liberal; if it raised him in his own esteem to exert himself for others he would do so; but such instances were of rare occurrence, while the more direct incentives of vanity or personal comfort were continually in action. Louis Darville, as well in the trifles of every passing hour as in the weightiest events of a lifetime, was possessed by one ruling spirit, one evil spirit, and that was "self."

This devil had once been almost cast out. Victor's unexpected kindness at the moment of his greatest embarrassment had touched his heart, and made him resolve to be very careful for the future to do nothing which might in any way annoy or be injurious to his brother. His brother, in fact, was to be his mentor, his model, and his first care in everything. He had been quite sincere in that determination; but the impression had soon faded away. The devil had entered into him again, and he had for the second time risked honour, truth, his brother's dearest interests and his own, in reliance upon his own wisdom, and with a view to his own advantage.

Now again he was ashamed of himself, and penitent; now again he had resolved that if he could but tide over the present difficulty he would devote himself freely and unreservedly to business, and recompense his brother. There was to be a meeting of the Sandy Frith Company in a week's time, and then he should know the best or the worst of his position. If he could only have a chance of getting straight once more, he would never go wrong again-of that he was resolved; and in any case he would do everything in his power to release his brother from all share in the consequences of his own default. Whatever might be his own lot, Victor should not suffer for him, or with him-not, at least, if he could help it. It remained to be seen whether he could help it or not.

CHAPTER XLV.

A COMPROMISE.

He told him forth the good red gold,
He told it forth with muckle din;
"The gold is thine, the land is mine,

And now I'm again the Lord of Linne."

Old Ballad.

R. STRAFFORD had many consultations with his solicitor, Mr. Trimmer, before they could come to a decision as to the steps which should be taken "re Dean and Chaffin." The only thing that Mr. Trimmer seemed to be sure about was that the case was "worth trying." The issue, to be sure, would be very doubtful; it would depend upon the view taken of the testator's intentions. Unfortunately the will was not very carefully worded; it had been modelled upon a previous will of the testator's father, and had not been drawn up by a professional man. It was such a pity, Mr. Trimmer said, that people would make their own wills. Mr. Chaffin would no doubt spare no cost to maintain what he conceived to be his rights; but it need not be a very expensive affair; if Mr. Strafford were willing to go on with it, Mr. Trimmer would do his best to carry him through: and he could only say, as he had said before, that it was worth trying.

Mr. Strafford was not afraid of the expense. Tom had begged him to do what he could for Mr. Dean, and had told him of his own encounter with young Chaffin, to which possibly the contractor's oppressive conduct in the matter of the shipyard and house might be indirectly attributed. It was sufficient, at all events, to enlist the old squire's sympathies on Dean's side, and against Chaffin, more strongly than before; and he was

tare means untried to see Tom's friend fitted Aaar hand he did not wish for Tom's friend to be Tags proclaimed to all the world as most the matter were taken into court. He did not Stag the honest shipwright compelled, under e-tam, kas kainantess how, in a state of inebriety, be Yo York at a birthright, and turned his aged mother oct

Aux in hud The man had pledged himself to shrink A lligams be necessary, and he knew that he wild zus R das be wanted to spare him the shame and Camera & bong bullied by counsel in open court after he hand rejoined so try of his fault, and had fortified himself Syd and late abstinence ever since against a repetition of the end which had led to it. He proposed, therefore, to make an appeal to Mr. Chau, in the first instance, and to see whether the busiess could not be settled by an amicable altangement

Mr. Trimmer did not expect for a moment that anything could come of it; but said of this also that it was "worth trying" and agreed to accompany Mr. Strafford to the contractor's office to make the experiment.

"We had better have Dean up, in order that if anything should come of it, we may strike while the iron is hot," said the lawyer. "Nothing like fixing a man when you have got him. I don't think we shall catch Mr. Chaffin; but Dean must come up and be at hand.”

Dean was sent for accordingly, and went with Mr. Strafford and the solicitor to wait on Mr. Chaffin by appointment. He seemed surprised when Mr. Trimmer, who had sent in his own. name only, introduced his clients.

"If I had known," he said, "what was to be the nature of your business, I would have referred you to my solicitor. It is useless for us to go into it. I have told Mr. Dean repeatedly

that I can't entertain his proposal. It is only wasting your time and mine to talk about it."

"We are not come to you professionally, Mr. Chaffin," said Trimmer. "I have a strong opinion of my own, of course, as to the merits of the case, but I do not intend to trouble you with that. We want to avoid trouble and expense and legal proceedings."

"I am not particular about the expense," said Chaffin, “and the law is on my side."

"It is impossible to say on which side the law is until the case has been tried, and I am quite of opinion that it is worth trying. I shall not tell you what I think about it, but your conveyance, I feel sure, will not hold water. A Court of Chancery would set it aside; but I shall say nothing about that. Mrs. Dean, the widow, has a lien upon the property, as the will clearly shows; but I won't refer to that. You would lose your purchase and your money too if you were to go into court; but that I won't touch upon. Our object is, as I said before, to come to a friendly understanding."

"You mean to say, then," said Chaffin, "that your client here has sold me what was not his to sell?"

Inadvertently, my dear sir: inadvertently."

"A man who sells what does not belong to him would hardly like, I should think, to stand up in court and say what he has done."

"Inadvertently, Mr. Chaffin; by mistake and for want of a proper understanding."

"Why could he not understand?"

"You know why, Mr. Chaffin," said Dean, stoutly; "you know as well as any man."

"I don't," said Chaffin; "it's not my place to know. I only know that I have your conveyances written down-in black and white."

ell you then," said Dean; "I was fuddled. I had been Deck?g week after week, more shame for me. I was half xxx when I signed the agreement."

is is your plea Is that what you are going into court

I dont envy you. I never was intoxicated in my life, and could not To any one to say I was; much less to publish A la veule with my own lips."

*ha is 10 our plea," said Mr. Trimmer, interrupting his Gets, who was about to reply; "but if it were, I assure you we should not shenk from the consequences."

Rat is not our plea. Our plea is that Dean had no power to wil is property.”

* a mait sells what is not his own, he must take the consequences What do they call such fellows at the Old Bailey?"

Dad what do they call a man who buys under such circumstances, Tnowing all about it?" Dean interrupted.

"Never mind that," said the contractor. "I am all right. I am not afraid about myself; but you would cut a poor figure in a court of justice,"

"I know it," said Dean; “but I mean to stand there all the samo. I shall tell the truth word for word, from beginning to end; yes, sir, I will if I never look an honest man in the face agant."

"There is no accounting for tastes," said Chaffin; "but what is the object of all this? I am busy; always am; I can't spare time for idle talk.”

"We want you to take a friendly view of the case,” said Mr. Trimmer; "to make a compromise."

"I wish I had never seen the property," said Chaffin; "but now I have got it I shall keep it."

"It will never do you any good, you may be sure," said Trimmer; "it was a bad investment."