"The public have fixed their suspicions on him," said Lady Eastlake; "but, from various circumstances, I am satisfied he is not the man."

Mr. Rivers wished to say, "Who, then, do you suspect?" but, for some reason or other, he could not utter the words; and his eye quailed before that of Lady Eastlake.

"You were not with your family when my son was murdered," she said; "where were you?"

"I was out of town. I had gone down to Scotland to see General Elwes, in the hope of inducing him to do something to assist my family."

"Then you were at Ford when my son was shot ?"

"Not exactly. I had left it."

"Then you were on the road. Where did the intelligence reach you?"

"I think it was near London," replied Mr. Rivers; but the hesitation and confusion with which he spoke might have awakened a suspicion that he was not speaking quite candidly, in a less prejudiced mind than the one that was sitting in judgment on his words and demeanour. So thoroughly convinced was Lady

Eastlake of his guilt, that her first impulse was to say, "Marmaduke Rivers, thou art the man!" but a moment's consideration restrained her. "If I do that, he'll escape me; he'll be out of the country before I can find the means of convicting him; which, now that she had some clue whereby to track his steps, she did not doubt she should effect. So she changed her tactics, seeking to allay the alarm she saw she had awakened; and constrained herself so far as to conclude the interview with much more graciousness and civility than it had commenced.

CHAPTER XXIX.

"Il y a deux rôles dans l'amour: celui de devouement et de l' abnégation est toujours celui des grandes âmes."

BALZAC.

"Was man nicht begreift das findet man leicht toll." BETTINE BRENTANO AN GOETHE.

WHEN William Bell opened his eyes, on recovering from the swoon into which he had fallen from the pain of his wound, he perceived by the light of a tallow candle, which stood on a chair beside the bed, that he was in a small, low room, with a sloping roof, and a little latticed window, one half of which was open; and it was the cold air, blowing on his head, that seemed to have revived him. On the floor, be

side the bed, knelt a female figure, whose lips were closely pressed to his hand, which she held clasped in hers. She did not raise her head, for she was not aware that his senses were restored; and, puzzled and confused by his imperfect recollections, and the strange place wherein he found himself, he remained silent, trying to recal his memory, and discover where he was, and who this tender and loving nurse might be. Her head was bent down, and her back was to the light, so that he could not see her features; all he saw was the dark silken hair, braided across a high white forehead; and feeling, partly physically and partly morally, disinclined to move or speak, this mutual immobility continued, till the sound of footsteps on the stairs caused the girl to raise her head, and look towards the door. Then William saw that it was Peggy, and the idea of his regiment being closely connected in his mind with the soldier's daughter, he immediately concluded that he had been apprehended and was a prisoner; and the consequence of this misconception was, that her appearance, which would otherwise have occasioned him the greatest surprise, caused him none at all.

"Peggy," he said, in a low voice, "so they've brought me back to you. I don't recollect how it happened. Who was it stabbed me?"

"I don't know, dear," she said; “all I thought of was getting you away out of the crowd, for fear anybody 'd know you; so we put you in a coach, and brought you home, without stopping to look after the man."

This speech did not much enlighten William; but before he could ask for further explanation, the door of the room opened, and a little old man entered with a tripping step, holding a gallipot and some other articles in his hand. His person was very small; his hair, which was long, and hung about his shoulders, was of a silver grey; his face was pale, rather long and thin, and somewhat wrinkled, but full of expression and vivacity; and he wore a shabby suit of brown clothes, which hung loosely about him, as if they had been made for somebody else.

"Ah, father!" said Peggy, "I'm glad you're come. Have you got the things?"

"Oui, mon enfant-that mean, yes, my

chile."