of him seemed to waver a moment. Then When she reappeared, attended by her two Tressady himself mounted, caught her, and in little servants, frightened and round-eyed at another moment, after a few plunges from the their mistress's mishap, she had thrown a

a excited horse, they were off down Manx Road, thick lace scarf round her head, which hid followed by a shouting crowd that gradually the bandage and gave to her pale beauty a thinned.

singularly touching, appealing air. « You are hurt!» he said.

« I wish I could see Madeleine,» she said « Yes,” she said faintly; « but not much. anxiously, standing beside the cab and lookWill you tell him to drive first to Mile End ing up the road. «Ah!) Road?»

For she had suddenly caught sight of a cab «I have told him. Can I do anything to in the distance driving smartly up. As it apstop the bleeding ?>

proached, Naseby and Lady Madeleine were He looked at her in despair. The handker- plainly to be seen inside it. The latter jumped chief and the delicate hand itself that she was out almost at Marcella's feet, looking more holding to her brow were dabbled in blood. scared than ever as she saw the black scarf

« Have you a silk handkerchief to spare ?» twisted round the white face. But in a few she asked him, smiling slightly and suddenly moments Marcella had soothed her, and given through her pallor, as though at their common her over, apparently, to the care of another predicament.

lady staying in the house. Then she waved By good fortune he had one. She took off her hand to Naseby, who, with his usual coolher bonnet, and gave him a few business-like ness, asked no questions and made no redirections. His fingers trembled as he tried marks, and she and Tressady drove off. to obey her; but he had the practical sense « Madeleine will stay the night, Marcella that the small vicissitudes and hardships of explained as they sped toward Aldgate. travel often develop in a man, and between « That was our plan. My secretary will look them they adjusted a rough but tolerable after her. She has been often here with me bandage.

lately, and has things of her own to do. But Then she leaned against the side of the I ought not to have taken her to-night. Lady cab, and he thought she would have swooned. Kent would never have forgiven me if she had There was a pause, during which he watched been hurt. Oh, it was all a mistake-all a the quivering lines of the lips and nostrils great mistake! I suppose I imagined-that and the pallor of the cheeks with a feeling is one's folly—that I could really do some of dismay.

good-make an effect. But she did not mean to faint, and little by She bit her lip, and the furrow reappeared little her will answered to her call upon it. in the white brow. Presently she said, with eyes shut and brow Tressady felt by sympathy that her heart contracted:

was all sore, her moral being shaken and «I trust the others are safe. Oh, what a vibrating. After these long months of labor failure-- what a failure! I am afraid I have and sympathy and emotion, the sudden touch done Aldous harm.)

of personal brutality had unnerved her. The tone of the last words touched Tres- Mere longing to comfort, to «make up,» sady deeply. Evidently she could hardly overcame him. restrain her tears.

« You would n't talk of mistake-of failing « They were not worthy you should

go
and -if

you

knew how to be near you, to listen speak to them,” he said quickly. «Besides, it to you, to see you, touches and illuminates was only a noisy minority.»

some of us!» She did not speak again till they drew up His cheek burned, but he turned a manly, before the house in the Mile End Road. Then eager look upon her. she turned to him.

Her cheek, too, flushed, and he thought he « I was to stay here for the night, but I saw her bosom heave. think I must go home. Aldous might hear «Oh, no-no!» she cried. « How impossible, that there had been a disturbance. I will when one feels one's self so helpless, so leave a message here, and drive home.) clumsy, so useless. Why could n't I do better?

« I trust you will let me go with you. We But perhaps it is as well. It all prepares should none of us be happy to think of you as one-braces one-against-» alone just yet. And I am due at the House She paused, and leaned forward, looking out by eleven.

at the maze of figures and carriages on the She smiled, assenting; then descended, lean- Mansion House crossing, her tight-pressed ing heavily upon him in her weakness. lips trembling against her will.

a

« Against the last inevitable disappoint- But I was without a sense when I went into ment»- that, no doubt, was what she meant. this game of politics; and now-»

# If you only understood how loath some His heart beat. What would he not have of us are to differ with you, he cried; «how said, mad youth-within the limits imposed hard it seems to have to press another view by her nature and his own dread-to make -to be already pledged!»

her look at him, to soften this preposterous «Oh, yes!- please I know that you are sadness! pledged," she said, in hasty distress, her deli- But it needed no more. She opened her cacy shrinking as before from the direct eyes, and looked at him with a wild sweetness personal argument.

and gratitude which dazzled him, and struck They were silent a little. Tressady looked his memory with the thought of the Southern, out at the houses in Queen Victoria street, romantic strain in her. at the lamplit summer night, grudging the « You are very kind and comforting,» she progress of the cab, the approach of the said; Tbut then, from the first, somehow, I river, of the Embankment, where there would knew you were a friend to us. One felt itbe less traffic to bar their way-clinging to through all difference. the minutes as they passed.

