"How quickly you did it, Miss Miriam! he heard Redruth say. "Why, I scarce saw the thing before it was gone!"

The effect of the puff-balls was passing off, and, tearing his limbs from their chain, he sped up the stairs again. In a few moments, with her slow, stately step, somewhat recalled from familiarity by the accident, Miriam followed, leaving Redruth, in astonishment that he could have dropped spark, to set open the great door and cleanse the cellar, lest the smoke and spilled wine should corrupt and ferment his treasures. And had one looked in, a half-hour later, they had seen him staying himself, in Sybaritic composure, with flagons, and because there were no apples, comforting himself again with flagons.

9*

V.

THE RINGS.

HE next day, Miriam told St. Denys of her ·

THE

experience in the cellar, and asked him if what Redruth had told her concerning Sir Rohan were true.

"You should not attend the gossip of servants," was his response.

"But Mr. Redruth assumed such a quiet patronage, that he seemed to have lost that capacity."

"He is old, and generally faithful; but perhaps his heart was warmed with the wines over which he was, as you say, so enthusiastic, when he spoke too freely of his master. Forget it, my dear."

"I suppose every one has his faculties concentrated on some particular point," said Miriam, after a little while; "and so with this man, every other beautiful thing only tends to illustrate and

adorn his wines. He was something like a poet, only, papa, I don't think I like poets. And Sir Rohan — his point is his painting."

"Just now it is, but he 's as good at anything, as the melancholy Jaques has it."

"I wonder, after all, if he knows so much about any of his businesses as Redruth does about his one. Well, I'm glad, papa, you're not a poet, nor artist, nor any of those disagreeable things. You neither run nor halt, but do you know, I think you have an even gait, something too princely to stoop for trifles. There's a compliment from your big baby!" and she twined her arms coaxingly round his neck.

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Compliment, indeed! Who gave you leave to flatter me?" he said, fondly putting back her disordered hair.

"Why, you see if you've so fine a gait, the best thing you can do with it is to walk home! I want to be at home. Only think, it is ever and ever so long since we saw the Castle!"

"Ah, Miss Miriam!" said Sir Rohan, entering just then, "are you so impatient to get away?"

"Not impatient, sir," she answered, rearranging herself. "Only when one has been three

years away, home has gained a kind of enchantment."

"I revolved various schemes for your entertainment, during my illness yesterday evening," said Sir Rohan; "but so lonely is the vicinity that society is impossible. My only neighbor is Marc Arundel- at least he was

"Marc Arundel! God bless me! have I escaped that man abroad, to hear of him first at home?" exclaimed St. Denys.

"Ah? He is your heir? I had quite forgotten. Yes, his estate is about twenty miles away,— a small one. I have no doubt that there are other families between us, but unfortunately I do not know them."

"Pshaw! what matter? We did not come to see them, Rohan."

"Thank you. But, lest too much even of so good a thing as your humble servant should tire, the monotony must be varied. There are a thousand curiosities in the county which might interest Miss Miriam: cromlechs, old British fortresses, fabled abodes of Gog-Magog, and even some available mines

"O, a mine! a mine! I should delight, of all

things, in going down a mine!" exclaimed Mir

iam.

"Perhaps you would not find it so delightful in practice as in fancy," said St. Denys.

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"O, Sir Rohan!" cried Miriam, "is there one near here?"

"There was," he replied; "but it may be forsaken now; I will ask Redruth."

In a few moments, during which Miriam beat impatient tattoos with her foot, Mr. Redruth answered his summons.

"Yes, sir," he replied; "they work a lode of the great mine still, and that is on your own land. The other veins took a start some years ago, and are quite dead now."

"Can we enter it, Mr. Redruth?" cried Miriam.

"Why, Miss, I do not know as to yourself; but the gentlemen can, if "

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"O, then, we will certainly go.

ready at once. Is it far?"

"Seven or eight miles, Miss."

I will get

"Then we had best have the coach, Miriam ;

your riding-dress might embarrass you."

"You will have to dress differently, for con