He is on his way to London; but as no immediate business takes him there, we may count upon having his company for several weeks. Cousin Will came to pay his respects this evening, and promises to bring his mother to-morrow. He is still a very constant visitor; my father thinks he has a mind for the army, but aunt is in such poor spirits still that he does not like to apply for a commission.

April 5th.-Mistress Kate is as lively as a lark, singing over the house, and never long in one place. Ralph is much more cheerful than when here last time; indeed, no one can be dull with Kate's merry voice and laugh so near. She likes my "stately friend," as she always calls our dear Dorothy; and she will romp and play with Ann Marvel so that the child is almost charmed out of her prejudice against Ralph. After chasing one another round the room this morning, until poor little Mop was angry and excited, they sat down on the floor together before the fire.

"How grave and quiet you sit," said Kate to me, as if you had quite outgrown all nonsense of this kind. You are younger than I am; but I wonder if you ever ran about for the mere enjoyment of going along fast."

"I like fast riding," replied I," as you will see to-morrow."

"Alice used to run about in our garden," said Ann, "when she was a little maiden; so Andrew says."

"Andrew is that the brother that is coming home? I have heard Ralph speak of him."

"Yes; he is the best brother in all the world, is he not, Alice?" said Ann.

"Alice will not be so uncivil as to say 'yes,' in my presence, if, indeed, she thinks so," put in Kate.

"But I know she thinks so, for Andrew is almost as good as her brother, too, and she ought to like him."

"Indeed, Mistress Ann, and why ?" asked Kate, seriously. "Because he likes her, and then he is so learned, and writes the most beautiful letters you ever read."

"What do you say, Alice, to these claims on your affections? asked Kate, rather scornfully.

"

I did wish they would begin another game; but I could not do other than answer that Master Andrew was one of my oldest friends, and, said I, “I think, Kate, you will not be surprised that people like him so much when once you know him."

"Possibly," said Kate; "but our tastes differ in some matters; I don't care much for clever people."

Ann got up quite offended; Andrew is her idol, and one word in his dispraise is enough to wound her deeply. "Good morning, Mistress Katherine," she said, without offering her hand.

But Kate caught hold of her, exclaiming, "Little Ann, you must not be vexed; you forgot that I had a brother, too, and I think him the dearest and handsomest fellow that ever wore lovelocks."

"But his eyes are not half so beautiful as Andrew's; and I don't think Master Ralph can make verses," persisted Ann.

"What matter; there are plenty of poets to make verses. But I see we shall quarrel, little heart, if we talk about our brothers any longer, though I like you for defending Master Andrew."

Kate kissed her and left the room. Ann only stayed to embrace me with unusual warmth, and tell me that she was going to adorn Andrew's room with flowers to-morrow. But even her joy is not so great as mine; mine, which I dare not tell to a living creature, and hardly dare think about except when the night comes, lest I should think of naught else.

April 19.—I have scarce heart to write a line, yet if I write perhaps I shall better understand why my heart grows sadder every day. Andrew is here; I see him daily; he rises and walks with us as he did last year; but between us a chasm seems to have opened that grows wider and wider. He is in good health, I think, and at first was pretty cheerful; but now he is gloomy and silent. Ralph and he have changed characters, for 'tis the former now that takes the lead in converse.

Kate said yesterday that Andrew was certainly pining after some absent fair one. And has he so soon forgotten?

Can it be so ?

Was it only a passing fancy that led him to speak and act as if I held his future happiness in my hand? No, I will not think so meanly of him. Oh, if I must give up my fond hopes, at least let me be spared the agony of thinking him unworthy of honour. Yet why did he seek my love? Why has he so constantly sent to remind me of our friendship if he meant it to die out ere it was one little year old? Am I less worthy now than then? Am I less fair? I have not seen him alone for a single moment since he came, for Kate is always by my side. Perhaps it is well so; but yesterday, lifting my eyes, they met Andrew's. He was looking at me so mournfully that a pang shot through my heart. Is he pitying me? But that thought is too intolerable.

April 24.-This morning I was in the study alone, when Andrew came in. I would have avoided him, but could not, so returned his greeting stiffly enough. We talked of the fineness of the weather, and how Mop had grown since last year, while I was longing to ask a thousand questions. Suddenly Andrew spoke, as if the words were driven out of his lips.

"How long do your guests stay, Alice, and what evil genius sent them here at this time of all others in the year?"

"My father invited them," said I, "and gave no limit to their stay, Master Andrew; but what makes you think ill of them ?"

"How shall I feel kindly to those who have stolen away my friend from me?" he asked bitterly, and so unjustly, when he alone has changed. I coldly answered that he did them and me a wrong to say so, for I held him in the same respect as formerly, and was as much his friend as ever.

"Then you are really unaltered?" asked he.

"Yes; why should you doubt it? But I cannot neglect my

other friends, who showed me such kindness in the winter."

"Well, I must be content to share my privilege with them, I presume." Andrew ceased speaking, for the door opened, and the breach is still unhealed. It is not maidenly to confess more than I have done, unless he openly asks for more. Father inquired yesterday if I knew what had come over his old favourite, and if I thought he read too closely; but he is quite as much a mystery to myself.

CHAPTER XIII.—" MEMOR ET FIDELIS."

"Let us roll all our strength and all

Our sweetness up into one ball."-MARVEL.

The mysterious behaviour of Master Andrew Marvel would have been explained to Alice, if she could have known what passed in his room at Trinity College, three days before his return to Hull.

