over the dark horizon which so long had depressed him, that he was cheated into forgetfulness of their evanescent nature.

The post arrived. It brought a letter from Mavesyn. It was hurried, but affectionate; and suggested that, to lessen some of the embarrassment of their first meeting, it should be in the presence of others. "Ask a party of your friends for Saturday, dear sister," was the concluding paragraph of the letter. "Let me come as one of your invited guests, and surely your friends will become mine. You must dine at seven. At that hour I will be with you. Your affectionate brother, J. M."

Invitations were written forthwith to the Colytons, the Villaroys, the Humes, and to some gentlemen holding land belonging to the estate, and also to the lawyer of Breemouth, who had acted for the late

Mr. Mavesyn. The cause for their assembling was mentioned; and this last fruit of his councils being completed, the Colonel had no longer a pretext for lingering, but proceeded home to take the news and the invitation to his girls.

On reaching Fernacres, it was a great satisfaction for St. Colmo to find that Miss Morant had returned. He bade Rose instantly seek her, and informing her of what had come to pass, induce her to set off immediately for The Cedars, where he guessed her presence would be of much comfort to Miss Mavesyn, particularly on the day appointed for her brother's arrival.

With a burst of commiseration for the despoiled heiress, Miss Morant agreed readily to go to her; and on the next day departed on her visit.

There was intense interest in the expectation of the day appointed for meeting

Justin Mavesyn, in the minds of all who were to dine at The Cedars, mixed with some embarrassment. They felt it would be difficult to offer congratulations on the recovery of an unknown brother, when that recovery involved the loss of ten thousand a-year; and yet they were aware of a conventionalism which forbade allusion to property so lost, or a whisper of condolence on the subject. In the opinion of some of the neighbourhood, Miss Mavesyn would have been just as well without this brother; particularly as the account of his maritime life, which had reached Stokebree, did not give much promise of any great refinement of manners or ideas. All were unanimous, however, in hoping that the good and gentle Junie, in the affection and tenderness of her new-found protector, would find wherewithal to indemnify her for the loss of her large possessions.

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CHAPTER V.

"This yellow slave

Will knit and break religions; bless the accurs'd;
Make the hoar leprosy adored; place thieves,

And give them title, knee, and approbation,
With senators on the bench."

SHAKESPEARE.

Ar length the eventful Saturday arrived, and all the guests assembled at The Cedars were waiting in anxious expectation of the coming of the heir. Even the cottagers of the little quiet village of Breeford had got up an excitement on the occasion; and people whom

nothing ever moved-except bees swarming, or a funeral, now rushed swiftly to their doors as the smart carriage and four posthorses dashed by.

Colonel St. Colmo would have rather seen a hired carriage from Exeter drive up to the door. There was something vulgar in this assumption of a splendid equipage by one who, from his lawyer's showing, had led the life of deprivation natural to a sailor in the merchant-service. And yet, after all, it was the error of a young man, and demanded indulgence.

The good judgment which had planned that the first meeting of the brother and sister should be in the presence of intimate friends, and that his introduction to her should be as a guest, was fully borne out by the effect produced; and Colonel St. Colmo's heart bled for the poor