She went, however, with her mother to return Mrs Larkins's visit, and found the romantic Lilly settled to her heart's content in a dull, vulgar, well-furnished house in the heart of the city, talking Cockney by way of English, and overflowing with rapture at her own blissful lot. She pressed most vehemently for her aunt and cousin to fix a day to dine with them-Augustus would be so disappointed if they did not do it, he was so anxious they should meet some near relations of his, Sir Christopher and Lady Huggins-he had been Lord Mayor once, and was a remarkably genteel, nice man, and Lady Huggins was such a nice woman!-but, indeed, Augustus was very petikler in his friends, and had no ideer of visiting vulgar people.-But if they would not fix it now, Augustus and she would call in Park Lane some day very soon, for she knew he would take no denial he kept a gig, and could drive her there any day. At this threat, Lady Rossville promised to look over the list of her engagements when she returned home, and if she had a day disengaged before leaving town, she would dine with them.

"O, cousin, you really must not think of go

I assure you,

ing away without dining with us. Augustus will never forgive you if you do, and you are a great favourite of his at present."

Mrs St Clair here engaged that a day should certainly be allotted for the purpose, and at length they were permitted to depart, with much lamentation that Augustus was from home, and repeated assurances of calling again some day

soon.

In hopes of averting that evil, Gertrude, upon consulting her engagements, found a day disengaged, and it was settled accordingly that it should be given to the Larkinses. Mrs St Clair, indeed, rather anticipated pleasure from a party there. She was sure of being of consequence, and of making and of causing a fuss and a bustle, a thing she could by no manner of means effect in the higher circles, where she could not even shine in the reflected lustre of her daughter.

CHAPTER XV.

O, fair ladies, how plesing war this lyfe of yours, if it sould ever abyde, and then in the end, that we might pas to hevin with all this gay gear.

JOHN KNOX.

MEANWHILE the day of the ball arrived, and even in the greatest of great houses a ball causes more or less of confusion and commotion. Mrs St Clair had in vain remonstrated against it. Her remonstrances, indeed, were rather reproaches, as the cards had been issued before she had even been consulted, and the preparations, made upon the most splendid scale, had all been arranged by the Countess and Colonel Delmour, aided by some of their friends. They were to come early to assist her in receiving the company, and she was dressed, and her apartments lighted in due time. She walked through them with al

most childish delight. All was light, and flowers, and perfume, and her own figure, radiant in beauty and pleasure, flashed upon her in all directions from the magnificent mirrors, as they gave back the brilliant scene in almost endless succession. She had stopped at one of them to alter something about her hair, when in the long vista she perceived the servant ushering in a gentleman, who she immediately concluded must be Delmour. She turned round to meet him with a smile, but, to her amazement, she beheldnot her lover, but her guardian, Lyndsay!

"Mr Lyndsay! my dear cousin!" exclaimed she; but there was more of surprise than pleasure in the accent in which the words were uttered; "how-where have you dropped from-the moon ?"

"No, dear Gertrude," said he, as he affectionately shook her hand; "you have given me a long journey, but not quite so long a one as that -I come from Scotland."

"From Scotland !" repeated Lady Rossville, in some confusion, as her conscience smote her at the sound; " and how long have you been in town ?"

"Only since the morning-that is, my morning, which, I suppose, is your day-break, for I called-such is my vulgarity !—about noon, and was told my lady was not up. I left my card, and called again at three, when I was told my lady had just gone out; and here I am now, it seems, just in time for my lady's ball.

"Will you, indeed, stay?" cried Gertrude, rather at a loss to ascertain whether he were in

jest or earnest ; "that will add so much to my pleasure—that is, I—but, indeed, I never heard you had called, and I forgot to look over my cards this morning."

"Is that all you have forgot, Gertrude ?" inquired Lyndsay, in a somewhat reproachful tone.

"I fear not," said she, with a smile and a blush, but the one was forced, the other natural; "but this is not the time for me to remember all I have forgot."

"When is the time then, Gertrude ?"

“O, any time, you know, that-that-any morning

"Any morning sometimes means no day, does it not?" said Lyndsay. "But I have come far on purpose to see you, and to talk with you,