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wish to be remembered-this was indeed enough almost to confuse, certainly to trouble him, as he sat immoveable, with the events of his young life passing in review before him. Moreover, who but himself had caused this, by bringing the old camp before the public in so conspicuous ⚫ a manner?

Was

There, where the picture now hung, it must remain for months. it to be a constant and ever-recurring torment, from which there could be no escape? He had taken the Gipsy encampment because it was stamped upon-nay, well-nigh burnt into his mind. So deeply interesting too was it to bring in the form of Annette, and none to know his affectionate solicitude except his sister; and he enjoyed the consciousness of his power to recall the faces and the forms of those times gone out of sight, especially the one, never save thus to be looked upon on earth again. Few could have done this as faithfully as he had done it. The Earl might well admire his 'very unparalleled memory.' Oh! that he had never had it, if And what would he not now give to be out of town, away from all people, until his picture no longer hung upon the wall of the Exhibition room!

Deeply engaged in these perplexing thoughts, he moved not, even to raise a hand, until the coming in of his mid-day repast. It was not welcome; but he roused himself at this reminder of his wasted hour, and hastily getting through the early dinner, he ran up to his paintingroom to make up for lost time.

Seven o'clock struck before he desisted from his work. Upon counting that hour he quickly laid aside the brushes, and after a very brief toilet, he took his hat, and ran-he could do nothing quietly that day-in the direction of St. John's Wood.

Well did Robin know that there would be an influence to soothe and cheer him. The very expression of that face, full of Holy Innocence,' might be sufficient in itself to calm the distraction of his mind.

Mr. Easdale's carriage was at his door, and as Robin entered the hall he met that gentleman, who was waiting rather impatiently to accompany his wife to a dinner-party.

'Well, Gray, I congratulate you. So the Gipsies are purchased already. I know all about it, you see.'

'Oh, Mr. Easdale! I ought to have told you myself, so much as I owe you. How did you hear it before my arrival?'

'From very good authority, I assure you. No less a one than Lord Pendyne himself. He has been here.'

'Has he?' said Robin quickly, and looking slightly annoyed.

'Yes. Why not? Are you to have the Peerage to yourself, you conceited fellow? Could he not look at a picture of mine after the 'Gipsies at Home," think you?'

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Oh, Mr. Easdale! And I know he has purchased "Holy Innocence.” He told me so. But he said something, perhaps, about Did he say anything-?'

'About you? Yes, plenty. Asked questions, and so forth. Of course, I warned him that he had better have as little to do with you as possible.'

Robin laughed at the last part of this speech, however little the commencement might be to his mind. He was too great a favourite with his good friend not to feel sure of a 'character.'

'Not about me, Mr. Easdale. did he ask-?'

But perhaps Anything about Amy?

'Certainly not, my dear fellow. Why should he ask about her? He does not know of her existence, to my knowledge. Good-bye. Have a pleasant evening.' And, 'Come, my dear, we shall be very late,' to his wife.

He carried her off to the party without suffering her to speak; and Robin, with his mind somewhat relieved, immediately ran up the stairs to his sister.

‘Little' Amy was sitting at her work near the open window; a few books were upon the small table near her, the larger one being now spread with the substantial fare provided for the evening meal. The brother and sister were to have the enjoyment of partaking of it together, a tête-a-tête which was one of the greatest enjoyments of their lives. Amy started up as Robin entered the room.

"Well, darling?'

Her arm was about his neck-no easy feat for our 'little' Amy to achieve-in an instant.

'O Robin, what good news! So Lord Pendyne has bought the picture. And he seemed so pleased, Mr. Easdale said.'

'So am I, immensely pleased,' replied her brother with animation. 'We must make all sorts of plans now that we are grown so rich all at once.'

'A very few plans will run away with all the riches, Robin. But I am not afraid of you. Set up a banker at once.'

'Or a bank,' said Robin gaily. But there are some things which Mr. Easdale ought to be repaid immediately. And Mr. Sandford shall have the tenth for his church.'

'Nearly fifteen pounds,' said Amy, after some consideration. 'Only, as we are not now in his district, what think you of ten pounds for him, and the rest towards some object here for which money is required?' 'With all my heart,' replied Robin; and it had better be done at once.'

'I must make you some tea first,' said Amy merrily; and she set to work to provide Robin with the commencement of his repast, because he would forget himself in attending to her, she knew.

'You must miss Margaret, Amy.'

'Very much indeed,' replied Amy; 'I quite mourn over her absence at most times. Only just now,' added she archly, 'I am afraid I rather like it. Whenever you come, it is so very pleasant to have you all to

myself. behaved.'

Tell me what Lord Pendyne said to you, and how you

'He said some things which I liked very much, and some which I did not like at all,' replied Robin; 'and as for my behaviour, Amy, the less said about that the better. I am afraid he must have been annoyed with me.'

'Not very much, from what Mr. Easdale told me, and which I have his leave to repeat. After they had talked about that picture, the name of which, you know, always makes me feel so very much ashamed, he asked a good many questions about you.'

'Where I came from, and all that?'

'Oh no. At least, Mr. Easdale did not say so. But as to what kind of person you were altogether.'

'And why did he want to know?'

'Ah! That you shall hear. If you had asked what Mr. Easdale said in reply, I meant to decline telling you. Lord Pendyne proposed that for your summer holiday you should go down to Pendyne Castle, and take views for him of the surrounding country.'

Robin almost started up. 'Did he say anything so pleasant? I will do my very best for him. Of all things, it is what I most wish-to get away during the next two months. There will be something better than a desert to deal with, I suppose, in that exceedingly far west.'

'Oh, yes. He says it is most lovely. But of course there is no engagement, and he may never make you the proposal after all.'

