but here in this wretched chaplaincy!

it crushes me !"

"But there's always some wayToo shy to say more, or to appear to lecture, the pale, soft-eyed girl who spoke turned to watch the dying glories of the Italian sunset, which crimsoned the calm sea beneath them, and cast a glow over her white cheek, and gave a colour even of health, to the thin worn features of the lady by whose sofa she sat; whose frequent cough told but too plainly, her errand to the genial south.

Mamma, we must go in," said the girl, after a long silence. "Mr. Fairfield, will you give mamma an arm to the house? She has enjoyed being out this evening; have you not, mother ?"

The gentleman to whom she spoke offered his arm, and supported the feeble,

uncertain steps of the invalid to the door of a pretty homelike villa; then exchanging good nights with mother and daughter, he returned to his former seat, and continued his reverie-not a cheerful one, to judge from his contracted brow and compressed lips. He was thinking of the sad fate which had driven those from whom he had just parted, from their English home, to Italy, in search of health, never to be found. Lady Melton's doom had been, to see her husband and all her children, excepting one son and daughter, wither and perish in that fated place; and now the blow was drawing very near which was to leave them orphans in a foreign country; it's coming, all unseen by them.

Sadly enough, Gabriel Fairfield was thinking of these and other things, when

a young man of two or three and twenty approached him, and a merry loud voice broke the silence.

"Mother gone in, Mr. Fairfield? She's better to-day, don't you think? This air must do her good?"

"I don't think she is better, Sir William," was the grave reply; and the lad's bright English face, and dancing blue eyes, were overcast by a dawning anxiety, but he said no more about his mother, and told instead the incidents of his day, to which his companion gave the best attention he could, till the darkness falling, put an end to their conference. They parted; Mr. Fairfield going to his solitary rooms, revolving many things in his mind-thoughts of the past, and of the future, but among them all oftenest came the wish-"If I were but

born a gentleman; I am one, I know I am, in all things else. If I were not a woodAnd in his pride he

man's son

hated himself for the wish.

A woodman's son, he was in truth, withal, a gentleman. Gentleman in mind, word, and action, in his thoughtful refined features, and in his dignified bearing. He was born in a cottage, in the depths of a forest; a cottage thickly thatched, half-buried in ivy and creepers, standing on an open space of soft fine turf. Up to the door grew the grand old oaks, first in groups, then in avenues, and through the branches, the sunshine glimmered on the white deer that lay beneath. An old-world place it was within, with its red-tiled floor, and ropes of onions, and bunches of dried herbs hanging from the rafters; and the

Ihat think she is better, Sir

Ina,' vs the grey; and the lad's best English face, and dancing The aes were crest by a dawning but be sud a more about his

mcher ad aid instead the incidents ahs by the his companion gave Dana be vail till the darkZUN Ming put an end to their conferક They parted: M

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