Year: 1869

IN improving the breed OF pigs. In short, he
found within the limits of his park fence all '
the amusement and society he required. His
attachment for his wife was not surprising for
she was indeed most lovely and charming
woman, full of intelligence and good sense, and
IN every way fitted to preside over household.


When she and Charlie first met at Pau she was
the governess in an English family that was
staying there their courtship lasted but few
days; and one fine morning they met by ap


polntment, and walking together to the church,


were married before breakfast. Violet Dan


vers had no idea of the position, pecuniary or


otherwise, that attached to Charlie, but her


life had been full of troubles, and all she knew


was that he had been very kind and good to |


her.


:. Friends and relations she had none," she |
said and then as she rested her head against |


his breast, and looked up into his eyes, Charlie |
felt that Heaven had sent her for him to love |


and cherish. He told her of his past life, and |
his wanderings in distant countries, and sought
to engage her confidence in return but she al |


ways seemed to avoid all references to herown
past, and would hurriedly turn the conversation


into quite another channel. Charlie was not of


a suspicious nature, and had far to much love


and confidence in his wife to fancy that she was


cOncealing anything from him.


| And so Violet came to her new hOme-tO the
old home in which generations of FOrresters
| had lived and died?


| 1t was not SO very long after they had taken


up their abode at "The Lions" that received


the invitation before alluded to; and as the long


vacation had already commenced, and my pecu-


mary resources were not in a condition to stand


a trip even to the seaside, | thought the best


thing | could do was to accept the hospitality


that my old friend offered me. A few days more


found me comfortably installed at The Lions"


thoroughly enjoying the fresh air and strong


exercise that followed, in pleasing contrast to
the heated atmosphere of close courts and con-


tinuous sitting in dingy chambers. l found


Mrs Forester most charming and amusing
companion, though could not hel lp being struck


by an air OF cOnstraint and reserve that at times


settled upon her. A very brief acquaintance


satisfied me that there was some mystery at


taching to her which she dared not reveal!


One morning at breakfast, Charlie after read


ing letter he had just received by the post,
informed us that it was from an old Paris


friend of his whom he had met in his traveller


days, and who, in pursuance Of long standing


invitation, had written to say that he proposed
coming on visit to The Lions" and would


without waiting for reply put in an appear


ance that very evening Charlie was delighted


at the prospect of seeing his Old acquaintance,
and in the course of a walk over the farm he in.
7 formed me that the name of the coming guest


was Murray, and that he was blessed with q
great deal more ready wit than ready cash.
; Though he is a bit of an adventurer in his
J way" said Charlie, he is a capital fellow, and
the best company in the world.


} 1t was very late when the expected guest ar
t rived. Mrs. Forester had retired to bed some
time before. l As for Charlie and myself, we
t kept the new conner company while he supped,
; and when he had done ample Justice to the
t good things before him, it being already in the
! small hours, bed was voted and carried unani-
D mOusly | was very sleepy, and beyond utter


ho1 IL
, or no notice of the stranger; but when he came
y across the room and held out his hand, which
t oddly enough was encased in a hght-colored
: glove of some sort, to bid me d-Dight, as
e looked him full in the face he seemed to start
i for a moment Although his features were
o hidden by heavy moustache aud huge beard,
!, there was something about them that appeared
d familiar to mo- Where on earth could | have
f seen him before? When got upstairs into my
r bedroom L puzzled my brain with inquiries,
, but all in vain; | could connect the face with
8 nothing, and nothing with the face, and with
h that l got angry with myself, and went to
e sleep.


It The next morning awoke early, and feeling
e a strong inclination for walk before break
= fast, tumbled headlong into my cold tub, and


in very short time after had completed my
d toilette, and was out in the glorious fresh
!, air. An hours stroll brought me back to the
e window of the breakfast-roOm, which opened
e into the garden, and with the appetite of a
d tiger was on the point of entering, when my
g step was arrested by the sound of Mrs. FOrres
e ter voice tremulous with emotion, exclaiming
s. Say it is not true !-for PHYS sake say it il
is not true II


ii What could this mean? Being of curious
" turn-my conduct may have beeu disgraceful
1T but hereafter hope to stand excused for it


moved into. a position where | could see int
70 the breakfast-roOm without being seen, and hea
ID all that was said. In an arm-c chair by the table
e. her face buried in her hands, and her elbow
E. resting on her knees, Mrs. Forester was rock
in ing herself to and fro in way that showed he
to to be laboring under deep emotion. Close tt
ut her, in strangely cool and insOlent attitude
IS stood the newcomer of last night, stroking hi
i. moustache with his gloved fingers.


ne "Upon my word, my dear Violet" he re
BY piled to her entreaty, with a measured slownes
OF OF speech that made me long to kick him, :"
en- regret to say that it is true-Arthur Bernar
rs is no more dead than | am. Like NorvaP
of father he at the moment feeds his focks
e, not, however, upon the Grampian Hills, but i
in the neighborhood of the good city of Otago.
to But they told me he was dead" almos
y, shrieked. Mrs. FORESTER; " the people VIII
or were with him when he died wrote to me. "
as Wrote to you'll interrupted Murray, wit
by suspicious eagerness. Have you got the lei
nd tcr?'


he "No, I dared not keep it," she replied


"lest it should fall into my husbands hands
Try Listen, she continued, hurriedly, he know
I'd, nothing of the past-nOt even OF my first ma
to riage. have kept itall, everything from hin
.ys For PHYS sake leave this place, whore, saw
len for the thought of that, have been so happ!
at and let him remain in ignorance still. "
ate "Gently, Violet, gently" responded ii
ter man unmoved in the least degree by her al
the peal Firstly, let me observe that, havin
ro- promised myself short stay IN the country,
vas can hardly terminate it so abruptly as you d,
hit, sire me; in the next, as in addition to Il
ew agreeable change of air, have met, quite u
md expectedly, with an old companion for whom
he have been searching ever so many years, al
his to whom / have good deal to say, it would
lis quite impossible to do as you wi sh."
tile She made no response, only kept her Ia
He still buried in her hands as he went on: -
,sc- last, Violet Bernard, the game is in my hand