fierce, red-rimmed eyes, a hat not worn | first up in town, and one of the biggest out, but though new, visibly bent in at greenhorns you ever came across; and one side a sort of green shooting-coat, now". Trapes shook his head in silence, and leggings buttoned to the knee, but and replacing the pipe in his mouth, esbuttoned awry; a short stick in his hand, sayed to smoke, but in vain. "My pipe's and a short pipe in his mouth, completed out," said he, again waving it before him. his very disreputable appearance. More-"A common expression, you'll observe, over, to her dismay, Kate observed an un- but there is a good deal of pathos in it for steadiness about his knees, a look of se- all that. My pipe's out! I've drawn too vere wisdom in his once tolerable-looking hard and quick, and the 'baccy is gone, and face. "Good heavens," she said, in her nothing is left but the scent of the weed, heart. "It must be Trapes, and he is tip- which hangs round it still; so with life sy!" The next moment he raised his bat- my life but," with sudden energy," this tered hat with an attempt at high-bred is wandering from the point. As I was style, and said, "I think I have the honour saying, I was the making of that fellow of speaking to Mrs. Travers?" advancing Reed. He hasn't an idea he did not filch disagreeably close. from me. 'Who steals my purse steals trash,' eh? Well, would he lend me a fipun note now, as between two gentlemen? No, not to save my life! And that brings me to my point again. Will you, madam, have the goodness to give me five pounds? for I wish to be perfectly correct in all my dealings, and it is not my intention to return it." He lifted his hat as he said this, and replaced it, considerably on one side, with a defiant air. Kate looked earnestly at him, trying to find out how far she might venture to speak rationally. He was not so very drunk after all. She would see on what he founded his claim for five pounds.

"My name is Temple," she returned, coldly, but keeping a brave front.

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Óh, Temple, is it,” with a burst of insolent laughter. Then suddenly changing to profound gravity, he took his pipe out of his mouth, and waving it in the air gracefully, repeated, "Temple, quite right in one sense! Temple is the correct thing-shrine what-you-call-'em for

a beautiful goddess, eh?"

Another sudden peal of laughter, as suddenly turned into stern gravity. "Now, then, Mrs. Temple Travers, compliments being passed, let us proceed to business — I say business! Let's sit down;" and, suiting the action to the word, he took the seat Mrs. Temple had just quitted. "Sit down, won't you, and we can talk comfortably — lots of room," he continued, drawing so close to the edge of the piece of rock that he nearly toppled over.

Kate, dreadfully puzzled what to do or say, frightened at his condition, yet not liking to lose the chance of discovering what was the mysterious link, if any, between him and Ford, said, as civilly and composedly as she could, "Thank you, I have been sitting for some time, and prefer standing now."

"Oh, well, please yourself, Mrs. Travers Temple. You see I do not like to contradict a lady, but the last time I saw you, you were Mrs. Travers. Yes, you were." "Where have you seen me?" asked Kate, graciously.

"At Hampton Court, with a young fellow called Reed. Do you know Tom Reed?"

"And why should I give you money?" she said, smiling; "though you say you know me, I certainly do not know you. Why should I give you five pounds?

"For value to be received," he returned. "For, 'pon my soul, if you trust me to that extent," an attempt at refinement of tone sadly marred by a drunken wink, "you shall receive cent. per cent., or rather four or five hundred per cent. on the capital advanced."

"Of course I should be very pleased to secure such a splendid return for so small an outlay," said Kate, pleasantly. "Tell me a little more about it."

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Ah, ha! Mrs. Temple, or Travers, or whatever you choose to call yourself, you are deep-deuced deep - but it won't do! I'll not let you pump me, and leave me high and dry afterwards. No, no; you must have faith, madam! Look here, now. It's a d-d shame to see a woman like you behind a beggarly counter, cheated out of your own, and all by a dirty trick! Now suppose I

Kate listened with the utmost avidity, seeing which, Trapes, with drunken cunning, broke off suddenly, and burst into a rude boisterous laugh. "No, no," he repeated, "that would be telling."

