Year: 1873

lily, who, since our first coming, had
shswn us much kindness. Their name
was Beresford, and they consisted OF
a father and mother, and one son who
was at college. They were wealthy
people, with good deal of property
in the county. When we first knew
them had not been without suspic-
ion-I almost think it was hope
that Arthur Beresford and my Fortune
might one day fall in love with one
another; but il was not to be, for as
they grew up, l saw that there was no
thought of more than common
friendly love between them; and, in
deed, boys of and-twenty are gen
orally occupied with other things than
falling in love, and girls of seventeen,
think, generally suppose that one
and-twenty is too young for them TO
have anything to do with, rs no doubt
1t very often is. SO they remained
| good friends, and nothing more.


remember well Arthur Beresford's
return from college two or three months
before he came of age. and how, on
the day aitcr-a bright June morning
it was-hc burst into our drawing
room, with the gay exclamation, Here
| am, Aunt Dinah, and free for the
next four months = and coming up TO
me. took both my hands in his, and
looked SO gay, and SO happy, and 50
handsome, that it did me good only to
look at him. He was in very high
spirits indeed, for not only had he
| gained his freedom as he called it, but
he hal succeeded in bringing back
with him his cousin, Ncvill Erling ton
fellow and tutor ut Oxford, who had
done him, so he said, such services
during his career there. that hsd it not
been for him he should never have been
the happy fellow he was there, which,
whether it was as true as he thought it
or not, 1 liked the boy for saying and
thinking


And one or two days afterwards,
Nevill Erlington came with Mr.. Beres-
ford and Arthur to call on Us. lie was
six or seven years older than Arthur,
and neither so lively nor so handsome.
but he had a firm, broad, thoughtful
brow and deep lustrous eyes, and a
voice SO deep, and rich. and soft, that
II was like the sound OF music 10 hear
him speak. l Iked MN from the nrst
we all dId-and it was not long be-
fore he became an almost daily visitor
at our house, coming sometimes alone,
on the cXcusc-I knew it was but an
excuse-of bringing Us books, or news,
or some such thing, but more often
with one other of the Beresfords. In
deed, after q little ti,uc, | know that !. .
for one, fell quite into habit of miss
ing him if ever day passed without
his coming, for his quiet, gentle pres
ence had in it great charm TO me,
and he hsl fallen 50 kindly and natu-
rally into my ways, that had felt, al
most from the first dav, that he was
not stranger but friend.


Nor was the only one who watched
for his daily visits, or felt lonely when
he did not come. My dear child sell
dom spoke much of him when he was
away even when lie was with us she
was often very quiet, but knew soon
that in both their hearts a deep, true
love was growing up, and that my lar-
ling would one day be Nevills wife.
And he deserved her, and she him.
llinld as she was now. | knew that it
would not always he so: : | knew that.
presently, when all was understood be-
tween them, her present reserve would
pass away, and my Fortune, as she
really was, with her bright, sunny gai-
ETY., with her graceful hoping woman's
nature, with her deeply-loying, faith
iilumlne and to brighten his whole life
Such happy days those were while
these two young hearts were drawing
to each other-happy to them and me,
though over my joy there was still one
little cloud.


Mr.. and Mrs. Beresford were the on
ly persons amongst our new friends to
whom had told my Fortunes story.
did not feel that it was thing l
needed to tell to every one but now
was anxious that Nevill should know
it, and felt uneasy as day after day
passed, and kept him still in igno-
rance. But indeed 1 was perplexed
what TO do, for he and l were almost
never alone, and in the state in which
matters were yet between him and For
tune, it would have been premature
and even indelicate to ask Mrs. Beres-
ford to interfere. There was only one
opportunity had for speaking to him,
and that l lost. remember that day
well. My father and Fortune had gone
after dinner to my sister Kate's, ex-
pecting to be back in an hour, and
when the hour had nearly elapsed New.
i'll came in alone. bringing a request
that they would return with him to
spend the evening at the Beresfords.
| thought they would soon be in, so he
willingly agreed to wait; and sitting