"A covered portico runs up on each side to the house, and in these porticoes are, I presume, the offices. The house, built by Kent or Chambers in old times, is a good specimen of bastard Grecian or Palladian architecture. A paved way runs from the lodge gate to the door, which is reached by a noble flight of steps. The porter, pulling a bell which communicated with the house, directed me to the chief entrance, which was opened as I approached."

"Chut! these aristocrats; what care they take lest the vulgar crew should intrude on them!" cried Old Daylight. "Well, when you are a gentleman, there's nothing like letting the world know that you are so."

"The footman who opened the door told me superciliously that my lord was engaged, and had left one or two names only on the slate, to the owners of which he was to be at home. 'You know,' said the fellow, with a drawl imitated from his betters, you know he isn't at home to everybody.' And the fellow looked at me as if he would take my measure.

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"He will be at home to me,' said I.

"Ah! if I could have told him all, how the rascal would have started. The proud tone in which I spoke seemed to settle my friend. He took my card, read over the address, " Mr Edgar Wade, Garden Court, Middle Temple,' and, as if satisfied, creaked up-stairs till met by a groom of the chambers, who, looking down at me, ordered me to be shown up-stairs, and then went his way. The room into which I was shown was adorned with portraits of the race of Stanfield. It was a proud and a distinguished race, distinguished not only for its mere bravery, but for its wit, its knowledge, its boldness in withstanding kings, or in aiding them. More than once it had intermarried with the royal race, than which it, indeed, proudly claimed to be better born. Oh! I know well what my ancestry is. I have studied Dodd and Edmondson since I found out this grand secret."

The young man rose, and strode almost fiercely and impatiently up and down his room.

"Well," said Daylight to himself, "pride is a plant of uncommon quick growth in the bosom of man. Poor human nature!"

"My black dress and fashionable costume seemed to have some effect upon this last valet, for he was very attentive." My lord, he said, would see me at once. Would I walk into his morning-room? but my lord begged that I would not detain him long, as he had an appointment of some moment. 'And,' said the fellow, as I thought, with an easy lie, 'I know that the carriage will be waiting for him in ten minutes.'

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All, indeed, was done like clockword-so I afterwards heard in the house of Chesterton. The horses were kept harnessed, the carriages ready, the dinners, the breakfasts, the first appearance of my Lord Viscount, or the Earl himself, was to the minute. Great noblemen, the Earl was wont to repeat, must submit to little details. I meditated on the slavery of such a state as I followed the fellow into the armoury."

"And yet he would so gladly submit to it himself," thought Old Daylight. "Poor hum". but he checked himself, fan

ning his forehead, in his excitement, with his bandana.

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I never saw so many arms in my life. The Viscount was curious in swords, and they were arranged in the different centuries to which they belonged. Indian, Chinese, Hindoo tulwars, and Japanese swords, sharp as a razor, and ready to cut a Christian in two, hung with the weapons of the Crusaders, the long rapier of Elizabeth's days, or the rough cavalry sabre of Cromwell's Ironsides, marked with the genuine 'O. C.' The young fellow seemed to have a passion for steel. Here, on a rack, were some curious daggers; here some German foils with the true Solingen blades "

"Foils!" said Old Daylight, with a start. "You said foils?"

"Yes. Why did you start?"

"Oh, it's only this corn, confound it." said the old man, stooping down and pressing his slipper.

"There were pistols, too-beauties! Indeed, everything was good. In the midst was a genealogical tree, where, from the loins of Ranuldus de Castraville, in the days of the Heptarchy, the proud race of the Chestertons sprang—a race of nobles when the Conqueror was but a successful freebooter. I was looking at this when my other self, the Viscount, entered. He looked wonderfully well that day. He was dressed in a

velvet morning coat, light, well-made shoes, and loose trousers -not the very tight pantaloons, tight as we now wear. He was dressed for ease, and it well became him. I think I see him now-beautiful, radiant with health, good-nature, sweetness, looking ten years younger than I did. He had not thought, and read, and written, and felt as I did. His heart had never throbbed with shame, with pride, with ambition, as mine had; nor had beaten so wildly that I have put my hand upon it, as a musician does upon his harp, to deaden and to stop its vibrations. He had a grand and noble air, was about my height, very lightly built, and very smooth, supple, and joyous. Why, indeed, should he not be so? He had neither worked, suffered, nor struggled.

