habit. But, Harry, I can't, positively. The iron claws of this appetite are tightening about my vitals. I am more consious of it this last month than ever. But Harry, I can't do without it; I tell you solemnly, I have not the moral force to stop this craving. Come here, close to me, and give me your hand. There now, I will say one word to you which will save your prospects in life to you, if you will follow my counsel. Harry! there is not on the face of the earth a more insidious and yet despotic master than this same drink. No man is certain for an hour that he may not become some day its slave. I used it for years without apparent injury to myself; but it was gradually undermining my constitution, and now I cannot abandon it. Listen to me, now; I am your friend, you know it; you have legal talents of a high order, and you will win distinction in the profession if you will apply yourself steadily to it, and forswear drink. Give it up, entirely, unqualifiedly, if you desire happiness in life."

Levins turned uneasily upon his bed, and directing his blood-shot eyes upon the student's countenance, continued—

"I sent for you, Harry, to find somebody to assist me in conducting this suit. I am growing so weak, and my nerves are so unsteady, that I think it best not to risk the interests of my client on the day of the argument upon so uncertain a basis as my health and competency. The fact is, I distrust myself. This appetite is gaining such power over me, that I apprehend something may happen when I am most needed in the court-room. Oh, the bitter disgrace of such an admission. But, Harry, you must hunt up one of the most competent lawyers in this city, to aid me on the day appointed for the argument. Don't say anything to Broadhead about it. Harry, that same client of mine is the greatest rascal that ever went unwhipt of justice. Here, I will tell you a secret. I have never received a penny from him for my services in this suit."

Harry Carter exclaimed in astonishment, "What do you say? you have received no fees for your services? Why! you have devoted the principal part of your time, for more than a year, to this business alone. Didn't he pay you anything for conducting the case before the circuit court ?"

"No! Harry. He claimed that I had not fulfilled my part of the bargain with him.. I agreed to take charge of his case, and not to leave it until it was decided, either for or against him, by the court, for the round sum of five thousand pounds. I meant the circuit court, and so did he. But when he was defeated there, he pretended that our contract only related to a final decision of the case, on appeal to the Supreme Court. I was not disposed to quarrel with him when he was so depressed by the adverse decision of the circuit court; and then, he promised to add two thousand more to that amount, if I would come on here with him and see him through. But what do you think the villain has done? I received a letter from my poor wife at home, asking for a few pounds to keep her and her children from actual want; and to-day, while I was broken down by drink, and incompetent and powerless to resist his importunity, he compelled me, for her sake, to sign a relinquishment of my claim upon him for past services, for the miserable sum of two hundred pounds, which I have had sent to her. I really cannot say what I shall do when that money is spent. I hope and expect to have that decision of the circuit court reversed here, and then even I shall have a conflict to secure my compensation for services on this appeal. Oh! drink! this is the terrible fix into which you have led me. Oh! my poor wife, my poor Syl! would I could resist for your sake; but I cannot. I'm a dog and a beast, and my moral power is gone for ever."

The unfortunate man buried his face under the cover of the bed, and sobbed like a child.

Harry Carter watched his agitation and distress with aching heart, and strove vainly to comfort him and present arguments to prove his ability to forswear the cup even yet. The unfortunate lawyer, however, refused all encouragement, knowing too well the mighty and unconquerable influence which was rapidly driving him to the grave. At length, before Harry could detect his purpose or raise an arm to prevent it, the lawyer threw himself to the opposite side of the bed, where an unseen chair was standing, and snatching a jug from it drank eagerly and copiously of the contents.

It proved to be raw brandy.

It was too late to grasp the pitcher and drag it away from him, for he had imbibed as much as he cared for then, but Harry opened the window and threw away the remainder of the fiery compound.

The brandy immediately began to work on the brain of Levins, and in a few minutes he was sitting bolt upright in bed, and imagining himself before a bench of judges, in the full tide of legal argument.

"May it please the court," he began, "the argument adduced by my learned opponent has not even the honour of being sophistical-it is merely silly;" and then followed an outburst of his famous and withering satire upon the opposing counsel which lasted for several minutes. The fumes of the brandy, however, were performing their mission rapidly upon his exhausted system, and he soon dropped his head upon the pillow and went off into the deep slumber of inebriation.

