friend, and she came with me because I am a young and unprotected girl, now my poor brother is in prison." The servant was ordered to admit the ladies, and they followed him, through some long passages, to a parlour, where Rose had often sat in happier days. There the man left them, and returning soon after, said, my master will see the "And not my younger gentlewoman.' friend, also," said Rose, clinging to the arm of Mrs. Langland, as she thought upon the dark and savage features of Colonel Kirk. My master will only see the sister to the prisoner." Rose forgot her fearfulness, when she heard her brother mentioned as a prisoner, and, rising up, she followed the man from the room. Colonel Kirk was sitting alone at a table, on which were some half empty flagons of wine, and many wine glasses: the chairs of his companions remained in the places where their occupiers had sate. He motioned Rose to sit down in one of those chairs. She did so, and the servant quitted the room. The young girl was abashed by the gaze of Kirk, who said nothing, but filled a glass with wine, and held it out to her. "Thank you, Sir," she said, "but indeed I cannot drink wine just now. You were so kind as to admit me to your presence, and therefore I can give you with my own hand, this letter from my grandmother." Colonel Kirk was struck by the very simple manner of the young girl, who stood before him; and, with a feeling of curiosity, he took the letter from her hand and read it through. Rose watched his features, but turned sick at heart when she saw a smile almost like derision on them. All her hope fell at once; she had expected so much from the effect of that letter, that when she saw it had failed, (for if it had not failed he could not have smiled on a letter written from a heart full of love and tenderness,) when she knew it had failed, she stood speechless and confounded before him. "There, child," he said, "take it." Rose hardly understood what he said, "take your grandmother's letter." She took it slowly, and still stood trembling and in silence before him. “ My brother, Sir, my poor brother," she cried at length, "will you not save him?"—"Your brother, child, must die."-" Oh no, stop, Sir, stop," she added, as if trying to prevent his saying more, "you can save him if you will; I know you are master here.' Well, girl," he replied, "I will not say any more, as you wish it; surely I have said enough." He rose up, and would have turned away, but she caught his arm, and clung to it, and looked into his face with her beautiful and dove-like eyes, while she entreated him to stay, to speak again, with any words, but not to leave her. Colonel Kirk did stay; he looked kindly on the gentle girl, and clasped tenderly in his own the soft white hands which still clung to him. He spoke soothingly to her, but Rose trembled still more, as he continued speaking. "There is one way, my beautiful maiden," he said, " by which your bro

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ther may be saved; you may save him." Rose uttered a cry of joy; "Tell me, tell me at once," she cried, "how I can save him? Can I save him? Will God bless me in making me the means of his safety?" He pressed her hand more closely, and looked earnestly at her. He spoke in a whisper, but Rose heard every word; she heard how she might save her brother's life, and the natural feeling of a woman made her free herself at once from his grasp, and look at him steadfastly with a look of scornful contempt. The wretch was not easily repulsed; he would have seized her hand again, and he did repeat the shameful request he had made. The insulted virgin could not conceal her passionate indignation. "Beast," she exclaimed, " rather than man, touch me not. Was it for this you consented to see me? I fear you not: I will die with my brother, for he would never live for such infamy. Ah! it's Colonel Kirk that I am speaking to; and I knew it before. Why did I come hither, for I knew how many wretches shudder at your name-how many homes are spoiled of their best hopes. I was a fool to come begging here. There is no hope for Frank Aleyn with such a monster." Colonel Kirk had sat down, and he stared at her with a look of impertinent surprise. Now," he said, "my little maiden, when you have done with all that pretty passion, and talked yourself cool, I would beg you to remember that you have done no good by all this rage; you might indeed, my dear, have injured your brother's cause very seriously, had I been of as kindling a disposition as yourself. Take it quietly; you cannot judge calmly when you put yourself in these passions. Is your brother to die or to live? Methinks he is very young, and perchance somewhat wild. He may not have thought much and seriously on death, and this is a consideration not to be passed over; if you remember, your grandmother talks in a very sensible and religious style about his dying in the sinful thoughtlessness of his youth.' Shall he die, or will his sister save him?” Rose was no longer violent; she began to think almost calmly on her brother's state, and though she despised even more entirely the fellow who addressed her, his words had recalled her to doubt and fearfulness. She stood before him, lost in thought, till the confusion of her feelings subdued her, and tears streamed fast over her face. "Oh! Sir," she cried out in frantic grief, as she threw herself at his feet, "forgive and pity a poor wretch like me; I am so wretched that I know not what I say. Yes, yes, I do know what to say; we will both forget what has passed, and you will save my brother. You've spoken thus to try me, I know you have, and you are pleased with the indignation which I have shewn most hastily: you love the honest anger of insulted modesty." "I do, indeed," replied he, as he rose up and approached her. Rose blushed with shame at her own deceit, for she well knew that his infamous proposal was meant to be taken in

