Then you will speak to me, Mildred ?' 'To be sure-and why not?' She paused a moment, and then added, looking full in his face,

'I know all about that affair, Richard, but I am sure you are ashamed and sorry. I cannot give up an old friend for that, whatever you may do. Now come to our house again, and don't be too proud to reform.'

I will not be too proud, Mildred,' said Richard, suddenly. I will come—if I may,' he added, more cautiously, as Mrs. Erle joined her daughter.

You

'You had better come and explain matters at home, Mr. Richard,' said Mrs. Erle, 'the street is too public. My dear Mildred, you quite forget how old and tall you are growing. will see Mr. Richard at home soon, I dare say.' 'Thank you, ma'am,' answered Richard, taking off his hat. Mister Richard!' said he to himself, all his old fiery pride returning, and preventing him from discerning the mother's annoyance at Mildred's breach of public propriety, in what he believed studied coldness to himself. He wished the ladies a cold good

morning, and hurried off without exchanging another word.

WHA

sadly.

CHAPTER X.

HAT then, Richard, are you tired even of Sunday at home?" said Henrietta,

It was past sunset, and the brother and sister were sitting in the garden under a large horsechestnut. They had not been talking much, for Henrietta's head was full of the sermon she had just heard at Church, and her brother's remarks rather jarred on her frame of mind. He was sitting with his hands in his pockets, leaning against the tree in a discontented mood and attitude, kicking the turf into holes with the heels of his boots. Henrietta's remark had been drawn forth by an ejaculation to the effect that he wished he were at Furstcastle.

'Has it come to that, Richard?'

'It's not so very strange,' muttered Richard. 'How awfully shocked you are, if a fellow speaks out, Hetty. You'd make one either silent or a hypocrite.'

Henrietta did not answer; and, after a pause, her brother added in the same blunt, half rude

tone, which sounded as if he were conscious that he ought to be ashamed of himself—

'It's so slow here; nothing ever stirring. It may be all very well for girls; but a fellow gets moped to death!'

'What, with one day in seven in his own home, Richard? Oh, Richard, things must be going very ill with you, when you feel Sunday at home too slow for you!'

'I'll tell you what the fact is, Hetty. I'm getting a man now; and, what's well enough for you when you're a boy, doesn't exactly suit you when you begin to know what the world is, and-all that. I know it's no use trying to make you understand, so we wont talk any more about it.'

'It certainly is difficult, Dick, to make me understand why becoming a man should make you necessarily indifferent to good and right and holy things. Papa is surely more of a man than you. This is a new version of 'putting away childish things,' and 'becoming a man.' Richard, dear, are you not a little afraid to think and talk so?'

Henrietta's voice was very earnest and sorrowful. She laid her hand on one of her brother's; but he did not move his own from

the pocket into which it was thrust, and kicked the ground still more busily.

'There, then, Hetty; don't make a fuss, and all that sort of thing. You live here in your quiet, every-day sort of home, and don't know anything of the world. You may try and talk all sorts of good things to me, you know. Well, in short, you may just as well shut up at once; for, I tell you plainly, I shan't be any better for a sermon. What can girls know about such things? It's not their fault, they can't help it.'

'Richard,' said Henrietta, removing her hand and speaking very gravely, if I were to treat you as you deserve, I should be as careless and indifferent towards you as you are to me. I should be proud, and 'shut up' at once as you bid me, and once for all; but, as long as I am older than you, and have any love for you, and see you going wrong and speaking so very sinfully, I must and I will speak. Dick, does it ever strike you, when you bid a friend'shut up,' that the time may come when you would give worlds to hear the voice speak that was once too sincere for you?'

'Well, I don't know that it ever did,' said Richard, affecting to yawn; but now you mention it, perhaps it is a striking idea.'

Henrietta turned towards her brother. It was too dark to see his face distinctly, or her keen perception would have satisfied her that the greater part of his insolence was assumed, to conceal more compunction than he cared to exhibit. He knew his sister was trying to discover how much was real, and he resolutely preserved the same attitude and motion under her scrutiny. She presently rose and walked away; but she had not gone far, before her brother was at her side. He put his arm round her, and drew her back to the seat.

'There now, fire away; don't take everything a fellow says in such terrible earnest, Hetty. Sit down and scold me to your heart's content; and I'll listen. I know I'm a very bad felloway, perhaps worse than even you think; but I care just a little bit for you, so now let me hear what you've got to say about my being tired of Church and a dull Sunday. I once made myself believe I did like this sort of thing when I didn't; but I'm honest now to myself, as well as to you.'

And you take credit to yourself for being honest, instead of being afraid to think you are really so bad that you cannot love what is good. That is the truth. Folly and sin have more attractions for you than goodness; and instead of