dows which opened on the garden, which her own hands had called into a delicious existence, with her favourite doves, and pet plants, and cabinet of choicest books around her, she was left undisturbed to hold contemplative communion with the stereotyped wisdom of the dead.

It was to this sister, as unto a good confessor, deeply versed in the feelings of her own sex, and sensitively alive to the anxieties of others, that Harold betook himself, in preference to all others. To find a kindred and sympathizing spirit in a lone land, and where is man more utterly lone than as a stranger in ‘a strange city' to smooth the roughnesses which attach to us, through attrition with the world, by the softening influences of another's mind-to repose, as of instinct, in the goodness, and confide, as of right, in the judgment of one and the same friend-and that one a woman and a sister-oh! rarest privilege, oh! blessed bond of brotherhood-this it was reserved and permitted to Harold to do, by revealing his hopes and fears to the discreet, safe, and affectionate ear, of Catharine.

CHAPTER XIII.

"Take my word for it, you will never spend so agreeable a day here as you describe: alas! the sun with us only rises to show us the way to Westminster-Hall."

GRAY'S Letters.

T was November, and one of those dismalest days in it, when candles

burn in Lincoln's Inn from sunrise to sunset. St. Just and Vernon had been called to the Bar some months, and were now moralizing in no very contented mood, in the chambers of the former, over the unemployed intervals of a barrister's life. Suddenly a knock was heard at the outer door, a knock and ring, as of some one in authority, and before the wires ceased to vibrate, the Clerk had announced to

his master, that it was some one from Mr. Plowden's office." It was Brownlow.

Brought you a' case,' and 'brief,' from my father, Mr. St. Just." Harold of course intimated his gratitude.

"As despatch is necessary, I will call again in twenty minutes, if you can by that time favour us with your opinion."

Harold remarked that that was rather a short time, and hoped he could spare him more.

"I am aware it is, Sir," replied Plowden, "but the facts are few, and the case presses, and my client is at the door, so perhaps you will manage it."

Perceiving all further expostulation hopeless, Harold promised to try his best.

"I have marked it four guineas, and one for a consultation with Mr. Croker, which I am going to arrange with him. As to the brief,' it comes on to-morrow at Westminster. It is only a Consent." "

So saying, he delivered the papers into Harold's possession, and left the room, who with

his elbows on his table, and his watch before him, soon underlined the important parts of the document, looked hastily through some of the authorities on the point, and dotted down the chief heads which it was material to solve.

"Clarence," he said, "you have come in most opportunely; sit down, there's a good fellow, and help me out with an opinion."

Vernon listened to the explanation of the case,' and then glanced through the opened volumes.

"It's a teazer," said Harold," isn't it? one authority one way, and one dead the other. What's one to say?"

"I declare I don't see what you'd best do.Toss up for it, I would; it is just as likely to come down heads as tails."

"Come, Clarence, none of your fun; let's look seriously into the case."

"Well so I have, Harry; but how is one to reconcile these confounded conflicting cases?" The barristers again took them up, and laid them down.

"He'll be back again in five minutes," said Harold, looking at his watch," it is absolutely necessary to say something."

"Say it is extremely doubtful, whether Mr. What's-his-name has any right at all."

"That will be telling him nothing," replied St. Just,-"No-I know what I'll say. I shall tell him that I would advise him to take the opinion of some 'Common Law' man upon it.—I don't think it is a case for 'Equity.' I really do not.”

"But what if Croker is of a different opinion?" enquired Vernon.-" No more fees from Plowden then!"

"Well, I must risk that; one can't be safe always. So here goes-Time's up already."

Accordingly, with the worst pen he could find, Harold scribbled off a few illegible lines to the above effect, directed his Clerk to copy them fair, and then subscribed his name to them; an operation which was only just over, when Plowden's knock was again heard, who expressing himself much pleased that Mr. St. Just should have given such prompt attention