dear, that Sir John will allow you to become my inmate for as long a time as the Abbey does not appear too dull to you?-I will write, and express to him how much it would gratify my family to have you among them."

A welcome intimation to Janetta, to whom, of late, almost every one had seemed unkind; and her gratitude was too genuine not to be apparent.

"Or I will get my brother Reuben, who dines here to-day, to speak to him," added the Duchess'; "for I have set my heart on showing you our old-fashioned household and habits."

Punctual to a moment,--for not a church-bell, or prompter's-bell, or saddling-bell was eyer more correctly rung than the dressing-bell of Reuben Howard, arrived the Negociator General. But, being as great an economist of powder and shot as of time, he would not hear of taking aim at game so out of range as the heiress of Lynchcombe. No false starts for Reuben.

"Why trouble yourself about this girl?" said he. "If 'tis for Harmondswyke, take my word

for it, he will never marry,—unless a Salamander, or one of Arnott's stoves. Fred. has other engagements: his book is made.-As to the younger ones, that circumspect father of hers would never be induced to pay their debts in exchange for a title of courtesy. And think of having to drive a bargain with such a man as Wraysbury; and of the chance of being refused by that obscure vulgarian.-Besides, he has at least thirty years' life in him :—the odds are too long."

And lo! the motion for Netta's visit to the Abbey was negatived without a division.

Another wound to the pride of the poor heiress, when she found that the Duchess of Groby had quitted town for the season, without fulfilling her promise. She had no further resource against a long autumn at Lynchcombe with Hilda and her mother; aggravated by the chance of encountering the indignant face of a Grandison every time she ventured beyond her gates!

VOL. II.

M

CHAPTER X.

WHILE all this rumpling of the rose-leaf disturbed the luxurious couches of Carltonia, Denny Cross was thankfully enjoying its spring sunshine and summer shade. Following the wisdom of Merck, that "it is better to try and elevate the positive, than attempt to realise the ideal," Hugh Pennington and his wife were extracting more happiness out of their old homestead than Sir John Woolston Wraysbury was ever likely to find in Lynchcombe and its demesne.

For Hugh was a straight-forward man, who

argued that every one had his day's duties allotted to him; and that he who fully performed them, did his best towards maintaining the order of the universe.-According to his practical views of life, the young must struggle, -the old must die;-and when summoned to Havermead by his sister, to lay their father's grey head in the grave, having fulfilled with dutiful respect the functions of chief mourner, he would have thought it an offence to the Almighty to pretend deep affliction for the closing of a life so unusually protracted :—more especially after just receiving dispatches from his Australian brothers, which announced that the young branches of the banyan tree had taken root, and were becoming flourishing plants in their turn. Instead of weeping over an event that had arrived in the fulness of time, he busied himself in the improvement of his farm,—an inheritance by so many descents, to be transmitted, he hoped, to remote inheritors of his race;-child or brother, it scarcely mattered which.

He did not think too much of himself, or

He

insist too strongly on his personal claims to enjoyment. He regretted the loss of Bessy; but Bessy had now a happier home. regretted the loss of Lord Dinton; but Dinton had now a happier home. a happier home. What obstacle was there then, to his satisfaction at finding his slippers aired for him by the fireside,—and his tea and newspaper waiting his return from seeing that "the sheep were in the fauld and the kye at hame;" -with a sunny face smiling at him from the opposite arm chair, and a cheery voice ready to say, "Yes, dear," to every stupid sentence that he uttered?

The new Mrs. Pennington, a chubby, goodhumoured soul, who could have reckoned, offhand, the number of chickens in her poultry yard, and of eggs daily produceable (bantams included,) saw things from the same simple point of view as her husband. Around her world, there existed no deceptious refracting atmosphere. The contented couple knew what