The little sentences were steeped in emo«Oh, how could they put up that woman!» tion---emotion springing from many sources, she said presently, her eyes still shut, her fed by a score of collateral thoughts and hand shaking as it rested on the door. «How memories, with which Tressady had, in truth, could they! It is the thought of women like nothing to do. Yet the young man gulped inthat-the hundreds and thousands of them- wardly. She had been a tremulous woman that goads one on. A clergyman who knows till the words were said. Now-strange!the East End well said to me the other day, through her very gentleness and gratefulness The difference between now and twenty a barrier had risen between them. Something years ago is that the women work much stern and quick told him that this was the very more, the men less. I can never get away utmost of what she could ever say to him from the thought of the women. Their lives the farthest limit of it all. come to seem to me the mere refuse, the rags They passed under Charing Cross railway and shreds, that are thrown every day into bridge. Beside them, as they emerged, the the mill and ground to nothing, without a moon shone out above the darks and silvers thought, without a word of pity, an hour of of the river, and in front the towers of happiness. Cancer-three children left out Westminster rose purplish gray against a of nine-and barely forty, though she looks west still golden. sixty. They tell me she may live eighteen « How were things going in the House this months. Then, when the parish has buried afternoon? » she asked, looking at the towers. her, the man has only to hold up his finger to «Oh, I forgot. You see, the clock says close find some one else to use up in the same way. on eleven. Please let me drop you here. I can And she is just one of thousands.)

manage by myself quite well.» I can only reply by the old stale ques- He protested, and she yielded with a pation,» said Tressady, sturdily— « Did we make tient kindness that made him sore. Then he the mill? Can we stop its grinding? And if gave his account, and they talked a little of not, is it fair, even, to the race that has some- Monday's division and of the next critical thing to gain from courage and gaiety-is it votes in committee, each of them, so he felt reasonable to take all our own poor little joy in his exaltation, a blow dealt to her-that and drench it in this horrible pain of sym- he must help to deal. Yet there was a fascipathy, as you do? But we have said all these nation in the topic. Neither could get away things before.)

from it. He bent over to her, smiling; but she did Presently, Pall Mall being very full of trafnot look up. And he saw a tear, which her fic, they had to wait a moment at the corner weakness, born of shock and fatigue, could not of the street that turns into St. James's restrain, steal from the lashes on the cheek. Square. In the pause Tressady caught sight Then he added, still leaning toward her: of a man on the pavement. The man smiled,

« Only, what I never have said I think – looked astonished, and took off his hat. Lady is what is true to-night. At last you have Maxwell bowed coldly, and immediately looked made one person feel — if that matters any- away. Tressady recognized Harding Watthing-the things you feel. I don't know ton; but neither he nor she mentioned his that I am particularly grateful to you. And, name. practically, we may be as far apart as ever. In another minute Tressady had seen her

.

vanish within the doors of her own house. the constant poem of her beauty. But, though Her hand had rested gently, willingly, in his. she knew it, she glanced at him anxiously as

«I am so grateful!» she had said; « so will he approached her. It had been to her a kind Maxwell be. We shall meet soon, and laugh of luxury of feeling, in the few moments that over our troubles.»

she had been waiting for him, to cherish a And then she was gone, and he was left little fear of him-of his displeasure. standing a moment, bewildered.

« Now describe exactly what you have been Eleven? What had he to do?

doing,” he said, sitting down by her with a Then he remembered his pair, and that he troubled face and taking her hand, as soon as had promised to call for Letty at a certain he had assured himself that the cut was slight house, and take her on to a late ball. The and would leave no scar. evening, in fact, instead of ending, was just She told her tale, and was thrilled to see beginning. He could have laughed as he got that he frowned. She laid her hand on his back into his cab.

shoulder.

« It is the first public thing I have done MEANWHILE Marcella had sped through the without consulting you. I meant to have outer hall into the inner, where one solitary asked you yesterday, but we were both so light, still burning, made a rather desolate busy. The meeting was got up rather hurdark-in-light through the broad, pillared riedly, and they pressed me to speak after all space. A door opened at the farther side.

the arrangements were made.» « Aldous ! »

« We are both of us too busy," he said «« You!»

rather sadly; «we glance, and nod, and bustle He came out, and she flew to him. He felt by-))) her trembling as she touched him. In ten He did not finish the quotation, but she words she told him something of what had could. Her eyes scanned his face. « Do you happened. Then he saw the bandage round think I ought to have avoided such a thing at her temple. His countenance fell. She knew such a time? Will it do harm ? » that he turned white, and loved him for it. His brow cleared. He considered the How few things had power to move him so! matter.

