speaking to him now, without his being offended."

"Pardon me, Miss Marshall, I cannot allow this," said Captain Rutherford, with assumed gravity, "remember that you are speaking of one of my oldest friends."

"Oh yes, but friendship does not seem to prevent you from seeing his faults.”

"It prevents me from touching upon them when he is not present," he said earnestly, and then added, laughing,

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we

are like husband and wife, and I allow no one but myself the privilege of attacking my friend's failings."

"I think you sometimes exert your privilege a little too severely," said Mary in a gentle tone; "you can hardly know how sensitive Mr. Johnson is about his birth.”

"Then he is a silly, thin-skinned—” but seeing Mary's disapproving look, Captain Rutherford stopped himself, and exclaimed, "you are quite right, Miss Hardy, I have used him abominably ill, but do me the

justice to believe that it was only from want of thought. Edward may be touchy, but he always was one of the kindest, best, and most noble-hearted fellows in the world. I will go and make it up with him directly."

They soon reappeared together, and though Captain Rutherford could not always refrain from quizzing, when a fair opportunity presented itself, he took care to avoid any subject that might really hurt his friend.

It may be doubted, whether the increased cordiality of Mary's manner to the young soldier, did not materially diminish Edward's enjoyment of the peace her interference. had procured.

D 5

CHAPTER IV.

Wisely and slow: they stumble that run fast.

SHAKSPEARE.

"MAMMA, I don't think Edward is well," said Arthur Marshall one morning to his mother.

"Don't you, my dear? he looks very well as far as I can see."

'Yes, I dare say; but still there is something about him-he is so different from what he was."

"Is he? I have not observed it."

"He used to be so merry-up to everything. When we were walking together, it was the greatest fun; and now he goes miles without speaking a word. He does not seem to care about anything, and he

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Perhaps he is out of temper," suggested Anna Maria !

"Out of temper, indeed, Anna!" answered Arthur angrily; "that he never is, though I am sure you do enough to tease him."

"Now you mention it, Arthur," said his mother," I do think Mr. Johnson is more silent than he was, and he will hardly ever dine out. Mr. Hardy seemed almost offended the last time we went to Allerton without him. It is very odd your father has never noticed it to me. I must try my hand at doctoring. Perhaps Mr. Johnson is working too hard; he has not joined in any of your excursions for a long time."

"No, mamma, he only takes solitary walks on the moor, and will hardly ever let me go with him."

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Well, I will speak to your father, and see what he thinks we had better do."

This was Mrs. Marshall's invariable resource, and it was generally a good one.

Mr. Marshall's advice was to do nothing; he had seen the change in Edward Johnson, and at once divined the motives from which it arose. There was nothing in his present conduct which could not be readily accounted for by one who knew Edwardwho had observed his proud humility, the effect which his doubtful birth and position exercised upon a sensitive nature, and the hasty, uncalculating disposition which often led him to form extreme resolutions, and to act upon them rigidly when they were of a painful kind. We have said that Mr. Marshall early suspected Edward's attachment to Mary, and he thought it exactly in accordance with the young man's character, that on the first appearance of a more richly gifted rival he should withdraw, and leave the field open. It was impossible