This time, other images than the image of his mother filled his mind. The one all-absorbing interest of his earlier days stirred living and eager in him again. He thought of the sea; he thought of his yacht lying idle in the fishing harbor at his West-country home. The old longing got possession of him to hear the wash of the waves; to see the filling of the sails; to feel the vessel that his own hands had helped to build, bounding under him once more. He rose in his impetuous way, to call for the time-table, and to start for Somersetshire by the first train-when the dread of the questions which Mr. Brock might ask, the suspicion of the change which Mr. Brock might see in him, drew him back to his chair. "I'll write," he thought, "to have the yacht rigged and refitted, and I'll wait to go to Somersetshire myself till Midwinter can go with me." He sighed as his memory reverted to his absent friend. Never had he felt the void made in his life by Midwinter's departure so painfully as he felt it now, in the dreariest of all social soli-a tudes--the solitude of a stranger in London, left by himself at an hotel.

Before long, Pedgift, junior, looked in, with an apology for his intrusion. Allan felt too lonely and too friendless not to wel-up three polite declarations, in close marching order, he retired come his companion's reappearance gratefully. "I'm not going back to Thorpe-Ambrose," he said; "I'm going to stay a little while in London. I hope you will be able to stay with me?" To do him justice, Pedgift was touched, by the solitary position in which the owner of the great Thorpe-Ambrose estate now appeared before him. He had never, in his relations with Allan, so entirely forgotten his business interests as he forgot them now.

This straightforward letter at once dissipated the confusion which had thus far existed in Allan's mind; he saw the snare in which he had been caught, as be had not seen it yet. Mrs. Milroy had clearly placed bim between two alternatives-the alternative of putting himself in the wrong, by declining to answer her husband's questions; or the alternative of meanly sheltering his responsibility behind the responsibility of a woman, by acknowledging to the major's own face that the major's wife had deceived him. In this difficulty Allan acted, as usual, without hesitation. His pledge to Mrs. Milroy to consider their correspondence private still bound him, disgracefully as she

of having deceived us by a false reference. On my expressing | had abused it. And his resolution was as immovable as ever the surprise which such an extraordinary statement caused me, to let no earthly consideration tempt him into betraying Miss and requesting that it might be instantly substantiated, I was Gwilt. "I may have behaved like a fool," he thought, "but still further astonished by being told to apply for all particulars I won't break my word; and I won't be the means of turning to no less a person than Mr. Armadale. I have vainly re- that miserable woman adrift in the world again." quested some further explanation from Mrs. Milroy; she persists in maintaining silence, and in referring me to yourself.

"Under these extraordinary circumstances I am compelled, in justice to all parties, to ask you certain questions, which I will endeavor to put as plainly as possible, and which I am quite ready to believe (from my previous experience of you) that you will answer frankly on your side.

"I beg to inquire in the first place, whether you admit or deny Mrs. Milroy's assertion, that you have made yourself acquainted with particulars relating either to Miss Gwilt or to Miss Gwilt's reference, of which I am entirely ignorant? In the second place, if you admit the truth of Mrs. Milroy's statement, I request to know how you became acquainted with those particul.rs? Thirdly, and lastly, I beg to ask you what the particulars are?

"If any special justification for putting these questions be needed-which, purely as a matter of courtesy towards yourself, I am willing to admit-I

beg to remind you that the most precious charge in my house, the charge of my daughter, is confided to Miss Gwilt; and that Mrs. Milroy's statement places you, to all appearance, in the position of being competent to tell me whether that charge is properly bestowed or not.

"I have only to add that, as nothing has thus far occurred to justify me in entertaining the slightest suspicion either of my governess or her reference, I shall wait before I make any appeal to Miss Gwilt until I have received your answer--which I shall expect by return of post.

"Believe me, dear sir, faithfully yours,

"DAVID MILROY."

He wrote to the major as artlessly and briefly as he had written to the major's wife. He declared his unwillingness to cause a friend and neighbor any disappointment, if he could possibly The queshelp it. On this occasion he had no other choice. tions the major asked him were questions which he could not consent to answer. He was not very clever at explaining himself, and he hoped he might be excused for putting it in that way, and saying no more. Monday's post brought with it Major Milroy's rejoinder, and closed the correspondence.

