"Gertrude !—my love! my life!"—exclaimed Delmour, terror-struck, as he felt her hand grow colder, and saw her features gradually becoming more rigid-" for God's sake speak to me!"

Gertrude spoke; but her voice was so changed that Delmour started at the sound.

"You love me, Frederick, I know you do—and I— but no matter—I never can be yours now.-Delmour, I have a strange, a frightful tale to tell you-I-I am not what I seem-I am not Countess of Rossville-I am a beggar!" She hid her face for a moment; while Delmour, too much amazed to answer, remained silent.

66

"It is true-they have told me all—all—all—I am his daughter he is my father! " And her voice grew wilder in her attempts to speak calmly and firmly. My dearest Gertrude, you take this matter too violently; although your mother has made a degrading marriage, that ought not to affect you in this manner— it does not interfere with your rights, or diminish my attachment to you—why then

“Ah, Delmour! you are deceived—she is not my mother-I am his daughter--the daughter of Jacob Lewiston-I have been an usurper, but I did not know it!"

The dreadful truth now flashed upon Delmour with the force and the rapidity of a stroke of lightning, and he remained horror-struck beneath its shock. For some minutes neither of them spoke; but Gertrude's breast heaved with agitation she would not betray, and her eyes were distended in endeavours to retain her tears within the brim.

"Good God!" at length exclaimed Delmour, striking his forehead in a distracted manner-" Gertrude dearest !" and he seized her hands. "No-it cannot be you are mine-my own

-but not now," said Gertrude; and her

"I was