to the image of his beloved Lizzie, and he was on the point-not of taking her to his breast, for that was a weakness he would have blushed at even in thought, but of holding out his cold blue jointless hand, and of according his forgiveness He, however, checked himself as he thought of the magnitude of the offence, and the encouragement it would be giving to that, in his estimation, the most heinous of all offences-extravagance. With a sort of repressed "Weel-weel!” and a small wave of his hand, he, therefore, moved on without betraying his emotion, and seated himself in his old chaise, satisfied that he had done his duty in discountenancing vice by being as disagreeable as possible. "the How rarely can we judge of people's hearts by their manners, and how seldom do we see manner suited to the action," except in skilful actors, or untaught children! How many a soft smile covers an unkind deed-while it sometimes happens that we meet with acts of friendship from those who would be ready to "bandy words with us as a dog." But how much is it to be regretted, when charity and good-will thus assume the garb of enmity, and when kind-hearted people convey their admonitions in a manner calculated to make us dislike the reprover, even while we admit the justice of the reproof! On the present occasion, Mr Ramsay's roughness and asperity produced no corresponding emotions in Gertrude's gentle heart. She felt only regret and sorrow at having been the means of embittering the scanty measure of the old man's enjoyment, and of having, she feared, for ever forfeited his good opinion and affection. CHAPTER XX. Qu'un ami veritable est une douce chose! BUT Mrs St Clair was in no mood to sympathize in the nature of her daughter's distress, as her own joy at receiving the money seemed to absorb every other consideration. "There is still something for you to do, Gertrude, love," said she; "I had promised to have some conversation with Mr Lyndsay to-day; but you see my situation, and how unfit I am for such an exertion. You will therefore represent it to him, and, at the same time, convey to him my determination to meet him to-morrow coute qu'il coute;" then, reading surprise in her daughter's countenance, she added, in a solemn tone, "Gertrude, whatever has appeared strange and mysterious in my conduct towards you, I am now going to confide to him-will that satisfy you ?" "Is it possible!" exclaimed Miss St Clair, in an accent of astonishment and pleasure; "then, I am sure, all will be right." "Mr Lyndsay appears to have made very rapid strides in your good graces," said her mother, with a look of displeasure: "Yesterday you seemed to me to be scarcely upon speaking terms. -Well, although I am no great admirer, scarcely a believer, in Platonics in general-yet there may be exceptions, when there is Methodism in the case; you may therefore indulge in a sentimental religious flirtation if you will, though I must always think a daughter's best friend must be her mother; at any rate, she will be cautious how she talks of her mother, and suffers others to do it— you have simply to deliver my message, and beware of all comments. Now give me my writing materials-light that taper, and leave me.” Accustomed as she was to 'her mother's crooked policy even in the merest trifles, Gertrude's mind misgave her that something very false lay at the bottom of this pretended confidence; and she could not repress the painful suspicion, that it was all a scheme to dupe him and deceive her. She, however, sought her cousin for the purpose of delivering her message; but it was not without 'embarrassment she repeated it; and she thought she read doubt and distrust in the manner in which he received it. Without expressing their mutual thoughts, both felt that sort of intuitive knowledge of what was passing in each other's mind, which needed not the aid of words to impart. Nothing could be said, indeed, to serve any purpose, beyond that of mere speculation and conjecture, and although to many a mind there is nothing more delightful than that sort of guessgossip, yet Mr Lyndsay's rose superior to any such petty enjoyment, and he rather sought to divert Gertrude's from dwelling on so disagreeable a subject. To-morrow came as to-morrow hitherto has done, but, as is equally common, to-morrow fulfilled not the hopes of yesterday. Mrs St Clair's malady had assumed a more serious aspect. A physician was called in, who pronounced her disorder to be an acute rheumatic and nervous fever, which, though not of a malignant nature, was likely to prove severe and tedious in its operation. Here could be no deception, and as Gertrude was almost wholly confined to her mother's apartment, |