"The Cottage, Thorpe-Ambrose, Sunday. "SIR-Your refusal to answer my questions, unaccompanied as it is by even the shadow of an excuse for such a proceeding, can be interpreted but in one way. Besides being an implied acknowledgment of the correctness of Mrs. Milroy's statement, it is also an implied reflection on my governess's character. As an act of iustice towards a lady who lives under the protection

of my roof, and who has given me no reason whatever to distrust her, I shall now show our correspondence to Miss Gwilt; and I shall repeat to her the conversation which I had with Mrs Milroy on this subject, in Mrs. Milroy's presence.

"One word more respecting the future relations between us, and I have done. My ideas on certain subjects are, I dare say, the ideas of an old-fashioned man. In my time, we had a code o honor by which we regulated our actions. According to that code, if a man made private inquiries into a lady's affairs, without being either her husband, her father, or her brother, he subjected himself to the responsibility of justifying his conduct in the estimation of others; and if he evaded that responsibility, he abdicated the position of a gentleman. It is quite possible that this antiquated way of thinking exists no longer; but it is too late for me, at my time of life, to adopt more modern views. I am scropulously anxious, seeing that we live in a country and at a time in which the only court of honor is a police court, to express myself with the utmost moderation of language upon this the last occasion that I shail have to communicate with you. Allow me, therefore, merely to remark, that our ideas of the conduct which is becoming in a gentleman, differ seriously; and permit me on this account to request that you will consider yourself for the future as a stranger to my family and to myself.

The Monday morning on which his client received the major's letter, was the blackest Monday that had yet been marked in Pedgift's calender. When Allan's first angry sense of the tone of contempt in which his friend and neighbor pronounced sentence on him had subsided, it left him sunk in a state of depression from which no efforts made by his traveling companion could rouse him for the rest of the day. Reverting naturally, now that his sentence of banishment had been pronounced, to his early intercourse with the cottage, his memory went back to Neelie, more regretfully and more penitently than it bad gone back to her yet. "If she had shut the door on me, instead of her father," was the bitter reflection with which Allan now reviewed the past, "I shouldn't have had a word to say against it; I should have felt it served me right."

all Allan's plans for a visit to Somersetshire was accomplished on the spot.

Pedgit, junior, happened that morning to be first at the breakfast-table. When Allan came in, he relapsed into his professional manner, and offered a letter to his patron with a bow performed in dreary silence.

"For me?" inquired Allan, shrinking instinctively from a new correspondent.

"For you, sir-from my father," replied Pedgift, "enclosed in one to myself. Perhaps you will allow me to suggest, by way of preparing you for-for something a little unpleasantthat we shall want a particularly good dinner to-day ;-and (if they're not performing any modern German music to-night,) I think we should do well to finish the evening melodiously at the Opera."

"Something wrong at Thorpe-Ambrose ?" asked Allan, "Yes, Mr. Armadale,; something wrong at Thorpe-Ambrose."

Allan sat down resignedly, and opened the letter.

"High Street, Thorpe-Ambrose, "17th July, 1851.

["Private and confidential." "DEAR SIR-I cannot reconcile it with my sense of duty to your interests, to leave you any longer in ignorance of reports current in this town and its neighborhood, which, I regret to say, are reports affecting yourself.

"The first intimation of anything unpleasant reached me on Monday last. It was widely rumored in the town that something had gone wrong at Major Milroy's with the new governess, and that Mr. Armadale was mixed up in it. I paid no heed to this, believing it to be one of the many trumpery pieces of scandal perpetually set going here; and as necessary as the air they breathe, to the comfort of the inhabitants of this highly respectable place.

"Tuesday, however, put the matter in a new light. The most interesting particulars were circulated on the highest authority. On Wednesday, the gentry in the neighborhood took the matter up, and universally sanctioned the view adopted by the town. To-day, the public feeling has reached its climax, and I find myself under the necessity of making you acquainted with what has happened.

The next day brought another letter-a welcome letter this time, from Mr. Brock. Allan had written to Somersetshire on "To begin at the beginning. It is asserted that a corresthe subject of refitting the yacht some days since. The letter pondence took place last week between Major Milroy and yourhad found the rector engaged, as he innocently supposed, in pro- self; in which you cast a very serious suspicion on Miss Gwilt's tecting his old pupil against the woman whom he had watched respectability, without defining your accusation, and without in London, and whom he now believed to have followed him (on being applied to) producing your proofs. Upon this, the back to his own home. Acting under the directions sent to major appears to have felt it his duty (while assuring his govber, Mrs. Oldershaw's housemaid had completed the mystifica-erness of his own firm belief in her respectability) to inform her tion of Mr. Brock. She had tranquilized all further anxiety on of what had happened, in order that she might have no future the rector's part, by giving him a written undertaking (in the reason to complain of his having had any concealments from character of Miss Gwilt), engaging never to approach Mr. her in a matter affecting her character. Very magnanimous on Armadale, either personally or by letter! Firmly persuaded the major's part; but you will see directly that Miss Gwilt was that he had won the victory at last, poor Mr. Brock answered more magnanimous still. After expressing her thanks in a Allan's note in the highest spirits, expressing some natural most becoming manner, she requested permission to withdraw surprise at his leaving Thorpe-Ambrose, but readily promising herself from Major Milroy's service. that the yacht should be refitted, and offering the hospitality of the rectory in the heartiest manner.

