Mary Aluph, let alone such a sinful devotee as myself. That is his second wife-a brewer's daughter. How could you suppose that she was the mother of Helen?"

Sid would not have said so when younger, for he once had the same impression, and was not sorry when he discovered the absence of consanguinity.

"I beg your goddess's pardon. But how was I to suppose differently?"

"Helen-Miss Blanchard—has had a lot to put up with from Mrs. Blanchard; but her sweetness has conquered the spiteful old woman."

"What makes you so spiteful?"

"Well, I suppose it's the fact that, if it hadn't been for her dirty, sticky money, I might have had a chance with Helen. Before she married Mr. Blanchard he was intensely respectable, but not rich, and might have been satisfied with a second son for a son-in-law; but now he flies higher."

“I fancy the first-born is smitten with this love plague." "Who? Heb? Yes, I'm afraid so, and that it is reciprocated. Yet why afraid? It can mean nothing to me. And yet I don't think the governor would be best pleased at such a result. He has some notions of family dignity, and Mr. Blanchard might object if he knows everything. She is staying here for week. I think I shall bolt to-morrow."

No, don't—he who loves and runs away-you can supply the rest."

"Yes, but he who is in the engagement slain, never lives to love again-Not, however, that, under any circumstances, I ever shall."

66

Oh no, of course not. But if you go, I shall have to go, unless you want me turned into an icicle by Herbert, and I want to make love to her myself, of course, permissu superiorum."

if

"Don't speak like that of her, Phil, I'm sure you would'nt you knew-"

Oh thou stupid, venerable gosling. Oh thou of little faith, less hope, and charity infinitesimal. Now just tell me, is'nt this love turning you a little bit selfish?"

“Ah, well, we'll speak no more of such matters,” adding, however, with some little inconsistency, "You heard her sing Fanciulle? I like a woman with a contralto voice."

"That's evident; should you like her without? Why you old humbug. I remember you saying that if circumstances ever compelled you to marry, you would select a deaf-mute." "Did I? Ah, Mores mutantur nos et—”

"But its cruel to drag up these things in testimony against

you." Here followed a short pause, after which Phil enquired, "Is Lord Hyndlip engaged to your sister?"

Hyndlip! I should hope not. He's not unamiable, but he's a little stupid, impoverished, unprincipled-"

66

Lord, and a title's worth something.

Now confess,

should'nt you like title to offer-for instance, to Miss Blanchard?"

She deserves all the honours with which a man can endow her, but I don't think she would care for such things.'

"For the very sufficient reason," said Phil with a grin, “her most devoted slave don't possess them. Still, as you say, I don't think she would care for such matters, unless they represented an actual achievement by the possessor."

Oh, that's it. How in these days can one achieve anything? What can I do? I can't mount my steed as a paladin, and win fame at the point of my spear.' "Out of the question. Can't you write a book-or invent a pill?"

My faith in the swallowing capacity of the public would have to be great in either case. What do you do when you

want money?'

"Go to the gov'nor," said Phil sententiously. “If he's in a good humour I get it, if he isn't I have to wait."

"But suppose it were the case that the gov'nor didn't happen to have any?"

"Oh, I should beg, borrow, steal, or—what is a bit of all three-marry it."

"Ah," said Sid thoughtfully, "I suppose that is what the world would say."

'Oh hang the world," said Phil, energetically. “How would you like it yourself?"

Sid replied lugubriously, "To beg I am unable, to borrow I should be ashamed, and to steal

"Would be inconvenient," suggested Phil.

"And to marry it, I haven't the chance."

"Should you accept it if you had?"

I don't know, I don't know, really. There might be considerations; but it would'nt be pleasant."

"Well, in that case the matter is different. Mr. Blanchard does not seem much annoyed. He's a decent sort of cove, rather wise in his own conceit. Here's an idea," said Phil, with much dramatic motion, "for you. Go unto him and say, 'Blanchard, thou didst marry money, and took an uncomely woman with it. I do desire to imitate thee in the first of those things. I would marry money and a deucedly handsome girl with it. Old man, give me thy daughter to wife.

The logic of the situation would be so perfect that the old gentleman would weep copious tears, and, blessing you, would straightway retire, and on the largest piece of parchment that

"Phil, old fellow, don't go on like that. You mistake me. I wish before heaven that Helen was as poor as Griselda. You don't——__”

"Yes, I do, old man. I understand you perfectly, but I'm not going to humour your morbid fancies, and I don't want to lose my chief woman-hating pupil all at once. If I can't do anything to help you to her, at least I can help you to forget her."

"Forget her!" and here Sid laughed a low scornful laugh. "Yes, forget her. By your own admission the attachment, even if it were mutual, which doth not yet appear, is hopeless. That you are worthy of her I do not doubt-my only doubts are the other way. You know our theory-my theory-was that any man was good enough for any woman; of course, that's in the abstract. If I loved-much virtue in 'if'-I would call for my war-horse, clap her behind me, and ride away to Camelot or Gretna Green, or else gallop away by myself in search of some other dryad in fresh woods and pastures

new."

