of my daughter you cannot be admitted. Under such circumstances, I leave it at once to your reason and honour to declare, whether it is not my bounden duty, as a man-as a father, to prohibit all further intercourse, during the time that my daughter may remain under this roof? At the moment I am saying this, it is incumbent on me also to add, that a fairer or more honourable gentleman does not exist within the realms of chivalry, than the one I have now the honour of addressing."

Sir Maurice acknowledged the courtesy of his conclusion, and did not deny the justness of his remarks; but, it was evident that he was not only taken by surprise, but was even unprepared to make a declaration of his passion. Consequently, after stringing together many civil, but rather incoherent words, he concluded by saying:

"With one so beautiful and accomplished as Miss Mead, and from whose society so much happiness emanated, it was difficult-nay, almost impossible, to draw a line between common atten

tion, and marked attachment; and that he still thought there could be no great harm in visiting her occasionally, while under the care of my mother. Time might, perhaps, produce some change in the circumstances of either party, leading to results of which, at present, human foresight could not be aware."

Master Mead replied, "That if Sir Maurice were a common-place person, with an inferior, or even equal degree of rank and pretension, there might be no danger in a continuance of his visits. But, with his personal appearance, accomplishments, high station, and public renown, the case became widely different; and it was his duty, as a father, to take a jealous care that the future happiness of his child should not be in any way endangered. Under the peculiar circumstances, therefore, in which she was—and was still further likely to be placed,”—(alluding, I believe, to the behest of her mother, and to the suit of Master Rufus,) "he should take upon him to decide for her, she being

too young to have an opinion of her own. Consequently he trusted that he might be forgiven for abiding by his previous determination, and making a firm request, on the part of his daughter, that Sir Maurice would have too much consideration for her feelings, to repeat his visits to that house, for the brief time during which she would continue to avail herself of its protection."

Master Mead then rose with a view to cut short all further colloquy; and, with an offer of refreshment, invited us to follow him to the eating-parlour. During Sir Maurice's compliance with the request, I seized that opportunity of running in

upon

search of my cousin.

In an instant I was at her door. Still in tears, she was greatly alarmed lest we should be observed together; hastily therefore, she entreated me to go down again to the parlour, as also to keep a strong guard, for her sake, upon my temper, for that he (Master Rufus) was there. Having said this, she placed in my hands a letter, directed to Sir Maurice, bound

with silk. At that moment, hearing her father's voice jealously enquiring for me below, I passed on to that which used to be my own chamber, and, flinging the door open with some noise, and throwing as much apparent unconcern into my manner as possible, I descended to the hall, where I met Master Mead coming in search of me.

We then proceeded together to the parlour, on entering which I found that Sir Maurice had that moment called for his horses. He was standing near the window, talking to my mother, his arms folded, and his fine tall figure drawn up to its full height; while, directly behind him, upon whom he seemed to have turned his back with very little ceremony, stood Master Rufus Mull, metamorphosed into a man of war; armed after the prevailing fashion of the day, and playing with the hilt of his dagger, as if to find some

occupation for his fingers: which, like those of every other underbred man, when he finds himself in the society of his betters, were in constant motion

from his waist to his chin. Our eyes met, and having interchanged a glance of hatred and defiance, I pretended to overlook him, and joined in the general conversation, which, in spite of the easy good breeding and self-possession of Sir Maurice, was in the utmost degree formal and constrained.

I have since thought, that had not my mind been occupied with painful sensations, it would have been very amusing to watch the way in which Sir Maurice, on the announcement of his horse, wandered over the ground-floor, through rooms in which he had never before been, under pretence of looking for his gauntlet; but, in reality with the hope, that accident or design might afford him a chance of seeing, if not speaking to, Isabel. Master Mead followed like his shadow, and once or twice, on his stopping abruptly, nearly ran against him, till he, though still ignorant that I had had communication with her, found himself obliged to bring his pretended search to an end.

Then, therefore, returning to the parlour, and