He was not sober. He did not, I think, | You know that I cannot live without you intend to rob me."

"It looked very like it; yet he certainly did not seem a common tramp. I think it is my duty to make the police look after him."

"Perhaps so. I will probably lodge a complaint against him myself."

"You should do so without fail, Mrs. Temple! Are you feeling all right again?" "Nearly," she said, passing her hand over her brow. In truth, she was much more upset by Galbraith's sudden appearance than by her adventure with Trapes, besides a natural embarrassment at being alone with him under such circumstances; his presence, just when she had found perhaps the missing link of evidence, was most inopportune. Nevertheless, come what might, she could not help feeling a strange, unreasonable thrill of pleasure at finding him there beside her-caring for her. "But tell me, how is it that you are here just at the right moment?" she con

tinued.

no, that's nonsense! I shall have to live without you, if such is your will. But are you quite sure it is your will? Come, Kate, you must hear all I have to say. You have made me so miserable and unlike myself, I think I have a right to be heard."

"It would be much better not," she said, with trembling lips. She was frightened and bewildered, but the tame and somewhat gloomy tenor of her life had never known such a moment of delicious pain before.

"No, it is better we should understand each other."

He leaned forward, his arm on his knee supporting his head on his hand, that he might look into her eyes. "I have done my best to forget you, and you, for some reason or other, have done your best to choke me off; but it won't do. You will perhaps think me a conceited idiot, but I can't help fancying you like me better than you think. I cannot get the sound of your voice just now out of my ears when you called me 'Hugh! dear Hugh.' I would give some years of my life to hear you say so again in earnest. Couldn't you try?" and Galbraith smiled entreat

"It was the terror of the moment," said Kate, very low. "I did not know what I said.”

"When I went down to my sister the day after I last saw you in London," returned Galbraith, "I found that she had had a quarrel with her husband; that he was in a scrape, and gone off she did not know where. I was obliged to go in searchingly as he spoke. of him, so I wrote an explanatory note to you, which of course you never received. I had a good deal of running about after Harcourt, and I did not go to my club until yesterday morning-there I found your very unsatisfactory epistle. It was rather shabby of you to give me the slip in that way, so I took the train to Stoneborough yesterday afternoon, and came on here this morning-called at the Bazaar, was graciously received by Miss Lee, who told me you had gone with a book and a headache to sit on the rocks under the broken cliff. I just came up in the nick of time. Drunk or sober, that fellow must be punished. You are trembling still." As he spoke, Galbraith sat down beside her, taking one of her hands in both of his, very gently, yet he held it close.

"You are always good to me, and I don't deserve it," said Kate, unable to hold the reins of her self-control with her usual steadiness, her voice faltering while she tried to draw away her hand, not very resolutely, "I don't indeed, Sir Hugh."

"Ay, but you have called me 'Hugh' before when there was nothing to frighten or disturb you! Tell me, have I no chance with you? Will you not be my wife? I am a rugged sort of a fellow, I know, but there should be no ruggedness in your life, dear-all the best I have should be yours," and he again took her hand. ·

"Oh, don't talk to me like that," cried Kate, snatching it away and covering her face. "I must not let you. It is quite impossible you could marry me. If you knew everything you would see that I am the last woman you would like to marry."

"My God!" exclaimed Galbraith, the colour leaving his face. "Is it possible there is any real barrier between us? Is it possible there can be any spot in your past life that you would wish to hide?"

"Do you mean that I have done anything wrong?" returned Kate, her face "Perhaps not," he said, gazing at her; still hidden, her voice faltering, and keep"but you see it is not so much what you ing back her tears only by a determined deserve as what I cannot help giving. I effort. "No, there is nothing in my past can no more help loving you than I help life I need blush for. It is not my fault breathing! Well, there," releasing her that there is any barrier-I mean that hand, “I will not keep it if you don't like. there are things - circumstances you

She stopped ab- | taking a sudden resolution, "if you still care to hear my story."

other channels, you may write and ask | find him. Even if I did, he is such a dis the fulfilment of my promise." reputable creature to inquire about." She paused.