Marvel's study was much richer in books than in furniture, and plainly revealed that its owner was a student whose purse was a light one. But his bright spirit made the bare little study a favourite resort of the Cambridge wits of his day, and the men of his own and other colleges knew that there was no poverty of heart on intellect.

On the morning of the day mentioned, Marvel sat in his study, his table strewn with books and papers, and before him lay a large volume, written in some foreign tongue. It was one of those hours when his companions knew that they would find no welcome; but Master Francis Maye, presuming upon their long intimacy, had broken in upon Marvel's studies, and was now lounging in one of his high-backed chairs, detailing the latest pieces of news.

"I had a visitor last night, Andrew-my cousin, Lawrence Wharton."

"Ah! what Wharton, of Beverley?" replied Andrew, indifferently.

"Yes, he has been spending Christmas at Winestead Hall. They were snowed up for several days."

Andrew listened eagerly now.

"However, Lawrence says they managed to pass the time. Old Sir Guy is such a pleasant host, and his granddaughter, Mistress Katherine, will not let dullness abide in her company. And, now I think, Marvel, Lawrence spoke of some friends of yours from Hull, who were guests there also, Colonel and Sir William Lister, and Mistress Alice, the Colonel's daughter. You never told me what a lovely little piece of womankind she is.”

"Did I not?" said Andrew, who seemed very intent on making a good copy of one of the crabbed characters before him. "It is so difficult to describe some kind of beauty, and Mistress Alice's fair face is her smallest attraction."

"It has been conspicuous enough for Wharton to perceive, and her face or something else has entirely bewitched Ralph Hildyard, and proud Mistress Kate warmly approves his suit. Wharton says he has cause for complaint against the lady, for they always thought that this same Ralph Hildyard would ask the hand of his sister, Johanna. Do you know my cousin Johanna, the golden-haired ?" "I have never seen her," replied Andrew.

"She is a great heiress. I am not sorry for her, because she is so vain, and of a most unpleasant temper. It will be a good alliance for the Colonel's daughter; the Hildyards have a noble estate, and a noble ancestry also."

"Does the lady encourage Master Hildyard?" asked Andrew, in spite of himself.

"I should think so, else Wharton would not have felt so aggrieved. But I see, Marvel, you are tired of my gossip, and would fain be at your books again." And Maye sauntered out in search of livelier society.

was.

It is true Andrew wished to bealone, but only that he might think over Maye's unpleasant information, and ask himself if there was real cause for jealousy. In his humility he said that there Alice was not bound to him, and had he, a poor student, any right to take advantage of their old friendship to win her affections, and link her to his lowly fortunes? But had he not already gone too far? He was inwardly glad to think that he could not now draw back without dishonour. If Alice loved him, then Ralph, with all his advantages, would sue in vain; but if he had mistaken friendship for feelings of a tenderer nature, and she was inclined to look on the future baronet with favour, he would never stand between her and a wealthy alliance, cost him what it might.

With a heart divided between hope and fear, Marvel left Cambridge for Hull, and took possession of the room that his devoted sister Ann had prepared with such glee; but Ann clouded her welcome by informing Andrew of the visitors of Colonel Lister's. That was a trial he had not anticipated; and with more fear than hope

he set out next day to call upon his friends. The Colonel met him with all his former cordiality; Ralph was more friendly than usual; Kate, curious and anxious, was formal in her greeting; while Alice, who had so longed for this time, fearful of betraying her eagerness, and remembering two or three of Ralph's speeches, was so constrained in manner as to persuade Andrew that his worst apprehensions were true. His own warm feelings froze up, and this state of mutual misunderstanding continued for several weeks, the distance daily widening between them, to Ralph's secret satisfaction. Whether by accident or design, Alice rarely saw her old friend alone; but one day Ann Marvel, more fortunate than her brother, met her coming out of Master Crowle's from paying Dolly a visit, and walked home with her. Ann's affectionate eyes had speedily seen that something was wrong. Her beloved Andrew was often gloomy and sad; he did not play with her, or seem to take the same interest in her pursuits. Without asking him a question, she set herself to find out the reason for this change, and the first words she heard her brother and Alice exchange explained the riddle; she directly decided that Ralph and Kate were in some way to blame, and her dislike to the former revived with interest.

66 Alice," said Ann, dashing at once into the subject that occupied her thoughts, "why won't you have Andrew for your brother now; has he done anything to vex you ?"

"No, child; what makes you ask such a question ? "

"Why," said Ann, "you don't talk to him as you did last summer. I know Andrew thinks you don't care for him, for--" "What makes you say so, Ann?"

"When I asked him this morning if he wasn't coming to your house, he said he did not think anyone wanted him there. Wasn't that wrong?

"Of course it was, child," replied Alice, who began to have a glimmering of the truth.

"He is so silent nowadays, Alice," continued Ann, growing more confidential; "and you know how he used to talk, and say the drollest things. Mistress Katherine will think I did not speak true when I told her he was so entertaining; she has never seen him in his blithest moods. I had so counted on this time, and it is not half so joyful as I expected."

"Poor little Ann!" said Alice. "I wish I could make things brighter, but I don't know how. Master Andrew has not told me his troubles; and as I am not his real sister I cannot ask him." "Will they stay long?" asked Ann.

"Who, our friends? I cannot tell. Kate has not talked of returning yet. You must not be jealous of Kate, dear Ann; she won't take any love from you."