the object of her affections till an envious corner hid him from her gaze.

"He will write," said Sally to herself, as she walked towards the Rectory at a pace that would have indicated to any observer the agitation of her mind;-"I know he will write; and if his master is going to be married-but he cannotwell, I won't think of that-I-no-I could not leave the young ladies-yet-I love Tom-and -oh, dear, dear! I declare, I have forgot Miss Fanny's crape after all," and suddenly turning herself about, Sally Kerridge hurried back to Twig and Dilberry's, the Swan and Edgar's of Blissfold, where she encountered the weeping Kitty buying love of one of the shop-boys under the fostering auspices of the apothecary's wife.

The result of the parting promise of Tom to Miss Kerridge was his complete exposure of Lieutenant Merman's conduct throughout the affair with Fanny. On the following day the promised letter came, and having been read and re-read by those bright eyes to which it was specially addressed, was brought up to Miss

Wells by her faithful maid, who, irritated to the highest pitch by the conduct of the Lieutenant to her Tom, suddenly resolved on "showing the soger officer up" to her young lady, not calculating that, however consolatory Miss Fanny's entire separation from him might in consequence be, the memory of his deceit and defection would necessarily prey heavily upon her mind.

"Miss Fanny," said Kerridge, entering the room pensively, her eyes red with crying, “I beg you a thousand pardons, but I do think you ought to know what a vile wretch that Captain Merman is."

Kerridge," said Fanny, "do you know whom you are speaking to?"

"Yes, Miss Fanny, to you- dear Miss Fanny, to you," said Sally; "do you know he has turned away Tom ?"

"Who is Tommy?" said Fanny.

66

My Tommy, Miss Fanny," said Kerridge. "Your Tommy !" said Miss Wells.

66 Yes, Miss, my Tommy, his Tommy ;" and

Kerridge burst into tears: "however, I haven't

turned him off-nor has he turned me off-and, I dare say, he'll be here to-morrow; but that is not it, Miss-it is about his brute of a master -thank goodness, he is not his master-it's about you, Miss. The way he has treated you, Miss. Oh! shameful."

"Why, Kerridge," said Fanny, "you are mad, I think."

"Not I, Miss," said Sally. "Here, Miss, do take and read this letter."

"Who is it from?" said Fanny.

"It is from Tommy, Miss," replied Sally; "but it will tell you the whole story."

"I really cannot think of doing any such thing," said Fanny; "and I must beg you to leave me, and take your letter with you, and I desire you will not talk in this manner again."

"I mean no harm, Miss," said the poor girl," indeed I don't; but it so shameful—I can't"

At this period of the dialogue a slight tap at the door announced a visitor; the "Come in" of Fanny was followed by the appearance of her

father, who had some communication to make, but who drew back upon seeing Miss Kerridge in tears.

66

"What is the matter?" said Wells.

"Oh, nothing, Sir," said the weeping damsel;

only, Sir, I have had a letter from Thomas, and it tells all about the Captain, and I wish my young lady to read it, and she won't: perhaps you will, Sir; indeed you should, for you don't know half what a man he is."

Well," said my father-in-law," although I entirely approve of your young lady's refusal to read the letter, I am sure you are actuated by the best motives."

"Aye, that I am, Sir," said Sally, wiping her eyes in a delicate muslin apron.

"And if you think the family ought to be made acquainted with its contents, I will read it. Who is it from did you say?"

66

My Thomas, Sir," said Kerridge, colouring very red.

"Your Thomas?" said Mr. Wells.

"Yes, Sir," said Sally; "I will tell you all

that another time, Sir; we have to ask you about it, Sir; but-Sir-he is the Captain's servant."

"Captain!" said Wells, who was just in the humour to put down Merman, and put up anybody else; "call him Lieutenant, child-and don't cry. Is Thomas the man who used to sit your pew at church ?"

in

"Yes, Sir," said Kerridge; "he never missed twice a day every Sunday-besides the winter six o'clock lecture."

"Well," said my father-in-law, “leave the letter in my hands, and I will tell you what I think of Thomas when I have read it."

"Oh, it isn't of him, Sir," said Sally, "you won't think any harm, I know, for there is not any kind of harm in him, Sir; if there had been, he would not have been so well thought of by me."

"Well, Kerridge," said the Rector, “I again say I thank you for your anxiety about my daughter. You shall have your letter back in a few minutes."