He had better reasons for his gravity than she could surmise-happily for her.

The following day one affectionate being came to comfort her; a consolation she had little expected, for she was not aware that Sir Thomas Hesketh's family had returned to Haldimands.

She had only just finished a late breakfast, when she heard the sound as of a light carriage coming up to the door; the bell rungthe door opened-and her child, her Lisa, flew into her arms, and covered her pale face with her affectionate kisses.

It was a wintry day, and the beautiful being was all muffled up in the most delicate furs, and satins, and velvets. I don't know how, but she was quite the most beautiful heap of elegant and soft-looking things, and the sweetest little face among them all, that could well be imagined-beaming it was with tenderness and affection; and, as she kissed Emilia a thousand times, the tears were streaming over her face, and wetting the pale cheeks of her friend.

It was some time before that voice of

music could find words to utter, in interrupted pauses, mingled with her sobs

"My dear, dear Emily!-my friend !—my mamma!-poor Emily!-poor, sweet Emily! -How pale you are, my Emily!-How ill you look, my Emily!"

All this breaking out, mingled with a flood of tears and caresses.

While Emilia, her arms clasped round her, and pressing her fondly to her bosom, answered, from time to time, by her calm and earnest kiss upon that pure and spotless forehead, and those waxen, weeping eyelids.

It was a lovely picture for the one was tall, and nobly formed, and her features marked, and almost severe in their outline, and the other was small, delicate, and pliant as the tender sapling-as she twisted her arms round her friend's slender waist, and hid that loving and most exquisite countenance on her shoulder.

When the first emotions at this meeting had subsided, they sat down together in the large arm-chair, Lisa's arm hanging fondly

round Emilia's neck, and they began to talk together.

"And how kind, and how good of you, my sweetest Lisa! to come to me so soon!" she said, stooping down, and kissing her forehead again; "I did not think you would have come down to Haldimands till Christmas."

"Oh!" began Lisa, impetuously, "it was the most gracious piece of good luck that ever was. Mamma got into a quarrel at Bath with our landlady-she was not a landlady, but a lady....a friend of mamma's, who let her have her house; and there was a quarrel about a piece of china, which mamma, you must know, let fall-that is, it fell to pieces in her hand, you know, for mamma vowed it was cracked before-and Mrs. O'Brien swore she really did, Emily-that it had not the least blemish in it, and that mamma should pay the whole value of it, and mamma vowed she would not; that would have been to own she had said-you know what," she added, looking up slily in Emilia's face. "And mamma went into one of her....hum

hums, and so there was such a quarrel! and so mamma vowed she would not stay one single moment longer in Mrs. O'Brien's house, if it stood empty and she had to pay rent for a century; and so, thank goodness, down we came to Haldimands, and I am with you, my precious, darlingest Emilianas."

Emilia pressed the prattler to her heart. She could not, at that moment, do as it was her custom to do, tell her where she was wrong, and what was wrong in that which she felt and said. She felt obliged at the moment to let it pass.

"I am sure," she said, fondly, "you are the dearest and kindest of little Lisas to come to me so soon; and Lady Maria was very, very good to let you."

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'Oh, as for mamma," she said, colouring a little, and hiding her head on Emilia's arm, "she-she doesn't know very much about it."

"I hope, my loved one, you have not come without her leave-you have not been so naughty-tell me, Lisa," she added, bending down her head to the little wilful face that was now again hiding itself on her shoulder.

"Should you be very, very, very, very, excessively sorry, that I was naughty," at last she said, looking up with a little, meaning smile; "or would you," she muttered, hiding her face again, "have rather I had waited, and come with mamma in the coach and four?"

Naughty, naughty Lisa," muttered Emilia, bending down to the averted head, you know I never wish you to do wrong, even to come to me in my distress. My love, you should not; but how was it-"

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Oh, it's not very bad neither; you know mamma is so fussy and whimsey."

"Don't, Lisa," said Emilia.

"Well, I won't-I know it plagues youI won't. Well, mamma is-you know how; and so I knew if I asked her to let me run over to you, she would say, I am going to call upon Miss Wyndham, as soon as it is proper, and I shall take you with me.' And so said, so settled, and no more to be done; and to want after that to come by myself, would have been nonsensical indeed....You know mamma has no more feeling for others