'If you could accompany me, Amy dear! If it could be right to take you, and to find apartments instead of going to this royal demesne, how charming it would be! But I fear it would be wrong, as we are

situated.'

'Very wrong, and a great waste. It is not quite good of you even to have mentioned it. Have you been paid for your picture yet?' He took the envelope out of his pocket, and showed it to her. 'Carrying it about in that way, Robin! Give it to me. clearly not to be trusted with such a sum.'

'It is a crossed cheque, and quite safe anywhere.'

You are

'Not when you talk of "apartments," after having such an offer as "my Lord's." She held out her hand. He put the paper into it, and Amy went to her desk and safely locked it up.

'But, Amy, I shall want some of it for another use. For something which you know we both wished to have done as soon as we could.'

He looked very grave, which answered the purpose of explanation. 'At Westerleigh?' replied Amy; 'yes, Robin. And you will go down there to find out-'

'Only sometimes,' replied Robin, following his train of thought, 'when I think of what Mr. Easdale has done for us, I feel that he ought to have everything I can earn for the term of my natural life.'

'Except the tenth,' observed Amy.

VOL. 8.

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PART 46.

'Yes, always deducting that,' said Robin. 'How I thank Mr. Sandford for teaching us so many things, which it is of the first importance to know. How is he this week, Amy?'

'Better, just for the present; but the work is too much for him now, in such a parish. The best years of his life are over.'

'And he is only just in middle age.

wear out than to rust out."'

But, as he says, "It is better to

'He is wearing out, and it grieves me to see it,' remarked Amy sadly. 'If he remain here he cannot last long.'

'Does Miss Sandford perceive it?'

'Yes, quite well. And feels it very much; but she says, "It is not in our hands, and perhaps sooner than we expect we may be elsewhere. If it is good for us, we shall be.""

'He will be elsewhere,' said Robin, in the same feeling manner, ' and it will be good for him, no doubt: but how many would feel his loss. Are any more funds come in for his church?"

"Yes-some. And now he says that the last part of the restoration will be commenced at once. On the whole, although the work has been ten years in hand, he considers that he has reason to be satisfied and thankful.'

'He will leave his parish in better order than he found it, if what I heard of its previous condition be true. I wish Lord Pendyne would ask him down to the Castle for change of air. It would do him so much good.'

'It would indeed, in all probability. And Mr. Easdale said it would do you good, Rob; and that you looked pale and thin. Do you feel pale and thin? because, as you always look like marble, I do not see what roses you can have to lose, or that we can miss.'

'I will bring some home from Cornwall, Amy, and hand them over to you.'

Robin looked at his sister's sweet expressive countenance as he spoke, and thought that no change could really be for the better in her, although there was scarcely a tinge of that colour so natural to the cheek of healthy youth. The name of Mr. Easdale's picture often occurred to him when they were together. Yet Robin was not one to use such a term lightly, any more than his master had done, when he so named the beautiful painting for which Amy had last sat. Amy's quiet dress of light alpaca, with a blue ribbon at the fastening of the little muslin collar, suited the bright and happy face through which shone the peaceful well trained mind of her who was presiding over the tea-table.

'There seems to be so much to hear, and so much to say, when we do meet now, Robin, that it is quite difficult to know how to begin,' said she, in a lively manner. 'Shall you be as busy always now, as you have been in this early spring? That is my question one.'

'Not so wholly inaccessible, Amy, perhaps but very busy indeed, if I am to go away. That is my answer one.'

'Question two. Are you really paler and thinner, Rob dear, than you were last year?'

Amy put on a very grave and anxious face as she made this inquiry. 'Answer two,' replied Robin. Concerning the first clause, I really do not think you need be disturbed about my complexion: but I will endeavour to bronze it by sketching out of doors. And concerning the second clause, "this deponent sayeth not, because this deponent" does not know.'

'Question three. Why did you fancy that you had offended Lord Pendyne when he called, and what did he say to make himself unpleasant?'

Robin's face altered a little, and he quite forgot the form in which they had been carrying on their discourse.

'Did you see him?' asked he.

'Is that a proper answer to a straightforward question? ›

'Not quite. But, Amy, did you see him? and do you know who he is?'

'No; I never saw him,' replied Amy, surprised by the alteration in Robin's tone. 'Who is he, Robin? anything remarkable beyond being of "Castle Pendyne, in the County of Cornwall, &c., &c., and so forth?"

'You must think of Westerleigh, Amy; we both saw him there, and Lady Pendyne also.'

'O Robin! the people in the carriage-the sweet pale lady, your lady? You cannot really mean that?'

'Yes, Amy; and the lady of my dream. Of my many dreams, only I do not tell dreams now. I learnt, to-day, that it was Lady Pendyne who used to notice us.'

'How could you have learned it, Robin? Surely Lord Pendyne could not know you again, possibly?'

'No-not exactly for the brown, rugged, round-faced boy who begged of him at Westerleigh. But he recognized something else, or Lady Pendyne did. They perceived, in the picture, the same children they used to see in the town.'

Amy's colourless face glowed.

'I wish now I had chosen another subject,' continued Robin.

'Do not wish that, Robin. Perhaps, after all, it sold the painting-if Lady Pendyne saw it and was pleased.'

'I believe that really was the case,' said Robin.

'Then, pray do not regret it. Are you not striving to be independent? But, oh! Robin, what thoughts it does bring back to us both!'

6

have not heard what

'Indeed it does,' replied Robin sadly. But you came next. "My Lord" must needs ask me if, by any possibility, I could inform him what had become of the children.'

'O Robin! what did you say? I cannot think that anybody need be told. Mr. Sandford thinks not. But what could you say?'

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