Tracy had given her in Paris, when he was

During her vigils by Lady Tracys oed, the watch of the latter and the clock on the mantel shelf both being out of order, she had one night asked Mr. Tracy to lend her his watch, to time the hours for the invalid's medicine. The next day he had bought her this very pretty watch and chain.

During their first London poverty, and the pressure of the debt to Monsieur le Bœuf, she had sold the chain; but until now, she could not bring herself to part with the watch.

At length, however, she was forced to it. This was her last possession of any value. She went up to her room after she had done it, and took from her drawer a slightly worn, but carefully preserved book. It was that copy of Longfellow's Poems, which was nearly the first present she could remember receiving.

She opened it at the Psalm of Life,' and read it.

Then she wrapped up the book almost tenderly, and went out to give her afternoon's round of French lessons.

CHAPTER XII.

TRY AGAIN.

MONG the pupils at the school where Honor gave French lessons, there was a young lady named Miss Kate Gray, who attached herself to her French teacher with that impulsive affection warmhearted girls often feel for those some years older than themselves.

Honor was in her turn attracted by Kate Gray she was so different from any of those among whom her ties of friendship had previously lain.

Lady Tracy belonged to a past generation, and Lady Julia Vaughan, bowed down by a life of sorrow, seemed scarcely much younger

a strain of sadness had ever mingled with Edith's sweetness-Sister Justine's was a life apart from the every-day world,—and in Louise

le Bœuf, the typical Frenchwoman of her class, there was little in common with this fresh, high-spirited, country-bred English girl, whom, no doubt, Madame le Bœuf would have deemed more proud of her prowess in horsewomanship, skating, and other manly sports, than became a maiden of seventeen years.

Kate soon claimed friendship with Miss Blake, and gave as her pledge a full and faithful confidential history of her past life.

Her father had a small property in a midland county, where he and her mother lived, with five sisters and brothers younger than Kate.

There was an elder sister married, and two elder brothers-one at sea, such a darling!Miss Blake must see him!—and the eldest son had just taken Orders.

This young man was, at the present moment, doing curate's duty in London, but the vicar of the parish where his father lived was going away to another living, and the bishop had promised George' the vacancy.

It would be delightful to have him near them, said his sister.

She called on Honor for full sympathy in this last opinion, when chance made Miss Blake acquainted with brother George.

The assistant resident teacher in the school became ill, and had to go home rather suddenly, but as there was a prospect of her return to her duties after the. coming holidays, the principal, Miss Chillingham, did not like to fill her place permanently.

At the same time, she required some assistance, and she was very glad when she found Miss Blake able and willing to give it to her.

Honor was of course delighted at anything that increased the comforts of her family by adding to her earnings; and though she never, to the end of her scholastic experiences, found English people in general regard 'teachers' as French society does, Kate Gray and her family were exceptions, and the young girl's friendship made this time a very happy one.

Kate was not exactly what in these days would be called fast.

She did not ape the bearing or the dress of women from whom, if her grandmother had knowingly met them, she would have turned

away her face that she might not see them; though she did go out hunting sometimes, it was in a habit for which her father, who accompanied her, had no cause to blush; the few words of slang she had picked up from her brothers were decent, if not elegant; and her behaviour to the other sex, if more free in outward semblance than her mother's was when she was a girl, was not really less modest.

At the same time, the leaven of the age had not left her character quite untouched, and the result was, that Kate Gray got into what she called a 'scrape,' by lending herself as the vehicle of communication between her sailor brother and a young school-fellow, not so particular about her conduct as was Kate herself.

Honor helped Kate out of this trouble by her intercessions with the schoolmistress, and, above all, by the advice, which the culprit followed, of frank and full confession as the best path. This incident strengthened Kate's regard for her friend, and drew towards Honor the attention of Mr. George Gray, who was then preparing the elder classes of Miss Chillingham's school for Confirmation. It was part of