Our hero, with an air of intense sadness, arranged the coverlet of the bed over his unconscious form, and then examining every corner of the apartment which might possibly conceal a bottle or jug of the vile stimulant, and finding nothing, rang the bell for a servant to come and watch with him till morning. A man soon answered,

and Harry bribed him to come after an hour and keep watch by the bedside till daylight. Then locking the door upon the unconscious lawyer, he gave the key to the waiter and moved thoughtfully away towards the room where a few hours before he had left his cousin Bess.

CHAPTER XVI.

ANOTHER то LOVE.

WHEN our hero arrived at the apartment of his cousin he found her still sitting up, and awaiting the return of her parents from the ball. Indeed, she had occupied, during his absence, the same seat on the sofa where he had left her-except that once she had left the little parlour for her bedroom, which opened into it, to take down her hair. And when he entered the apartment, she was gazing thoughtfully into the glowing coals of the grate; and her soft, golden, silken hair was flowing in unconfined gracefulness around her plump little shoulders, and upon her flushed cheeks. Her careless and unstudied attitude gave additional beauty to the fair picture which presented itself to Harry Carter's view, as he opened the door. So absorbed was she in her reverie that she did not move at his knock, imagining it to be the servant, and carelessly, and without raising her eyes from the fire, said "Come in." Thus he had a full view of her loveliness in this strange attitude and toilet before she turned towards him, and his quick and appreciating eye reveled for an instant in her veiled beauty. The roses on her cheek deepened as her eye met his; and she started instinctively towards her own room, but he detained her with his pleading eye and voice, and she consented at length to remain with her hair down.

"Ah! Bess! I knew you were beautiful and charming before; but this style is angelic. Are you my own dear little Bess, or are you her guardian angel, come to watch over her while she sleeps ?"

"No angel, Harry," she said, looking archly at him through her flowing hair, "but real flesh and blood. But where have you been since you left me, and what made you think that I was up at this hour?"

morrow.

"I was a good guesser," he replied, throwing his out-door garments on the table, and sitting down again beside her on the sofa. "I knew you would sit up till the ball was over, so I thought I would come and keep you company in your vigils. I have just come from Levins' room. He is sleeping now. I think he will be up toBut, Bess, what makes you so beautiful to-night? I never saw you look so well. Why, I have always stolen a kiss from those lips when I felt inclined; but now you are so lovely you fill me with awe-I'm afraid to kiss you. What's the matter with you, Bess?" He gazed so long and earnestly into her blushing face that her eyes fell, and the dimpled hand which he had taken in his own trembled just perceptibly enough to bewilder him. When she raised her eyes again, there was an expression in them which was unaccountable to him; but she laughed and said, quickly, "I am the same, Harry, as ever-but where has your trouble flown to? You had the blues when you were here before."

A brilliant gleam of happiness swept across his features, and an exultant light shone in his beautiful eye. Bess detected it in an instant-and the gathering

tenderness of some emotion which was flooding the rich hazel of those soul-eyes of his, shot like an arrow into her heart; and she pushed away with her snowy hand the silken hair which enveloped her face, that she might study again that expression, which seemed to wound her.

"Oh, my beautiful cousin, I have a world of news to tell you about that," he exclaimed, not noticing the sad, misty meaning which the tremor of the young girl's heart was sending to her grey eyes. "I am so full of joy I can scarcely contain myself. I know you are interested in all that concerns me, and I will make you my only confidante in this matter. It is a sacred secret, remember. Now I will tell you all."

Then he unbosomed to her all the anguish and trouble of his heart, since the occurrences at the wreck of the vessel-his struggle to forget, and his everrecurring affection for the rescued girl. Then he informed her of the happy discovery of that evening in the apartments of Levins, and of the new-born hope which was rising in his soul of a treasure yet to be won. He could not but observe how eagerly Bess was listening to him, and how the increasing interest of his story was sending the fluctuating ripples of thought over the pure surface of her fair face. But he was so absorbed in the contemplation of the incidents of his tale, that he failed to notice the gloomy fire which occasionally burned in those grey orbs which were fixed so intently on his countenance, and which pourtrayed so plainly the suppressed dissatisfaction of her heart at some of his remarks. When he had concluded, and turned to look full in her face to read her sympathy with him in his love, he discovered that she had suddenly become pale as death, and her beautiful lip quivered with emotion.

