not have maintained even the shew of unkindness

long."

"It was indeed but a shew," said Brenda, softening gradually into the familiar tone in which they had conversed from infancy; "I could never think, Mordaunt,-never, that is, seriously believe, that you could say aught unkind of Minna or of me."

"And who dares to say I have ?" said Mordaunt, giving way to the natural impetuosity of his disposition" Who dares to say that I have, and ventures at the same time to hope that I will suffer his tongue to remain in safety betwixt his jaws? By Saint Magnus the Martyr, I will feed the hawks with it!"

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Nay, now," said Brenda, "your anger only terrifies me, and will force me to leave you."

"Leave me," said he, "without telling me either the calumny, or the name of the villainous calumniator!"

"O, there are more than one," answered Brenda, "that have possessed my father with an opinion-which I cannot myself tell you-but there are more than one who say

"Were they hundreds, Brenda, I will do no less to them than I have said-Sacred martyr!to accuse me of speaking unkindly of those whom I most respected and valued under Heaven-I will back to the apartment this instant, and your father shall do me right before all the world.”

"Do not go, for the love of Heaven!" said Brenda ; "do not go, as you would not render me the most unhappy wretch in the world.”

“Tell me then, at least, if I guess aright," said Mordaunt, "when I name this Cleveland for one of those who have slandered me?"

"No, no," said Brenda, vehemently, "you run from one error into another more dangerous. You say you are my friend ;-I am willing to be yours:-be but still for a moment, and hear what I have to say ;-our interview has lasted but too long already, and every additional moment brings additional danger with it."

"Tell me then," said Mertoun, much softened by the poor girl's extreme apprehension and distress," what it is that you require of me, and, believe me, it is impossible for you to ask aught that I will not do my very uttermost to comply with."

"Well then, this Captain," said Brenda, "this Cleveland-"

"I knew it, by Heaven!" said Mordaunt ;

my mind assured me that that fellow was, in one way or other, at the bottom of all this mischief and misunderstanding."

"If you cannot be silent, and patient, for an instant," replied Brenda, "I must instantly quit you; what I meant to say had no relation to you, but to another,-in one word, to my sister Minna. I have nothing to say concerning her dislike to you, but an anxious tale to tell concerning his attention to her."

"It is obvious, striking, and marked,” said Mordaunt; "and, unless my eyes deceive me, it is received as welcome, if, indeed, it is not returned."

"That is the very cause of my fear," said Brenda. "I, too, was struck with the external appearance, frank manners, and romantic conversation of this man."

"His appearance!" said Mordaunt; "he is stout and well-featured enough, to be sure; but, as old Sinclair of Quendale said to the Spanish

admiral, Farcie on his face! I have seen many a fairer hang on the Borough-moor.'-By his manners, he might be captain of a privateer; and by his conversation, the trumpeter to his own puppet-show; for he speaks of little else than his own exploits."

"You are mistaken," answered Brenda; "he speaks but too well on all that he has seen and learned; besides, he has really been in many distant countries, and in many gallant actions, and he can tell them with as much spirit as modesty. You would think you saw the flash and heard the report of the guns. And he has other tones of talking too-about the delightful trees and fruits of distant climates; and how the people wear no dress, through the whole year, half so warm as our summer gowns, and, indeed, put on little save cambrics and muslins."

"Upon my word, Brenda, he does seem to understand the business of amusing young ladies," replied Mordaunt.

"He does indeed," said Brenda, with great simplicity. "I assure you that, at first, I liked him better than Minna did; and yet, though

she is so much cleverer than me, I know more of the world than she does; for I have seen more of cities, having been once at Kirkwall; besides that I was thrice at Lerwick, when the Dutch ships were there, and so I should not be very easily deceived in people."

"And pray, Brenda,” said Mertoun, “what was it that made you think less favourably of this young fellow, who seems to be so captivating ?"

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Why, at first," said Brenda, after a moment's reflection, "he was much livelier; and the stories he told were not quite so melancholy, or so terrible; and he laughed and danced more."

"And, perhaps, at that time, danced oftener with Brenda than with her sister ?" added Mordaunt.

"No, I am not sure of that," said Brenda; "and yet, to speak plain, I could have no suspicion of him at all while he was attending quite equally to us both; for you know that then he could have been no more to us than yourself, Mordaunt Mertoun, or young Swaraster, or any other young man in the islands."

"But, why then," said Mordaunt, "should