a young man now, and a clever fellow, too. He is rather too quiet, but I do like him. He is sterling good."

The tears came into Ethelda's eyes as she heard this praise of her favourite Rowland.

"He is," she replied;

the more you know him.

"and you will like him the better

Don't you think he will make an

excellent clergyman some day?"

"Oh, yes. He is the very man for it. I wish all our parsons were like him. I shouldn't care to be a little more like him myself, but I suppose it is not in my nature.”

"No, not to be quiet and plodding like him. But you said he is quite different to what he was; why should it not be so with you?"

"Oh, Ethie, dear, I can't: so there is an end of it; " and he left the room.

Ethelda's heart ascended in prayer:-"Lord, thou canst; for the glory of Thy name, change our Hubert's heart."

"I must be off again in a week," said Hubert one morning at breakfast. "I wanted to see your sandhuts, Rowland, and I wanted to ride over to Laverock Priory to see Sir Claude. Won't you both go with me to Laverock to-day?" he said, addressing his brother and sister.

"I dare say Rowly will, but I don't think I can."

"Why, now? What is there to keep you? You are not afraid of the bachelor, are you?"

"You are an impertinent creature, Hubert!" said

Ethelda, colouring. "I don't wish the children to miss their lessons in the morning."

"Oh! then we can go in the afternoon."

"I have to walk down to the village, then, and see the vicarage gardener. I have promised some plants for their new walk."

So Ethelda excused herself, but her heart was heavy as her brothers rode off. There had arisen a certain degree of coldness between herself and Sir Claude. He imagined that she avoided his society, and he was too sensitive to presume for a moment, when he thought that his presence was irksome. Yet, whilst he could not help loving her, she felt more and more that her earthly happiness had been bound up in his, and there was frequently a sadness over her spirits that Rowland often perceived, but could not understand.

Sir Claude was at home, and received the young Alleynes in his handsome library. His ingenuous character suited Hubert well; and though they soon discovered that their separate objects of interest were very different, yet they seemed friends at once by a congeniality of disposition. Sir Claude mentioned, as they were leaving, a large room that he had had built, in which his tenantry might meet on a Sunday evening.

"I once thought," he said, "of turning the drawingroom, that used to be, into such a one, but I could not quite mind."

make up my

"Of course not," said Hubert. "You don't mean to live in this place all your life without being married?"

"One can't marry every one," replied Sir Claude, rather seriously.

"But if there is not any one that will suit, you must be difficult to please."

"Do you care for the notes of the chaffinch after listening to the lays of the nightingale?"

"Then you have heard a nightingale once? Don't despair. Surely this charming place will yet decoy her. Take my advice,-Keep your drawing-room, and live in hope."

"Can it be that he knows Ethelda cares for me?"

thought Sir Claude. "He speaks so confidently that I think he must;" and the baronet's eye brightened, and he again imagined that he saw Ethelda gracing his drawingroom and benefiting his poor people. They visited the reading-room, neatly and thoughtfully arranged: comfortable seats for the old near the reader's chair; low seats for the little children; and chairs for the invalids where there was no draught.

66 Won't you come over and read here some Sunday evening?" asked Sir Claude of Rowland. "I want some one

to stir up my poor people."

"I fear lest I am not the man for that; but I will with

pleasure come over and do the best I can.

Perfect weak

ness is the back-ground that shows out perfect strength, and so I'll venture."

"That's right! Will you come next Sunday?"

"No. After Hubert goes away-Sunday week. Will that do?"

"Yes, quite well. I hope you will do us good."

"He is a nice fellow, that," said Hubert, as he and Rowland rode along. "It's a great pity, though, he isn't married. I'm sure I would be, if I were he."

"I think he is better as he is, than with a bad wife.”

Surely that is not the alternative. I was inclined to tell him, there was more than one nightingale in the wood. It must be so miserable living alone.”

"I don't think so," said Rowland, smiling.

"Oh! you're a good fellow, and I'm a bad one," replied Hubert.

66

No, indeed. It is just the contrary. You are better cut out than I am to make others happy."

"Not now.

How is it, Rowly, you are such a different

fellow from what you were?"

"I wish I was far more different; but it is God's doing. Do you remember Ethie singing' Excelsior' one night, and our talking about the different mountains we might ascend? I remember so well her saying, 'Higher up earth's mountain leads to the slippery glacier. Higher up God's mountain leads to the Father's right hand.' God helped me to choose His own mount, and though I have often stumbled, He has held me up, and the longer I try the happier I am."

"And I," said Hubert, "have tried earth's mountain, and the longer I try the more unhappy I am. But I can't help it; it is my nature;" and he loosened his rein and galloped onwards.

CHAPTER XXVII.

A WEDDING DAY.

"Hark! how the birds do sing,

And woods do ring.

All creatures have their joy; and man hath his.
Yet if we rightly measure,

Man's joy and pleasure

Rather hereafter, than in present is.

Not that he may not here

Taste of the cheer;

But, as birds drink, and straight lift up their heads,

So must he sip, and think

Of better drink

He may attain to, after he is dead."

HERBERT.

As the nights were growing long, and the winds cold, and the trees brown, there dawned a day that seemed brighter than those that either preceded or followed it: a day when hearts were glad, and good wishes were breathed by many in the villages of Rotherburn and of Alleyne.

It was the bridal-day of Edward Arnold and of Mary Patterson. The wedding had been at the parish church of Rotherburn, and with scrupulous care the wedding-breakfast had been prepared at Allenwick farmhouse. It was not