He wanted to lead her back into his library, « I think you may expect some of the newswhere he was at work; but she resisted. papers to make a good deal of it,» he said,

« Let me go up to Annette,» she said. « The smiling. little wound-oh! it is not much, I know it is not And, in fact, his own inherited tastes and much-ought to be properly seen to. We will instincts were all chafed by her story. His do it between us in a moment. Then come; I wife- the wife of a cabinet minister-pleadwill send her down for you. I want to tell you.) ing for her husband's bill, or, as the enemy

But in her heart of hearts she was just a might say, for his political existence, with an little afraid of telling him. What if an ex- East End meeting, and incidentally with the aggerated version should get into the papers whole public; exposing herself, in a time of -if it should really do him harm-at this agitation, to the rowdyism and the stonecritical moment! She was always tormented throwing that wait on such things! The noby this dread-a dread born of long-past in- tion set the fastidious Old World temper of discretions and mistakes.

the man all on edge; but he would never have He acquiesced, but first he insisted on half dreamed of arguing the matter so with her. leading, half carrying her up-stairs, and she A sort of high chivalry forbade it. In marrypermitted it, delighting in his strong arm. ing her he had not made a single condition

Half an hour later she sent for him. The would have suffered tortures rather than lay maid found him pacing up and down the hall, the smallest fetter upon her. In consequence, waiting. .

he had often been thought a weak, uxorious When he entered her room she was lying person; Maxwell knew that he was merely on her sofa in a white wrapper of some silky consistent. No sane man lays his heart at the stuff. The black lace had been drawn again feet of a Marcella without counting the cost. round her head, and he saw nothing but a She did not answer his last remark. But very pale face and her eager, timid eyes, he saw that she was wistful and uneasy, and timid for no one in the world but him. As he presently she laid her fingers lightly on his. caught sight of her, she produced in him that « Tell me if I am too much

from you exquisite mingled impression of grace, pas- - too much occupied with other people.» sion, self-yielding, which in all its infinite He sighed-the slightest sigh- but she variations and repetitions made up for him winced.

« I had just an hour before dinner,» he camp in the East End at such a marked and said; «you were not here, and the house critical moment was strange, to say the least seemed very empty. I would have come down of it. It must point, one would think, to some to fetch you, but there were some important sudden and remarkable strength of personal papers to read before to-morrow.) A cabinet influence. meeting was fixed, as she knew, for the fol- Had she any real consciousness of the lowing day. «Then, I have been making power she wielded? Once or twice, in the Saunders draw up a statement for the news- years since they had been married, Maxwell papers in answer to Watton's last attack, and had watched this spell of his wife's at work, it would have been a help to talk to you be- and had known a moment of trouble. «If I fore we sent it off. Above all, if I had known were the fellow she had talked and walked of the meeting I should have begged you not with so,» he had once said to himself, « I must to go. I ought to have warned you yesterday, have fallen in love with her had she been for I knew that there was some ugly agitation twenty times another man's wife!» Yet no developing down there. But I never thought of harm had happened; he had only reproached you as likely to face a mob. Will you please himself for a gross mind, without daring to reflect »-he pressed her hand almost roughly breathe a word to her. against his lips — «that if that stone had been And he dared not now. Besides, how aba little heavier, and flung a little straighter—» surd! The young man was just married, and,

He paused. A dew came to her eyes, a happy to Maxwell's absent, incurious eyes, the bride glow to her cheek. As for her, she was grate- had seemed a lively, pretty little person ful to the stone that had raised such heart- enough. No doubt it was the nervous strain beats.

of his political life that made such fancies Perhaps some instinct told him not to possible to him. Let him not cumber her ears please her in this way too much, for he rose with them. and walked away a moment.

Then gradually, as he stood at her feet, the There! Don't let 's think of it, or I shall sight of her, breathing weakness, submission, turn tyrant after all, and plunge into «shalls) loveliness, her eyes raised to his, banished and sha'n'ts)! You know you carry two lives, every other thought from his happy heart, and all the plans that either of us cares about, and drew him like a magnet. in your hand. You say that Tressady brought Meanwhile she began to smile. He knelt you home?»

down beside her, and she put both hands on He turned, and looked at her.

his shoulders. « Yes. Edward Watton brought him to the « Dear!” she said, half laughing and half meeting.”

crying, «I did speak so badly; you would have & But he has been down to see you there sev- been ashamed of me. I could n't hold the eral times before, as well as coming here? » meeting. I did n't persuade a soul. Lord

Oh, yes; almost every week since we met Fontenoy's ladies had it all their own way. at Castle Luton.)

And first I was dreadfully sorry I could n't It is curious," said Maxwell, thoughtfully; do such a thing decently--sorry because of for he will certainly vote steadily with one's vanity, and sorry because I could n't Fontenoy all through. His election speeches help you. And now I think I'm rather glad.» pledged him head over ears.)