"Various reports are in circulation as to the governess's reason for taking this step.

"The authorized version (as sanctioned by the resident gentry) represents Miss Gwilt to have said that she could not condescend-in justice to herself, and in justice to her highly

This letter did wonders in raising Allan's spirits. It gave him a new interest to look to, entirely disassociated from his past life in Norfolk. He began to count the days that were still to pass before the return of his absent friend. It was then Tues-respectable reference—to defend ber reputation against undeday. If Midwinter came back from his walking trip, as he had engaged to come back, in a fortnight, Saturday would find him at Thorpe Ambrose. A note sent to meet the traveler might bring him to London the same night; and, if all went well, before another week was over, they might be afloat together ia the yacht.

The next day passed, to Allan's relief, without bringing any letters. The spirits of Pedgift rose sympathetically with the spirits of his client. Towards dinner-time he reverted to the mens sana in corpore sano of the ancients, and issued his orders to the head-waiter more royally than ever.

Thursday came and brought the fatal postman with more news from Norfolk. A letter-writer now stepped on the scene who had not appeared there yet; and the total overthrow of

fined imputations cast on it by a comparative stranger. At the same time it was impossible for her to pursue such a course of conduct as this, unless she possessed a freedom of action which was quite incompatible with her continuing to occupy the dependent position of a governess. For that reason she felt it incumbent on her to leave her situation. But while doing this, she was equally determined not to lead to any mis-interpretation of her motives, by leaving the neighborhood. No matter at what inconvenience to herself, she would remain long enough at Thorpe-Ambrose to await any more definitely-expressed imputations that might be made on her character, and to repel them publicly the instant they assumed a tangible form.

"Such is the position which this high-minded lady has taken up, with an excellent effect on the public mind in these parts.

"I have written thus far, my dear sir, with little hesitationally into a state of composure. He looked back again at Mr. or embarrassment. But there is unfortunately a serious side to Pedgift's letter, and then handed it to Mr. Pedgift's son. this business as well as a ridiculous side; and I must unwil"Can you guess your father's plan for setting me right in lingly come to it before I close my letter. the neighborhood?" he asked.

HOUSE OF GENERAL C. LEE.

OUR artist, who accompanied General Sheridan's forces in the Shenandoah valley, sent us a sketch of this curious old house. General Lee spent the latter part of his life in an abstemious and solitary manner, aloof from the awakening energy and stir of the

young Republic. There was no other human being in the house he occupied. His companions were his books and dogs-the latter sharing the same shelter, and eating the same food, from the same dishes, as their eccentric master. His will is a curious relic and expression of independent opinion. It contains, among other original sentiments, which we have not space to quote, the novel assertion that man is no more responsible for the nature of his religious opinions than for the color of his skin. The building in which his strange hermit-existence was passed is in good order, and is an interesting monument of the

olden time.

THE LITTLE KITTEN.

LOSS OF THE STEAMSHIP GOLDEN RULE.

THE steamship Golden Rule, belonging to the Central American Transit Company line of California steamers via Nicaraugua, leit New York, May 22d, with 535 passengers, and a crew of one hundred, all told, for San Juan (Greytown). Everything proceeded favorably until the afternoon of the 29th, when the weather became very dark and squally with torrents of rain, which continued through the night. On the morning of May 30, at 3:30, the ship struck on Roncador reef, in the Carribean sea, in latitude 13 33, longitude 80 04, and in thirty minutes she bilged. About two minutes before the ship struck the reef was seen, the helm was put hard-a-starboard; the engines stopped, and had made a half-turn back when she struck. Every exertion was made to save the ship, but she came broadside on the reef. At the same time the engineer reported the breaking of the main steampipe, and the water gaining very fast. The boats were immediately lowered and brought under the lee-side of the ship.

