but the events of the day prevented me from sleeping soundly till after the morning had dawned, and then I did not wake till nearly breakfast-time, when I got up with scarcely a trace of fatigue remaining. Charles and Arthur had a hearty laugh at my capacity for sleep; but Hoani took my part most manfully.

The little fellow has attached himself wonderfully to me, so that everything that I do is perfectly right in his eyes; and he always finds some excuse for me if I make any mistake, or do anything badly. I could see that on Saturday night he realised more clearly than Charles and Arthur did what I had done towards saving Colonel Midleton; and since then his devotion to me has been greater than ever. He shows his attachment not only by defending me on all occasions, but also by striving if possible to anticipate my wishes, and by doing whatever he thinks will please me. I wish that you could see him; he is so bright, so intelligent, so good-humoured, and such a thoroughly good religious boy, that I cannot help returning his affection, and doing what I can to advance his real happiness.

Often during the day I longed to know how the Midletons were, but fortunately it was Sunday-Advent Sunday-and the services of the day not only gave me something to think of, but breathed a feeling of peace and rest into my mind, and calmed down the excitement which had so much disturbed me. When our clergyman came out in the afternoon, he could only tell me that the whole of the passengers and the boat's crew had returned thanks for their preservation; but of the Midletons in particular he could tell me nothing.

I had written thus far when a neighbour called in to say that he was going into town with his letters for a mail which is to be made up this evening, so I must conclude.

Yours, &c.

HENRY TREFUSIS.

ALICE WOBURN.

CHAPTER IV.

due time, that is at the beginning of June, the hams arrived at Anerley Terrace, or rather the nine and juvenile part of the family arrived, for Mr. ham, the head of the house, chose only to be absent business for the Sundays, always coming down to mouth on Saturday evening and returning to town Monday morning; and Oswald Farnham, the eldest had not yet come from Cambridge to Raymouth, re he was to spend the long vacation. Alice at once a liking to Mrs. Farnham, a plump apple-cheeked ron, whose genial laugh and good-natured manner wed an easy-going happy disposition, well content h itself and all the world; she was a woman, in fact, uine and kindly, though neither penetrating nor clever, I whose perceptions had never been sharpened by the ndstone of adversity. Life had been a comfortable rney over a macadamized road to her; of course -s. Farnham knew of the existence of ignorance and nt, and sorrow, and she would, if asked to do so, e handsomely to the poor from her well-filled purse, t she never thoroughly realized the sufferings of which heard, or thought that such things could ever concern r or hers in the midst of their comfortable prosperous rroundings. It may appear strange that a vehement ough suppressed nature like Alice's should be attracted one so different, but experience shows that we are ten drawn towards our opposites, and it was probably mething of this kind that made Mrs. Farnham take a ncy to Alice, whom she engaged to teach her three Dungest children for two hours every morning.

Alice's pupils were Maria and Jessie, girls of twelve nd eleven, and James, or as he was usually called, Jemmy Tarnham, a young gentleman of eight years old, to whom liss Woburn was expected to impart Latin grammar, eading, writing and arithmetic. Between these children nd the rest of the family there was a gap of seven years,

Mrs. Farnham's eldest daughter was two and twenty, then came Oswald, who was twenty-one, then a girl who was just nineteen, so that the household was, as it were, divided into two distinct sets. The young ones were rather pale and heavy-eyed, indeed it was chiefly on their account that Mrs. Farnham had come down to Raymouth, a second-rate watering place with no very great attractions; she had always gone to Worthing for the summer, she told Alice, but she fancied that the keen, bracing air of Raymouth would be better for the little ones.

Alice liked her pupils, and they soon began to show a decided fondness for her; after the early dinner they were always taken for a walk or on to the beach by a maid, who kept the unfortunate little beings, as it appeared by their artless confessions to Miss Woburn, in order that was perhaps rather too good. The feelings of Jemmy in particular seemed to be outraged by a painful restriction from running into the waves, so as to wet his feet after he had once bathed in the morning.

