, 1896-12-30

till he reached Mr. Sefton's house.
4he,s he was met with she warm.
est of greetings by his two aunts and
by Mr.. Seton. Tbs young ladies had
not yet returned from an afternoon walk;
and, although lie did not quite see how
this was to help him. lie Was rather glad of it.
Mrs. Gordon lie found much less changed than
hs had expected. She Was the same dear af-
fecliouate aunt to him. and as she looked at
the generous face Of her stalwsrt nephew,
which had not a mean line in it. she saw that
BUSINESS had not spoiled him, Git mead never
spoil any man wl4o conducts it honourahly,1
and she rsjoiced in finding her dear Edwatd
such a fac man as he WAS. Very quickly the
two were on the same old footing ~ TINT of
twelve years ago, and he wished that some
thing Ike this might be possible. with Amy;
but his reflections in the train had shown
him that it was hardly likely. Presently ths
three Young ladies csme in. Edward Rev
ut a glance which was Any. By the side of
her tull cousins she looked a small woman, but
il was not by that distinction II he rseog-
nizod her; 1or he had heard so lit-
while abroad Il It ne did not kqow even thai
much about her; what pointed her cut TO him
at once were the fniI Fl the blue eyes and she
light hair: those she had >tained as he kr
lAAN I'll AOpS NEOB Aho @N u a > 'NllO
Amy as the one he had left -,-A twelve
years before.
The girls knew, of course, who the stranger
was, for they had been expecting him; but as
hO did not asem quite sure as to his fecogni.
ton of them, Mr.. Seton introduced them
This is Fanny, this is Sophie, this ia Amy"
Poor Amy She was pale, and as SIC took
her cousins hsnI her blse eyes looked WOE
dsringly, seriously into his. And he, who
had been quite cordial in greeting tbs Others,
becams grave when Amy's turn came. What
was the matter with them 9TH ? He knew
what WAS .he matter with hilA bat he did
not. know that it Was the same tning that
allied her. When her father had 6rst brought
the news that hes cousin was coming home,
she hP7 clapped her hands and literally
iumpe for Joy; fer sic too, as she grew
into " manhood had often thought of her
dear u1n, and had said to ,herSelf, who
knows ,~l~' may be %; but She too, So his
corAl.k drew :r, had had her %cerious re.
Elections, had called hsrse'f s foolish child.
had wondered and doult ted Aad feared. And
now, during her afternoon walk, she had tried
hard to shaks it all of, had tried hard to
put herself on 9 level with her calm minded
cousins, that shD might mset her cousin
Edward like q sensible girl; but it WAS all Of
no Use; and so it came to pass that these
two, who had often looked forward with
delight to the possibility Of this meeting,
now that it had come. met, to outward ap
pearance, like people. between whom there
has been a disagreement. OF course it was
all very "rong n d'very absurd, and if they
had been philosophers they would perhaps
have acted very differently but as they were
not phil sophers, but ordinary people, they
behaved as many Other ordinar, people be.
fore them had done. -,
Time, however, is kind, and puts many
crooked things straight and removss
many defects. Already at the dinner ia.
Bile matters began TO mend a little. Mr..
Seton asked many questions about South
Africa, and Edward, besides answering them,
amused the ladies with stories Of his advsn-
lures. some funny, some. exciting, among
SETTLERS and natives, OF with the huge
beasts of the plains. Similar talk and sun
dry particulars of the family history at
home, occupied tAe evening around the
fire, and before they parted for ths night Ed.
ward VIZ quite at hems with them all. He
was ~gratifed to see that Amy was a great pet
of her u LES, and was still more pleased to
watch the afectionate way ~ which she net
her father on his arrival onChfsst as Eve; but
it was not till Christmas evening at he
found his little Amy again. Then, afte, lin.
ner, some young friends from'ths neighbour
hood came in and they all played old fashioned
games vth greac glee,. and before the eve-'
mig was over,it %'e!asne plain to them oil
who We EdwarG~. A very, happy
week tollows'R and Crou aem to Eew