one horrid sense only. With difficulty she stood without shuddering, and listened to his words. With difficulty she replied to them, still seeming not to understand him, till his dark face burned with crimson, and he said, in a voice of loud rage, "girl, you dare to trifle with me: get you gone. Your brother shall die, and that to-morrow morning." He did not reach the door, for Rose, wild with the anguish of conflicting passions, had thrown herself down upon the ground, and clung to him, struggling with all her force to detain him. Oh, with what moving words did she implore him, even as if gasping for her soul's life. Say what you will," she cried out loudly,

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Oh,

I will hear you now, as if your speech were blessings. Do what you will with me, but set Frank Aleyn at liberty. God of holiness!" she said, smiting her brow with her open hand, "that I should pray upon my knees for shame, for infamy. My heart is bursting in Oh! do hear me, do answer bosom. my me at once. Save my brother-I am all you ask!" Colonel Kirk lifted up the poor maiden, who lay motionless at his feet. He threw back the long shining ringlets which had fallen dishevelled over her face; and he kissed repeatedly the pallid cheeks, all stained with tears, and the cold quivering lips, and the lids which had dropped down heavily over her dark eyes. He threw open the window and stood before it, supporting in his arms her senseless form. She began to move, to draw in her breath deeply, to shiver and tremble, and then a shower of tears gushed from her eyes. When she looked around her, and saw on whom she leaned, she pushed him from her, but instantly she recollected herself, and entreated his forgiveness. She looked at him in silence for a few moments, and then, still holding his arm, she said, 66 you have terrified me very much, but have mercy for a little while, and hear me say a few, a very few words. Promise me before I speak. I give myself up into your power. Hear only a few words."-He did promise, and the poor young creature sunk down on her knees before him, and raising up her hands in supplication, said—“ I entreat you by the living God, who now looks upon us both; I entreat you for the sake of our never-dying souls-for the sake of him who suffered for our sins, not to commit this dreadful wickedness. We must stand together at the last day before a God in judgment. How will he look upon us then, if we thus boldly sin before him? This is no time to talk of modesty and female bashfulness. I would go much farther, and speak of the soul, and the damnation of hell. Solemnly then, I beseech you, to let me die in my brother's place. Alas! I am a weak, sinful creature, and too unfit to die; but I have long thought upon another world, and prayed every day in my Saviour's name. It is better for me to die, than for young Frank Aleyn to be cut off in all his thoughtlessness, and with the sins of his youth unrepented of and