"Why, my darling little Bess," he exclaimed, "you look grieved. Have I wounded your feelings? Here, come close to my heart, and tell me that you know I wouldn't, by thought, word, or deed, harm a single hair of your beautiful head."

He passed his arm impulsively around her slender waist and drew her closely to him, and with his other hand pressed her pale forehead against his heart, with the gentleness of a mother toward her child. This exhibition of tenderness was too much for her full heart, and she sobbed long and passionately. Her pure young heart had not yet learned the bitter lesson of life-to conceal the emotions of affection and grief, and give to pride the key to the secrets of the heart. Her gentle life was just blooming in the summer of sixteen; and the passing sensations of her heart came truthfully out in her fair features, and her grey eyes were readable as a book. There was recklessness in her grief, and a sincerity so much purer, better, and nobler than the constrained, diluted, and false tears of older girls, who have learned the mean dictates of prudence and common sense, that Harry's heart was touched. He had always cherished this lovely girl in his inner heart, and given to her the affection of a brother; but he had never dreamed of the intensity of her regard for him. But now he guessed the truth; and strangely did the fact appear to him, that with the absorbing memory and affection for Lulu in his mind, he should still experience such a thrill of pleasure to discover that Bess loved him. The truthful heart which was before him in all its freshness and loveliness he contemplated with the eagerness of one who finds an immensely precious jewel unexpectedly offered to him, and for

VOL. V.-NEW SERIES.

X

which he has often longed. He was surprised that the discovery of her secret afforded him so much pleasure; and a generous impulse swept through his soul to tell her that now, in the twinkling of an eye, he found his own understanding enlightened, and knew for the first time the secret of his own heart; and that Lulu was supplanted by his own little Bess.

Impulsively raising her head from its resting-place, until he could look full in her sad eyes, now red and swollen with weeping, and taking both her hands in his own, Harry Carter said, with an impetuosity which startled her and dried up her tears in an instant

"Bess, dear, dear Bess, your tears are to me the gate of heaven; I have opened my heart to you about this girl, whose love I had hoped to win with the insane purpose in my mind of using it as a deep grave in which to bury my own first love, who I supposed could never be mine. Now if I am not presumptuous in interpreting these strange tears, you love me, dear Bess, too well to allow me to devote myself to this stranger. Oh! if you would only tell me those beautiful words which I have dreamed of as the words which of all others would make me believe in heavenly hap piness, if you could only say to me, 'Harry, I will be your own dear wife,' you would see this strange girl's power roll up like a scroll and vanish like lightning. Ah! I have loved you, but feared to tell you it was anything more than a brother's love, since the time we came to know each other so well. The idea that you were always thinking of me as your relation deterred me from daring to tell you how much I craved you as my wife. But now your tears fill me with a strang determination and daring to know now, before I plunge madly into some enterprise of idiocy and ruin, whether you can ever love me enough to trust your life in my hands. Oh! tell me now, Bess, that such a prize as you can be won ly a lifetime of exertion and devotion, and you will make my heart quiver with wild delight. Bess, look me in the eyes, while I tell you a truth which ha been crushed in my heart, but which lives still and for ever. I would rather have you for my wife than the loveliest angel of heaven. You are dearer to me thr light, and life, and reason. Why do your eyes regard me so, darling Bess? Can you. will you consent to be my wife?”

He had become so excited that he trembled, and his eyes flashed in intense eager ness and brilliancy. Beautiful, charming little Bess, fluttering on the verge of womanhood, like an uncertain bird losing its way amid strange groves and whisper ing woods, how his words thrilled through her honest, loving heart like a strain of melody from harps above! How the rich blood ebbed and flowed in her cheeks at his earnest language! and how wild were the tumultuous waves of passio which made her bosom heave and fall before his glance as he told her of his longhidden devotion, and of his anxious wish to claim her as his own! A holy light swam in her eyes, and an unutterable tenderness illumined every feature of he blonde face as she whispered, "The angels are not worthy of such love as yours, Harry. Will I consent to be your wife? Yes, oh, ten millions of times I will sy yes!"

She fluttered to his breast again like a bird.

After the two had gazed long enough in each other's face to be satisfied that they were both in earnest, Bess requested that he would not at present divulge the secret