Major presented his arm. "Oh! now, Major, I hope you're not going to the door without your hat, and at this time of night! Now, it will make me perfectly wretched-Pray now, Major—aunt -cousin-Mr Larkins-for Heaven's sake-"

Mrs Waddell was getting hysterical, and the poor Major withdrawing his offered aid, Mr Larkins advanced.

"And, oh! put on your hat!" sighed Miss Lilly, in imitation, as he boldly presented his brush head to the evening air.

"How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank! Here will we sit, and let the sounds of music Creep in our ears

spouted Mr Augustus, as he handed the ladies into the carriage. They bowed, and drove off.

CHAPTER XV.

On s'ennuie très bien ici.

VOLTAIRE.

But the present order of things could not long endure. Mrs St Clair grew impatient under the secret sense of her sisters' superiority, and weary of their simple uniform style of living. Her habits were luxurious-her mind was joyless. Gertrude, too, in all the restlessness of suspense, longed to return to Rossville. She would there hear her lover's name mentioned-she would be amidst the scenes with which his image was associated—and there would be enjoyment even in these shadowy fantastic pleasures. While such were the feelings of the mother and daughter, Lord Rossville felt no less impatient for the return of his niece-not for the charms and graces of her society, but because she was a being subject to his management and

control. True, this act of rebellion might have staggered his faith as to the extent of his dominion; but he flattered himself that was a sort of thunder-cloud, which, by the wise and vigorous measures he had adopted, must already have passed away. Besides, Gertrude's prolonged absence would have an appearance in the eyes of the world-suspicions might arise-things might be said. Even in the bustle of electioneering, Mr Delmour had remarked upon the impropriety of Miss St Clair being allowed to reside so long in a paltry provincial town, and associating with people who might be very good in their way, but were not quite suited to her station, or such as he would wish his wife to be intimate with. On the other hand, Mrs St Clair, in the course of her correspondence with the Earl, had taken care to insinuate, that such was Mr Adam Ramsay's partiality for her daughter, it was more than probable he would make a point of her residing entirely with him, unless she were speedily recalled to his Lordship's protection. The visit to Bloom-Park strengthened this insinuation, and decided him as to the necessity of immediately recalling his niece.

A most laborious and long-winded letter was

therefore penned to Miss St Clair, in which, while he deprecated the idea of ever taking her into his favour, until she had renounced the error of her ways, he, at the same time, announced his intention of receiving her again under his roof, in the confident hope that she would ere long perceive the absolute necessity, and imperious duty, she was under of acceding to his long-projected, thoroughly-digested, and firmly-determined-upon plan for her ultimate disposal. His Lordship next proceeded to state, that he had consulted the most eminent counsel as to the deeds of entail, and that three of them were of opinion, that the whole of the property could and might be most effectively alienated, disponed, and otherwise disposed of, to the utter exclusion of Miss St Clair, as heiress-at-law. Such being the case, it was his firm intention, and absolute purpose, to act upon this opinion, by executing a new deed of entail within three months from the present date, unless, before the expiry of that period, Miss St Clair should think proper to accede to his plan, and pursue the course he had pointed out to her.Such was the substance of a letter filling nearly seven pages of closely-written paper.

"I am sorry-very sorry," said Gertrude, with a sigh, as she finished reading it, "for the trouble and vexation I am causing Lord Rossville; and perhaps it were better that I should never return to Rossville again, than that I should go there only to make him cherish hopes which can never be realized.-I never can act as he would have me-I never can change my sentiments."

"You can at least keep your sentiments to yourself, considering how much is at stake on their account," said her mother, with asperity; "and, indeed, setting everything else out of the question, I think delicacy alone demands that much of you;-at least, I should be cautious how I expressed an attachment, which, to all арpearance, is no longer-if indeed it ever was-reciprocal."

"Even were it so," replied her daughter, making an effort to repress her emotion, while her faltering voice betrayed the anguish of such a supposition" deceived I may be myself, but I never will deceive others-let, then, Lord Rossville know, that, if I return to his house, I return unchanged-unchangeable."