companions, -the same group of well-drilled attendants. But oh! what starvation, what cold, what hunger, what misery, in that poor

young heart; what helplessness in her nerveless frame !

So long was the rich repast prolonged, that ere they rose from table, the sense of her wretchedness came as strongly upon her as when moved, by suddenly learning her father's safety after his wound; and she was on the point of fainting. Even Sir John, who had been ruminating over his disgust at the flippancy of his niece, the intrusiveness of the whiskered foreigner, and the superciliousness of Lord Frederick Hill, was struck by her paleness.

"You have overtired yourself this morning, Netta," said he.—“ Riding, which agreed with you so well in the country, does not seem to suit you in town. You must give it up, my dear. To-morrow, you had better try the barouche."

As they passed out of the room, he took

her hand and pressed it kindly :-a considerable demonstration for his unloving nature. But if so much touched by the idea that his daughter was over-fatigued, what would he have felt and done had he known the truth!

On reaching the vestibule, where the gas had just been lighted, and all was bright as day, Miss Wraysbury's indisposition became manifest to her cousin; and by a natural movement, at other moments always welcome, Hilda extended her arm to clasp the waist of her companion, that they might ascend the stairs together. And though the poor girl felt as if enclasped in the coil of a serpent, she was forced to submit. She could not in her own house fling off the guest, the poor relation, -the stranger within her gates!

CHAPTER VI.

THE last thought of poor Netta, as she laid her throbbing head upon her pillow, and the first when she opened her eyes the following morning, was how to dispose of her day without collision with Hilda, yet without so avoiding her as to give offence. For she was resolved that the explanation between them should not at present be pursued. She did not wish to learn the worst. She had not courage to step forward and gaze into the bottom of the abyss. Perhaps she might discover that she was a dupe as well as a victim ;-that her softness had

been laughed at as well as practised on. No, she would have no more téte-à-tétes with Hilda

Wroughton.

The lessons of music, painting, and language which she shared with her cousin, though in a few instances adopted for improvement's sake, had been chiefly undertaken as a plea for her father to relieve Mrs. Wroughton from the heavy expense of her daughter's education. She had, therefore, no scruple about leaving her cousin to the solitary enjoyment of Signor Ignatio's lesson; and to dispose of her own morning, her choice lay between Piccadilly and Bruton Street, where her company was ever welcome. Hitherto, she had felt hurt that her general invitation to both houses was not extended to the Wroughtons. But what a relief now, to feel that she commanded a retreat inaccessible to the treacherous Edgar's scornful love!

Her leaning was towards the quiet household of the Dowager.-Those two gentle sisters-in

law of dear Aunt Bessy, who were such comfortable companions in times of sorrow, seemed to regard her with the same indulgent kindness conceded to her by their lost brother. Second thoughts, however, determined her to order the carriage to the more brilliant mansion, so much less suitable to her aching head and heart, where she was nearly certain of meeting Edgar. She wanted to see him again. She wanted to ascertain, not from the vauntings of her rival but by her own instincts, whether she had been self-deceived, or the object of deception. single interview would enable her to determine. whether he had been wilfully trifling with her affections, or whether her own weakness had misinterpreted mere cousinly kindness and good

will.

A

Merry laughter saluted her ears as the doors of the inner drawing-room were thrown open to announce her : so merry, that she almost wished to retreat again.-For though her visit

was too early to have been paid in London, at