Year: 1877

CONTINUED.


TT was all over. The irreparable step
1 was taken. The Rubicon of life was
passed. The hour that was just expired
would tinge with its hues every future
moment of his life. He felt that it was
no light thing that he had just done, and
though he was conscious of deep hap
piness, it was no boisterous joy; and it
was not only with ease, but with salts
faction, restrained within the limits of
his own breast, until the Cue time of
disclosure. 1t was a pleasure to feel that
he had secret hoard of happines,
known only to himself, which he might
count over with miser's joy, but none
of a miser's guilt or folly.


One thing however, was remarkable.
The idea of the orderly-book, or of the
ghost, had never once crossed his mind,
after he had found himself hurried on
to tae catastrophe of the interview. He
was sorry that he had not made Helen
the confidante of his troubles, and re-
solved to repair the omission at the first
opportunity. Confidence should not be
kept back first on his side. He rather
rejoiced that he had misfortune, which
she might share with him. Perhaps his
philosophy would not have stood him
in such good stead, had his misfortune
been little greater than it was. But
every thing helps to feed healthy love.
1t is your feeble, rickety brats, that ex-
pire of the first unsavory mess of earthly
pottage.


The mess dinner was over. There had
been some quizzing on the subject of
Miss Clairmont and of the ghost but it
was all evidently at random, and they
had no idea how very near the wind
they were going, on either track. In
gram and his friends kept their own
counsel, and after dinner met by APP
pointment at DR.. Halcombe's quarters,
to finish the plan of their campaign
against the midnight forager of orderly
books. They had, as they had agreed
upon, selected number of picked men,
on whose secrecy and fidelity they could
rely, who were to keep watch and ward,
duly relieved by night and day, without
making any noise about it. So that if
the ghost should return, clothed in his
"vesture of decay" to the scene of his
former operations, he would be pretty
sure to be laid by the heels. The officers
themselves also agreed to mount guard,
by turns, in the captains chamber, so
that it should never be without Sleep
less eye on the lookout. Arrangements
were made that the sentinels and their
officers should rendezvous quietly in the
neighborhood, at small inn, as if by
accident, and the men be shown their
posts of observation without any hustle
to attract notice, John and Orderly Will
liams being left in garrison of the haunt
ed building until it was properly invest
ed. Everything happened at the time
and in the order that it should, and the
arrangements were carried into effect
with military precision. One man walk
ed up and down the street, with injunc-
tions never to lose sight of the front of
the house. The three other sides were
in charge of three other trusty men, so
placed that no approach could be made
to the house on either side without in
slant detection. A guard was also plac-
ed on each floor of the house, on the in
side; although it had been most thor
oughly seached, in advance, in every
corner. 1t seemed as if the Prince OF
the Power of the Air alone, approaching
through his own peculiar principality
could obtain entrance unobserved. And
so they rested on their arms.


In the mean time, the winters sun
made haste to put an end to the short
day, and the time arrived for the great
sleighing party to rendezvous in the
North Square. Captain Ingram grace
full little sleigh, contrasting curiously