"You're looking at our tree,' he said. 'That is a piece of my father's work. I am always obliged to apologise for it to strangers, and you are one, Mr Edgar Wade. By the way, I think I remember your name at the bar.'

"His soft, kind voice disarmed me. I had turned to him fiercely, as if I could have said, 'Out! base-born, out! Give me my rights, and strip away those fine feathers you have stolen.' But his courteous well-bred looks, his address as to an equal, his kindness and honest intention, as he professed that if he could he would serve me, though I know 'tis but a fashion of their courtly breed, disarmed me, and I repented of my purpose. My head fell on my chest, my arms were uplifted as if to embrace him, my lips moved, and my heart spoke Would that this trial would pass away, would that I could clasp you to my heart, O Philip! O my brother!""

:

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CHAPTER VIII.

IN CAMPS OPPosed, false SHAME AND CONSCIENCE STAND.”

"PHILIP DESVEUX STANFIELD, Esq., commonly, and by courtesy styled the Viscount Wimpole "- continued the

barrister.

"Stop!" cried the old man, blowing his nose with violence,

and thereby indulging his method of crying; "stop a bit. I'll mix again, and a little for you."

Then he muttered to himself, "What a noble heart this young man has! I was right when I put his name in my will. And those people to keep him out of his rights, and by such means, too! There it is, my boy. A pailful of this would not hurt you; it's your brown sugar bedevilments that kill the brandy."

Mr Wade was nothing loath. He refreshed himself, and Old Daylight did so as well; then, nestling down in his chair, Ite prepared to listen comfortably.

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'Philip,” resumed the barrister, dropping for a minute his bitter tone," seemed touched at my movements. They were but dumb motions, so they must have been eloquent with grief; for he said

"You have something to communicate to me, sir. What is it?'

"Something so serious,' I answered, that I will not tell it here. You have several doors. Somebody might listen.' "Will it take long,' asked he.

"Here I at once told the Viscount that I must, at least, have the whole of an hour to speak to him. 'And,' I added, ' what I have to say is of the utmost importance both to you and to your father, the Earl. These letters,' said I, 'are of his writing.'

"The young fellow looked at the important bundle of letters with some anxiety; and, after pausing as if in thought, rang the bell, and ordered the carriage to wait for an hour. Then, leading the way into his own little study, he carefully closed the door; and placing an easy chair near the fire-for we were nearing October, and it was cold-he motioned me to sit down.

"The room, which was comfort itself-or, indeed, I may call it luxury-looked out on the ancient garden of Chesterton House; and, although suffering from the smoke of London, the garden was well kept up, and it was a pretty place. I noticed that if I fell-for I was about to play the bold game "Brave boy!" cried Old Forster.

"And he might throw me out of window-I should assuredly

break my neck; for, although we were on the first floor, the ground round the basement had been deeply removed; and, to say the truth, the state rooms at Chesterton House are lofty. Lord Wimpole was somewhat about my height, as I said, and very active; and, truly, what I was about to say to him was enough to stir any one's choler. I sat but a moment, and then I arose

"I hope, my lord,' said I, giving him his courtesy title, that you will not proceed to any extremes upon what I am about to say to you.'

"He looked at me with extreme surprise, somewhat puzzled.

"My mission,' I continued, is a very painful one-very painful indeed. Nothing that you can do or say now can affect it. It has passed into the regions of history. Therefore, let not what I shall say move you to'

"My dear sir,' interrupted he, with a good-natured and somewhat proud look upon his manly, upturned face-for his surprise had given way and his feelings had rallied—' what can you or any one say to my father's son that '

"Exactly. You have cut the difficulty. Learn, sir, that you are not the legitimate son of the Earl of Chesterton.' I kept my eyes fixed upon his as I said this, and saw a gleam of fury shoot from them, and expected him to spring at my throat. Then the gleam died down, and a pallor gradually crept up on his face, as I continued: And these letters that I have here will prove what I say. The real heir still lives; and sent by him, I come here. In these writings you will ’

"Give them to me,' said he, in a voice short, sharp, and painfully altered by emotion.

"I did so at once."

"Phew! and a fire burning in his room, right before him!" cried the old criminal philosopher.

"Ah!" said his companion, "Lord Wimpole is a gentleman; besides "-and this the wicked Old Daylight thought was much more to the purpose-"I stood between him and the grate, and my eye was fixed on his.

"Before you begin,' I cried, 'let me save you unnecessary pain.'