«Are you?» said Maxwell, dryly. «As for "Oh, of course he will vote," said Marcella, me, I'm enchanted! There!--so much penalty moving a little uneasily; « but one cannot help you shall have.» trying to modify his way of looking at things. She pressed his lips with her hand. And his tone is changed.»

« Don't spoil my pretty speech. I am only Maxwell stood at the foot of her sofa, con- glad because - because public life and public sidering, a host of perplexed and unwelcome success make one stand separate-alone. I notions flitting across his mind. In spite of have gone far enough to know how it might his idealist absorption in his work, his politi- be. A new passion would come in and creep cal aims, and the one love of his life, he had through one like a poison. I should win you the training of a man of the world, and could votes, and our hearts would burn dry. There! summon the shrewdness of one when he take me scold me-despise me. I am a poor

I pleased. He had liked this young Tressady, thing, but yours!» for the first time, at Castle Luton, and had With such a humbleness might Diana have seen him fall under Marcella's charm with wooed her shepherd, stooping her goddess head some amusement. But this haunting of their to him on the Latmian steep.

(To be continued.)

Mary A. Ward.

a

IMPRESSIONS OF SOUTH AFRICA.

BY JAMES BRYCE, M. P.,

AUTHOR OF «THE AMERICAN COMMONWEALTH,) «THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, ETC.

LACED in the center of than the plateau itself. It has no general name,

the southern hemisphere, but the central part is called the Drakenberge many thousands of miles or Kathlamba range. This chain receives on from any other civilized its seaward side, and thereby cuts off from community, and with a the plateau within, the great part of the rains civilized population still which come up from the Indian Ocean. Thus extremely small in pro- the plateau is much drier than the coast strip

portion to its vast area, or the outer slopes of the mountains, and the South Africa has only just begun to excite the westerly part of it, being farther from the curiosity and interest of mankind. Twenty rain-sending ocean, is drier than the easterly. years ago even England seldom thought of her Moreover, over all this country, except a remote colony, except when some Kafir war small district around and north of Cape Town, compelled the despatch of imperial troops; the rains are summer rains, which fall in the and the rest of the world scarcely noted its months from November to February. Under existence. Now the discovery of extraordi- the intense heat of the sun the country soon nary mineral wealth, a passionate struggle of dries up, and for seven or eight months in the races, and the possibility that the clashing in- year it is parched and arid-much of it, as we terests of great nations may come to mingle in shall see presently, little better than a desert. that struggle, have drawn alleyes to the south- This great and dominant physical fact-a ern extremity of the African continent-a low and comparatively well-watered coastcontinent the greater part of which was un- belt with a high and arid interior-has deterexplored fifty years ago, and which even mined the character of South Africa in many twenty-five years ago was an object of in- ways. It explains the very remarkable fact difference to those European powers which that South Africa has, broadly speaking, no have of late been so eagerly striving for a rivers. Those that run south and east from share in it.

the mountains to the coast are short and The best way to understand the economic rapid torrents after a storm, but at other conditions and material resources of South times almost dry. In the interior there are, Africa, as well as the political problems which indeed, streams which, like the Orange River now excite our interest, is first to understand or the Limpopo, seem on the map to have long the physical features of the country. They courses; but they have so little water during are very remarkable. Africa south of the three fourths of the year as to be of no serZambesi River consists, broadly speaking, of vice for the purposes of navigation, while two regions. There is a strip of low land lying most of their tributaries shrink in the dry along the coast of the Indian Ocean- a strip season to mere lines of pools, scarcely supplyonly a few miles wide in the south, between ing drink to the cattle on their banks. This Cape Town and East London, but gradually is one of the reasons why South Africa rewidening as it runs northward, till in the mained so long unexplored. People could not Portuguese territory north of Delagoa Bay it penetrate it by following waterways, as hapmeasures from fifty to one hundred and fifty pened both in North and in South America; miles across. Behind this strip, to the north they were obliged to travel by ox-wagon, and east of it, lies a great mass of high making only some twelve miles a day; and for ground, rising from the Indian Ocean in hills the same reason the country is now forced to and mountains from 4000 to 11,000 feet in depend entirely upon railways for internal height, but farther inland, at a distance of communication. There is not a stream fit to from forty to two hundred miles from the float anything drawing three feet of water. ocean, stretching out in a huge plateau ele- Here is one result of the peculiar physical vated from 3000 to 5000 feet above sea-level, conditions I have described. Another, of no the more easterly part being the higher. The less moment, is the fact that the interior outer-that is, the southern and eastern- plateau gains from its height and its dryness edge of this mass of high land is formed by a a generally salubrious climate. The parts of long chain of mountains, in most places higher the coast strip lying north of Durban, the ris