"Kate," said Galbraith, sinking his voice to its deepest tones, while he raised the hand that still lay in his to his lips, "it is not all over with me yet!"

"Do not let yourself think so," she replied earnestly; and turning from him, walked quickly towards the town. Galbraith stood still, gazing after her in deep thought till she had got well ahead, and then slowly followed.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

"DID you meet Sir Hugh?" was Fanny's first question, when, after her day's work was over, she went up to her friend's room to see if that horrible headache was any better.

Kate had availed herself of that excuse to keep out of sight and in semi-darkness till her nerves had somewhat quieted down after the painful, pleasurable, overwhelming excitement she had gone through.

"Yes, Fan, I met him; and who else, do you think?"

"I can't think. Not Tom?" "No, indeed; but that dreadful ure Trapes!

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Trapes!" with a little scream. what did he say?"

"Oh, we must find him!" cried Fanny. "What matter about his disreputableness? He would not be at such a grand hotel as the Marine; but there is the Marquis of Cornwallis, and the Shakespeare Tavern. Had I not better catch Jimmy before he goes, and send him around to ask?"

Jimmy was the errand boy, and Fanny's most devoted slave.

"No, that will not do. I wish I knew if Hugh Galbraith has actually gone," said Kate, thoughtfully.

"Gone!" echoed Fanny, in dismay. "Then you have refused him, after all? I think you are very ill-natured. Why don't you make up your minds, and share the property? and we might shut up shop and all be married on the same day!"

"

"Dear Fanny, you do not know what you are talking about. There, you are putting the eau de Cologne in my eyes and making them smart. For Fanny was treating her friend for severe headache to the best of her skill. "My head is better, and I will not lie here any longer. I must creat-write to Tom by to-night's post. He said he was coming on Saturday; I will beg "And him on no account to fail me. I cannot do anything without Tom. I seem quite dazed and stupid."

"Nothing I can depend upon. He was rather, indeed very, tipsy; and among other things he offered to restore me to my rights, but wanted me to give him five pounds."

"Well, then?"

"Oh, he would have been content with an instalment of five shillings, but unfortunately I had not my purse about me. Then he grew insolent, and wanted to examine my pocket himself; then Hugh Galbraith came and knocked him down."

"You don't say so! Why, dear Kate, it is just like a play; and I do hope that you have promised to marry Sir Hugh! He came in about half an hour after you went out; looking-oh, I never saw him look so well or so bright!- quite handsome; and so pleasant! If it was not for Tom, I should not mind marrying him my self."

Instead of replying, Fanny felt her friend's hand clasp hers with a tremulous pressure.

"Do not talk of Hugh Galbraith just now," she said, after a minute's silence. "I will by-and-by. At present I am greatly troubled about Trapes; he has disappeared, and I have no idea where to

She had risen while she spoke, and was standing before the glass, impatiently shaking back her long chestnut-brown hair preparatory to rearranging it. Fanny, who was always a little frightened when, to use her own expression, Mrs. Temple got into "a state," it was so rare - held the candle obsequiously. "You look dreadfully ill, dear," she said, soothingly, "had you not better take off your things and go regularly to bed, instead of twisting up your hair and trying to do impossibilities? and I will bring you a nice cup of tea and a muffin

"I believe, Fanny, you consider tea and muffins a cure for every earthly ill," interrupted Mrs. Temple, continuing her hair-dressing rapidly and deftly. The sight of a muffin would make me sick. I want to be up and doing. Don't mind me if I seem cross. I don't intend to be, but I feel chained here while I ought to be rushing hither and thither to secure Trapes, and urge on Mr. Wall; time is so precious, and it seems impossible to hurry things; just like those dreadful dreams where life depends on speed, and yet one's limbs are lead-weighted and rigid."