would relent, that she would be allowed to make the experiment of being miserable.

And yet Lucy thought this misery was her only happiness; all the world would be dark and gloomy if she were to refuse Augustus Derwent.

Fortunately there was no reserve between the mother and daughter, so Lucy uttered her thoughts as she threw her arms around her mother's neck, and tried to smile, though the tears were running down her cheeks.

"I wish you had said 'will' instead of 'would,' and I wish you had not put on that determined face. For surely, dear mamma, Harriet's husband will have much less. They will be really poor."

"That is no matter, my dear child, Harriet can struggle against poverty, but you could never endure uncertainty."

"But he has quite given up gambling, and has promised so positively, never even to spe

culate again, although his last scheme was so successful, that he will be able to save Rollston Court for his brother, and he has now nearly as much as he had, when he came into the property his aunt left him. And really those fatal speculations, that ruined him before, were entirely caused by his brother. That Mr. Renton is such a dreadful person."

"He is indeed" said Mrs. Lennox; "and,

alas! poor Augustus, will always be under his influence; you would never be sure of anything."

"But if it were all settled upon me, as he now says it would be, he could hardly speculate with it."

"He would appeal to your feelings, and he might under his brother's influence, so contrive to hamper the interest of his fortune, that you would have no peace; besides being obliged, of course, to pay for all Mr. Renton's, and Lady Julia's extravagancies. They would,

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* Certainly Lady Julia is extravagant,” said Lucy, * and her brother is quite tired of payang their debts; but she has suffered so much the last year, from the loss of all her splendid jewels and furniture, that I trust she will be

Mrs. Lennox shook her head; for she well knew that Lady Julia belonged to one of these irretrievably thoughtless, and extravagant families, who sometimes contrive to put a finishing stroke to the ancient glories and possessions of a time-honoured name.

"You would never have any peace with