So it came to pass that one day when Miss Woburn had happened to let out the fact that Wednesday was a holiday afternoon to her, she was drawn into promising to take the young folks with her for a long walk that was a favourite one of her own, if Mrs. Farnham would allow it. Alice was taking leave of her pupils in the narrow entrance hall as she made her promise, and the words were no sooner out of her mouth than Jemmy bounced into the drawing-room, which was on the ground floor, calling out to his mother to know "if they might go with Miss Woburn in the afternoon instead of Jemima," adding in the same loud key, "she said we might, and she's waiting."

"My dear Jemmy, you've been teasing Miss Woburn I'm sure, and how could you keep her waiting in the passage?" a good-humoured voice exclaimed, then Mrs. Farnham herself appeared saying, as she shook hands with Alice, "Now I know they have been tormenting you, Miss Woburn: I'm so sorry, pray don't trouble yourself about them, they always go out with Jemima, a most trustworthy person she has them on the beach always from breakfast till lesson time, and then in the afternoon

,

; I think I shall take Jemmy with me for a drive toeally I couldn't think of letting them take up your

he promised, she promised," said Jemmy, pulling 's arm as if it were a bell-rope.

and we want to see Brilstone Pier," put in Maria. and I mean to climb up the cliffs," added Jessie. really should like having them with me this after- Mrs. Farnham, if you don't object," Alice said. as wishing to walk to Brilstone, a fishing village here, and I should be glad of companions." Well, you certainly have made friends in a short it is not a week since you began to teach them, 3 Woburn," said the mamma graciously. "I'm so you take an interest in them; as you really mean to them this afternoon, I can't let you go away now, top and join our early dinner, it will be ready in half nour."

,

Thank you, I had rather not stay to-day, because s. Rothwell, the old lady I live with, will be expectme, but I'll call for the children presently," Alice wered, and was going away, when Mrs. Farnham deed her while she said, "Miss Woburn must be sure to e tea with them at all events, they should be so glad er society, they actually knew no one in Raymouth." Alice said "yes" directly, and walked away feeling te pleased and brightened by Mrs. Farnham's cordi

ty.

The little Farnhams thoroughly enjoyed their afternoon, d so did Alice, for the children were very orderly and ell-mannered, and not being of the sort who attract uch notice by beauty or sharp sayings, considered that eir new friend was doing them a favour by taking an terest in them and their doings. The weather was not o hot, they ran about, picked up seaweed, filled their ttle baskets with oddly marked pebbles, scrambled up he Brilstone Cliffs, and walked up and down on the ough quaint pier, hearing with awe from an old sailor ow but a few days before a fishing-boat had been wrecked only two hundred yards from that very place, e and others having seen the crew perish before their

eyes in the fierce waves, without the power of helping them. Alice would not stay half as long as the young ones wished, nevertheless it was late when they reached Anerley Terrace, tired, hungry, and in the best of spirits. Mrs. Farnham looked more comfortable and fresh than ever as she sat behind her tea-cups, her rounded matronly figure arrayed in a pretty, cool, lilac dress; her two eldest daughters were with her, and seemed delighted at the sight of Alice; they evidently belonged to the class of young women who require the companionship of their kind, and having had no young ladies' society since they came to Raymouth were dull without it. Camilla and Jane Farnham were young women endowed with easilygiven affection and moderate intellect, who naturally took their tone from the persons they happened to be with, impressions were readily made upon their minds and as quickly effaced. They were not unpleasant companions, for though not clever they presented no rough edges of opinion, and they would talk mildly on whatever topic any one else took the trouble to introduce; they had been to good schools and passed for well-educated people. They were very much alike in mind and person, both had pale, pretty hair and eyes, and fair, rather thick complexions, and would have been very good-looking if they had had a little more spirit and expression; as it was their faces gave one the idea of transparencies behind which there were no lights. Their good-natured, well-bred gentleness, and evident pleasure in her company, made Miss Woburn like them: the repose that was almost torpidity seemed restful to Alice, so the four ladies spent an evening that to many people would have been dull, very pleasantly; first they sat by the open window listening to the music of the band, which played on the pier close by, where crowds of smartly-dressed people promenaded nightly; then they had a little music, and a little chat, and at nine o'clock Naomi came to walk home with Miss Woburn. By this time they had become quite friendly and intimate, and finding that after five o'clock next day Alice's time would be her own, the Farnhams made an appointment to call at Mrs. Rothwell's and pick Miss Woburn up as they went by for a drive.