Mordaunt read and re-read this note. The idea that Bell had conceived an interest for Melville was the point in it which caused him the severest thought. His reflections took the following turn:

"Melville is a mere youth-not much her senior— just out of his junior year in college-evidently no student. Bell must wait years before he can afford to marry, if his father designs him for either of the professions. But Aunt Sarah's words are "let me see," and taking up her note for the twentieth time, he repeated the following sentence:

"The real battle, I am satisfied, will be against George Melville." Throwing himself back in his chair, and covering his face with both hands, Mordaunt sat some time in deep thought. He recalled every word, look, action, which had passed between Bell and Melville. The result seemed to end in absolute proof that his aunt was wrong. Arising, he said aloud:

"Aunt Sarah, for once, is wrong. It is the first time she has erred since I have known her; therefore I shall watch. Melville appears to be an unoffending youth. For all I yet know, we may be friends. But if she scorns my love to bask in his smiles, my revenge shall prove sweeter than love's dalliance, even with Bell Mortimer;" and he suddenly arose, and walked several times heavily and proudly across the room, with head thrown back, and lip firmly compressed.

"Now for a cigar; a stroll, and- thought."

Taking the path which leads to Goat Island, he wandered along, unheeding the various knots of visitors which he met, representatives of every state and clime. At this time, Niagara was surfeited with

travellers.

He walked on, unmindful of time or fatigue, until the gathering darkness caused him to look at his watch; it was fifteen minutes after eight. He was now within a short distance of the very bench where first he had declared his love to Bell. As he gradually approached the spot, a voice pronounced the following words:

"My dear-language "

The remainder of the sentence was lost. Stopping, he listened more attentively, when a voice, which he instantly recognized as Bell Mortimer's, spoke, and evidently with much agitation. The following words were all he could hear distinctly:

"to love-villain-precaution!"

The first voice, which Mordaunt now recognized to be Griswold's, again spoke. Mordaunt heard the following:

"Oh, Miss Mortimer! I warmly love-most dearly love".

This was replied to by Bell.

heard but part of the sentence:

Mordaunt again

-"work of a higher power. But we had better return. Suppose you dismiss the carriage. I propose a walk home."

"With pleasure,” replied Griswold.

Mordaunt walked noiselessly in a direction to avoid what he now deemed to be the two lovers. Bell's pleasure on the rainy afternoon; her determination to go through a violent storm rather than spend an evening with himself; her conduct at the party-all was now explained, as he thought. Aunt Sarah was wrong! The real battle, I am now satisfied, will be with Griswold," said he.

Early the subsequent morning, Frederick Mortimer

and James Mordaunt met in the shaving-saloon of the hotel.

"Good morning, Mordaunt," said Fred.

"Good morning, Mortimer," replied Mordaunt. "I have beaten you on the course this morning by a shave, you perceive."

"Yes," said Mordaunt, " and I perceive also that it has been a close shave."

"That is owing to getting wide awake before you, Mr. Mordaunt. I always have been an early riser whenever I failed to sleep late. But what has arroused you thus early?"

"I am bound for New York," replied Mordaunt.

"It is impossible to believe that," said Fred. "There are two rides this day, and one pic-nic; tomorrow a trip in the 'Maid of the Mist,' and a visit to 'Table Rock;' evening at Mrs. Jones's-the Mrs. Jones's. Go, if you dare, sir."

"And 'dare' I must; for I am the forlorn hope, stormers, reserve column, sappers and miners, etc., etc.-in fact, the whole army-and New York is the breach. Business, Mr. Mortimer, before pleasure

"Yes," interrupted Fred, "as the old deacon, hoeing corn while his neighbors were attending his wife's funeral, once quietly remarked. I wonder if the deacon, after he had cleared the weeds from the corn-field, was decent enough to sport one for mourning."

"He ought to have done so," said Mordaunt, "for a wife who succeeded in making her husband remember her so affectionately, ought to have been embalmed. The example of Socrates, in his treatment of Xantippe, puts many a man to blush for scolding the woman he has sworn to cherish."

Mordaunt, that day, took the earliest train en route
We will follow him.

for New York.

"Are you certain, James, that Tom Griswold has proposed for, and been accepted by, Bell Mortimer?" "Yes."

"What is the proof, James?"

My own ears, and my own eyes-two very trusty servants. The carriage was dismissed. They walked to the hotel. When I made my proposal, in the same place, Bell pretended to be terribly frightened -rode home-would not speak, and all that nonsense."

"Well, Griswold is not so large game, and, consequently, not as worthy your steel; but, if you don't get the fair Bell just now, by postponing any consummation of Griswold's desires, you will gain time to fight the battle of Cupid with Miss Bell. Griswold is now in college. He must graduate. You have thus one year. He must study a profession. Two more years from that, at least. Griswold's father, you say, is worth about two hundred thou sand, or thereabouts. Three years-three years-let me consider. Yes, that's your only way. When the three years are up, James, Griswold's father, must be a bankrupt."

"That will do! By Jove! and a bankrupt he shall be, in less time than that. Aunt Sarah, here's the sweetest kiss I ever gave you yet."

"Tell me your plan," replied Mrs. Tryon.

"It is not matured sufficiently. The outlines are as follows: he has been a merchant; thinks he knows Wall street; buys stocks freely; trusts impli citly in the firm of Wright & Pierce, stock-brokers.

6 Wright & Pierce' are honest and sharp; not so skillful, however, but that, in the state of high pressure which governs the stock-market from time to time, a cat-fish railroad security may be exhibited in the light of a safe investment. Power & Loftus' are also stock-brokers who sand fair, but have easy consciences. Through them the proposals shall reach Griswold. Wright & Pierce,' at Griswold's request, will investigate, of course, and give their opinion. Being favorable, Griswold will catch at the bait, and go to smash."

6

"Yes, but the railroad; where is that?"

It will take one or two

"That is the main spoke in the wheel, good aunt, and my part of the work. years of long and patient head-work for me to bring that into a fixed fact. I shall endeavor to manage the whole affair so as to make a profitable result for myself. In that case, revenge will become durable as gold."

66

Very well," said his aunt. "In the interim, you must play the mournful, disconsolate, rejected suitor. Silent proofs of love's enduring, throbbing, thrilling, absorbing pathos, must be scattered in Bell's pathway. Finally, the ring of your praises as a rising lawyer, an able speaker, a man of influence, must be made to sound distinctly in the ears of Hon. B. F. Mortimer."

1

Mordaunt having marked out his course, entered immediately upon the plans necessary to a successful result. He projected a railroad from the village of P―, for one of the termini, to a beautiful bay on the southern shore of Lake Ontario, for the other. It was to cross the New York Central Railroad, at the city of The plan of this road was based in