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unforsaken. The life that is forfeited will then be taken, and my soul, our souls, may be spared for heaven. You have heard me speak. I thank you, and have done. What is your answer?" Colonel Kirk looked at her full in the face, and answered in a tone of calm decision by one word-" No." Rose said nothing more. She arose at once from her knees, and stood before him, with her head bowed upon her bosom. Colonel Kirk now spoke again of his infamous proposal; he named an hour of appointment for that night, and Rose said not a word of refusal. She took at once the key which he gave into her hand, and she listened with apparent calmness to his directions. And my brother shall not die," said she, when he had finished speaking, "let me hear you promise thus again."- ." He shall not die," replied Colonel Kirk, in a solemn and deliberate voice. "Thank God! thank God!" said the poor bewildered girl, clasping her hands together. "One more favour," she exclaimed, sinking again at his feet, "allow me to see him; let me go to him immediately"—" This request I must refuse for many reasons," said he; " to-morrow he will be at liberty; wait till then; you shall certainly see him to-morrow morning."-Rose Aleyn returned to the apartment where she had left her friend. Mrs. Langland was touched to the heart by the anguish too visible in her countenance; and as Rose approached, she held out her arms to her, and the poor maiden sunk upon her bosom without speaking. "Alas!" said Mrs. Langland, "I had not dared to hope-you need not tell me, for I see too well how fruitless this visit has been." Rose could not lift up her face, but she said with a faint and faltering voice," my agitation has misled you; Frank Aleyn is spared: to-morrow morning he will be at liberty."

They returned home, and the lively joy of her friends almost agonized the miserable girl. At first Mrs. Langland and Winifred wept with the agitation of unrestrained delight; but they soon began to ask an explanation, to question her about her interview with Colonel Kirk. Rose knew not how to answer them. "Do not ask me any more questions," she said at length, “do not ask me till to-morrow, I beseech you, for I must not reply. Then you will know why I cannot reply at present; then my own brother will be free." They began to speak of happiness, and they smiled with calm delight as they spoke. Poor Rose tried to smile also; but her secret pressed like a deadening weight on her heart, and she could not speak of happiness. She withdrew herself as frequently as possible from their society; but she was almost maddened with the distraction of her feelings, when the hour arrived of separation for the night. Another hour had passed away, and Rose, unsuspected and undiscovered, had quitted the house. It was a mild and moonlight

night, when she stole along the streets on the side where the shadows lay dark and broad. She soon turned away into a narrow lane, closed in on each side by high walls; and with both her trembling hands, she unlocked a small door on the left side. How often had Rose played, in the happy carelessness of childhood, about the beautiful garden which she now entered. Many recollections which would once have brought delight with them, came, blighted and dead, over her heart, and she hurried swiftly onward; but when she reached the door, she stopped a little while before she could enter the house. She turned away, and looked back upon the garden and the fields beyond, now all reposing in the silvery moonshine; and as she stood gazing there, she half resolved to flee away far over the quiet fields, and never return again to those whom she loved; so that she might never hear of her brother again, and never see him, till all doubt and terror had passed away, and they were both in a less miserable world. Many strange thoughts and wild wishes passed over her mind, and once, in the hopelessness of her agony, she called aloud upon God for help; but she then shuddered with terror at her impiety, for the bare idea of prayer from her, situated as she then was, seemed an insult to the God of purity. She returned to the door-it closed upon her. Who shall attempt to imagine the horrors of that night? Ere it passed away, the poor heartbroken girl heard a sound of knocking, which seemed to proceed from the close beneath the chamber windows; the noise roused her, but she had not then the power of thinking. Once only she unclosed her eyes; it was morning; for rays of rich light streamed into the chamber through the crevices of the closed shutters. She wished for a perpetual night, and turning her face to the pillow, she slept. In her dreams, she heard again that loud knocking; and, without understanding why, it wrung her very heart. Then slow and martial music seemed to rise all around, and her brother's voice called out to her; she strove to get near him, but although he called more and more loudly, she saw him not. She seemed to be surrounded by thick and dark clouds, and as they unrolled and gathered around her, she beheld before her a crowd of soldiers, from the midst of whom her brother's voice seemed to proceed. Rose in vain attempted to force herself through the crowd. At last one man came forward to assist her; she tried to disengage herself from the violence of his grasp, for she beheld his face, and it was that of Colonel Kirk. Roughly he dragged her forward-the crowd opened. Rose Aleyn awoke with a start-her arm was indeed roughly grasped, and the voice of her brutal ravisher commanded her to rise. Half dressed he stood by the bed-side, and the expression of his face was at once frightful and inexplicable. The room was in a blaze of sunshine, and Rose felt the fresh air of morning blow