I recounted to him what I had heard, and besought his assistance and advice. "Your position," he said, after pondering awhile, "is really most perplexing. You have already warned Miss Hastings and the family with which she resides. The latter, Mr. Walker at least, from what you have related to me, evidently treats the affair as an idle conceit; and really, such an attempt in the open day, and near a crowded city, seems too absurd for contemplation. The woman Tyrrel may be a mere emissary to lead you astray, although, from the tone of sincerity which she displayed, this does not seem probable. But what can you do? You cannot force yourself into Mr. Walker's house, and take up your abode there, under pretence of taking care of his young visiter; neither can you well mount guard on the premises; while information which you have received, hardly justifies an application to a magistrate. You might tear Heaviside to pieces indeed, or marry Miss Hastings out

of hand, neither of which procedures however are altogether feasible."

"I have it Perkins: I'll write to Heaviside." Perkins shook his head at this futile proposal; I took up my pen however, and thus began ;"Hollow-hearted miscreant, your designs are laid bare, your plots are out! Take heed lest the evil which you design for the young and innocent, do not recoil on yourself. Infamous wretch, if you injure, or try to injure but a hair of her head, vengeance swift and sure, shall overtake you! To the ends of the earth shall I follow, and were it by the altar of God, smite you to the dust."

This communication, it must be avowed, was sufficiently outrageous; but I was in no mood to balance phrases, or to couch my sentiments in cold and formal language. I dreaded, while I hated Heaviside's duplicity: I was young and hot, and the bare anticipation of injury as incurred by Julia Hastings, almost rendered

me frantic with rage and alarm. The threatening epistle was folded up and dispatched without signature or address; the messenger was simply directed to leave it at Heaviside's apartments, and retire on the instant.

Perkins

and I then sallied out as much to cool our fevered brows, as with any of the clear and definite views which the urgency of circumstances would, doubtless, have suggested to calmer and more dispassionate heads.

On returning, a parcel was found lying on the table in all respects, so much the counterpart of that which we had forwarded, as at

induce us to suppose it was the same.

first, to

On ex

amination however, it proved to be a reply ; and one so characteristic of its author, that I here re-produce it word for word.

"Learn that I hold no terms with those who thwart me, or who would baffle my purposes. Dost suppose vain boy, I shall unmask them to such as thee; or that if thou wert rash and idle enough to speculate on their fulfilment, I

should prove the least disconcerted, or desist from my career? That which I do, I shall do despite of thee and thy lily-visaged friend, were you both standing by to oppose. As to vengeance dread mine I scorn thine. As you value life and liberty, pause ere you incur that of Richard Heaviside," he left us to add.

"Valorous enough," said Perkins: "yet for all his blustering rhodomontade, he will probably hesitate, or at least, have to employ a degree of circumspection that will tend to frustrate his designs."

CHAPTER VI.

LOST AND FOUND.

"Die Freude, sie Schwindet, es dauert kein Leid.
Die Jahre verr auschen im Strome der Zeit.
Die Sonne wird sterben, die Erde vergehn
Doch Liebe, muss ewig und ewig besteh'n."

"But she is gone from us, from all,
Her lute hangs tuneless on the wall;

And on the step, and at the door,

Her fairy foot is heard no more.”

Ir was with no very pleasant anticipations that we retired to our couches after the occurrences above described. That Heaviside should pro