upon you-one point in particular.

Others may, nay, must love you, and endeavour to win your love-your parents may approve the suit -you may be pressed-importuned. How will you resist the obligation of becoming faithless to me in one way or other—either by betraying my secret, or consenting to become another's?' "Oh that, never, never!" interrupted Ada, fondly, "and your secret, I never will be so base as to betray, and surely, surely," she added, timidly regarding him, "you would, if it came to such a pass, assist me in my extremity."

Lord Mervyn shook his head.

"Till a certain period, as I told you dearest Ada, that is impossible-without much mischief being the consequence-besides I might be far off at the time; I shall have to be a great deal abroad for the next year or so."

"Then - then!" said Ada, lifting her pale young face to his-with a deep heaved sigh which spoke no light estimate of the trial im

posed upon her "I must be firm-my love must be my strength."

There was deep devotedness expressed in her tone and countenance, against which (though feeling himself, as he could not but do, an unworthy recipient) Lord Mervyn was not proof.

He pressed the fair young creature to his heart with an impulse of genuine affection, and swore eternal fidelity.

The striking of a neighbouring clock now startled them both, and he, of his own accord led her tenderly to the extremity of the gallery -opened for her the door, and finally bade her good night.

Ada glided to her room, found her tired maid dozing in a chair, and having apologized for her long absence with a conscious confusion, which the woman was however too drowsy to ob

serve

"Her graceful limbs she did undress
And lay down in her loveliness,"

but with the feeling of a strange restless

bewilderment, which effectually banished sleep from her eyelids till morning's dawn.

And Lord Mervyn-did he feel more inclined for sleep, after having thus exhausted his irritated feeling by the little interlude in which he had engaged?

No doubt he did, and awoke in the morning with no great weight of responsibility on his heart-though that which was to form henceforth the "whole existence," of the youthful Ada, was to be of his life but "a thing apart❞— a flower cast upon the stream of his career to be drifted as the capricious current of chance or circumstance might direct.

CHAPTER X.

"To-morrow for severer thought, but now
To breakfast, and keep festival to-day."

CROWE.

THE Angelos and most of the other guests were already assembled in the breakfast room when their host joined the party the next morning.

Scarcely had he seated himself, when Ada glided in alone ;-her aunts having preceded her.

"The late Miss Seyton !" playfully exclaimed Lady Mountjoy," why what can have made both you, and his lordship so late this morning?"

Ada, without raising her eyes, smiled nervously,

and availed herself of the place which with attentive alacrity, Mr. Malcolm rose to offer her by his side.

He was a handsome young man, rich and well born.

When the deep blush caused by the confusion of her entrance had subsided, one of her aunts remarked, that" Ada looked very pale to-day.'

دو

Lord Mervyn, who had merely chimed in with the general "good morning!" which had hailed her appearance, lifted up his eyes at this observation, and directed a keen though quiet glance towards Miss Seyton, who was engaged at that moment in helping herself from the sugar basin, handed to her by Mr. Malcolm; who, while gazing on the small hand which tremblingly performed the office, smilingly remarked,

“ No! indeed Miss Seyton, you are evidently not in force this morning."

"Do not think that we have been losing our time whilst waiting for your lordship this morn