The masts were cut away, and the ship's company at once commenced building rafts for the safety of the passengers and crew. During the day there was a high breeze from the southward, with heavy rain squalls and a very heavy swell, which completely broke over the ship. In the afternoon Roncador Island, about six miles distant from the wreck, was discovered by Mr. Underhill, Chief Engineer, who visited it, and reported it to be some twelve acres in extent, without shrubbery of any kind and uninhabited, except by birds and land crabs.

On the night of the 31st the ship commenced to break up, and from that time until June 5, the crew were entirely eugaged in securing provisions, stores, baggage, mattresses, blankets, &c.

The work of transportation was accomplished without the loss of life.

About half of the baggage and stores was saved, the latter in a very bad condition. At 1, r.m., June 2, a boat was dispatched in charge of the second officer, Mr. Reid, with the purser, Mr. Rogers, to Aspinwall, 250 miles distant, for assistance.

After being cleven days on the island, the passengers and crew of the ill-fated vessel were rescued by the United States gunboats Huntsville and the State of Georgia, which were sent from Aspinwall to their relief. They reached the Isthmus on Sunday the 11th June, all in good health, and were forwarded at once to San Francisco by the steamer America.

The loss of the Golden Rule appears to have been purely accidental, the ship being carried off her course by strong currents.

W. L. THOMAS, brother to the already famous G. H. Thomas, so well known for his elaborate pictures of state ceremonial, has lately earned a very enviable name by several water-color sketches of considerable ability. By trade an engraver, he had, while patiently working upon the fancies of others, acquired that delicate discrimination which sees what will please the public eye; this many have cultivated until it has become almost an instinct. During a visit to France he was much impressed with the peasant character of the sea coast, and sent several sketches to the Pall Mall Gallery in London. We have engraved the most characteristic of these pictures, representing two children, evidently belonging to some Picardy fisherman: An English critic in writing about this identical sketch says: "Take, we say, this. example, and its truth of local color will be apparent at a glance. Almost as vividly as if we saw them, do these children stand out against the sunlighted wall of that crazy old fisherman's cottage (as we infer it to be by the haddock drying against the wall)-the girl with the quaint, old-fashioned mob-cap; the ear-rings, shawl, jerkin, and short petticoat of the full-grown Picardy fishwoman; the miniature JESSIE BROWN ANNOUNCING "THE CAMPBELLS ARE matelot, clad, not less precociously, in his great red worsted cap, coarse, shrunken blue over-shirt, and baggy, pieced-out, tar-begrimed, and polished trousers. Even the rude flags they stand upon remind one of the wretched trottoirs of the French coast and provincial towns, the unevenness of which is said to account for an extra development of the gastrocnemii or calf muscles in the French. Nor is the employment of these little folk less characteristic of girlhood and boyhood in general, whether abroad or at home. Though beyond the doll period, the little matron must needs have something to nurse, so, in default of a baby sister, she cradles the family kitten in her arms; and the boy, sea-urchin as he is, unable to restrain his mischievous-but, as we see by his expression, hardly cruelpropensities, teases tiny pns-y by tickling her ears with a straw, an experiment in natural history to which that little animal will probably ere long make some sharp opposition."

NATURALISTS assert that the leaves of trees are continually in a fluttering motion in order to purify the air by flapping it. And perhaps the continual motion of a woman's tongue is to assist in shaking and jolting the atmosphere for a similar purpose.

COMING."

We reduce Goodall's celebrated picture of "The Campbells are Coming" to a size that the readers of FRANK LESLIE'S LADY'S MAGAZINE can see it, and enjoy one of the most striking It is founded upon the somecompositions of modern times. what apocryphal story, that, at the very moment when death stared the doomed British garrison at Lucknow in the facefor surrender involved horrors beyond description—a Scotch lassie, wife of a British corporal, while sitting on the ramparts, sprang to her feet, and electrified the soldiers around her by crying out, "Dinna ye hear the pibroch, over the hills awa'. 'Tis the slogan of the Campbells, and the grandest of them a'."

The artist has happily taken the emphatic instant when this startling announcement was confirmed by the advancing sounds, which grew louder and louder, until conviction was forced into even the mind of the cautious colonel, who stands, as it were, listening to what, after all, may be merely an auricular delusion. The expression of thankfulness, amounting to rapture almost to swooning, is admirably depicted in the face of the colonel's wife, who seems scarcely able to clasp her child. But every figure is a study, and calculated to arouse the deepest sympathies of the heart.