"Some other dryad! Ah," said Sid, in a voice of infinite pity, "yon don't understand these things yet."

Oh, don't I? All right, my sage. I might be able to surprise you on that point; and some day, when we have grown grey of head and dim of eye, we will give each other the chance of laughing at the amorous croup, the inevitable rubeola of love, and how we both came through it. Come, we'll be up early, and have a thirty-mile trot to shake off this weak wanton Cupid."

"I don't think I shall ride again-just yet," said Sid. "Oh, mercy on us! What, my bold horseman, is the black care you fear?'

"Well, I shall sell Spinaway, and I may as well get used to walking. I'm getting too heavy for him. It is not pleasant to make a confession of poverty to our best friends. Psha! why need I disguise a fact which may soon be patent enough? Fact is, we can't afford it. You may as well know all about it, or as much as I know, which is simply this-that the governor, with one thing or another, finds himself deeply dipped. It's clear I've very little to expect from him. I don't mind that so much, but I wish it hadn't been so suddenly discovered. The place, I learn, is mortgaged three deep, and so I intend to set an example of retrenchment. You see my

chance of success with Mr. Blanchard. I know you'll think no worse of me, but it won't be nice to go back to Oxford, as I must."

"Good gracious!" ejaculated Phil. "Why, I've been hoping for as much."

Hoping? Why?"

Oh, for many reasons, one of which is that you will do much better on your own resources. Now, I myself am in a similar state of delightful uncertainty as to whether, in the first place, the pater will leave me anything, and in the second, whether he will have anything to bequeath. Not that I want it. Like unto the gods are those that have the fewest wants. Observe a deity," said Phil, throwing open his coat. "Not that I wish to be understood to utter a word in disparagement of money, for which I have a high respect as a motive power. My father has stinted me in nothing, at least in matters educational, his chief desire being to make a 'reg'lar gentleman of me. I am afraid he has in a sense failed there; but at all events, he is so far satisfied, and is occasionally pleased to so express himself, his affection, however, seeming to decrease inversely to his swelling admiration at my academical accomplishments. He makes plenty of money no doubt, has worked hard and with what might perhaps, not unjustly be called, a genius for finance. A little betting and gambling, relieved by occasional walking tours or expeditions-heaven knows where-are his only recreations, and such as they are he has certainly earned a right to them. Moreover, he has a newspaper, and although it is more than doubtful whether the old gentleman ever reads a line of it, he is extremely proud of the property, but whether he makes or loses a thousand a year by it, would puzzle anyone to discover who has not mastered his original system of accounts. My mother I scarcely remember. She was the daughter of a clergyman, and how she came to marry my other respected parent is one of those marital mysteries which confront us every day. It was in consequence of a promise made to her that the pater will not hear of me taking to any trade or business; so you see I am in as evil case. The uncertainty of my future position used to worry me at one time, but I have, I think, enough in my head to hammer-out a living in some way if the worst befalls me, so I possess my soul with patience."

"That is not a pleasant position," admitted Sid.

"It is not in one way, because I have to neglect chances offered to me from time to time, but I am becoming accustomed to it and I don't think it's altogether a bad thing for

me.

Your position is somewhat the same, except that you

are less fettered and have social advantages far above mine.

What do you intend to do?"

"That is the point."

"You've no taste for physic?"

"Aux chiens."

"The Bar? That, I suppose will be my métier ?"

"I shouldn't mind that, but how long would my clerk have to carry a briefless bag? How long would it be before I could decently keep myself, let alone"

'Ah, still harping on my daughter. What about the church?"

"You know my opinions on that point. My father has clearly hinted that he would like me to adopt that profession. I am not a religious man as you know, in the usual sense of the word, at all events, but how could I assume an office to teach a form of faith, of the perfect acceptability of which I am not altogether convinced."

"Ah, the form is not generally considered important. Do you suppose that the Bishop who ordained Mr. Day had any clear notion of the form of his faith?"

"But I am not Mr. Day, who indeed has a justification which I hope I should have no right to claim. I want a good profession which will bring me in a good income at the start." "So do a great many people, but we must speak of this some other time, I am going to turn in."

'Ah, there was another thing I was going to speak to you about. A perplexity. That will do, however, to-morrow. Are you going to the church-opening? I'm going for a walk." "I promised the Lady Pen to go," said Phil simply.

"Oh, Pen won't mind," observed the brother.

Oh, no, of course not, but I want to see the local swells." "Well, if you see Bessie Saunders, just notice"Who?" asked Phil.

"Never mind, I'll see about it. If you're up betimes you can have a dip, or should you prefer to practise the gentle art, there are a lot of pike there eating their heads off. The occupation has lost all savour to me. Addio."

CHAPTER VI.

ST. MARY ALUPH.

THE parish church of Hunstead-cum-Maberton was known to those curious in such matters as a building dedicated to St.