would expose her to the horrible charge of wilfully intending to profit by a fraud. She had, indeed, a clear conscience; at least, what she had hitherto done had been done from the purest motives and in the very teeth of her own inclinations. It would not be hard to show that no inkling of Mr. Gryffyth's intentions was likely to have reached her. She must tell all the very next day, and trust to the good sense and forbearance of others to forgive her this great but innocent mischief.

The good sense of Mrs. Roberts! The generous forbearance of Mrs. Dowlas!

Eva thought on what manner of persons she was thus relying, and she despaired more and more. Yet she slept a great part of the night. Convicts will sleep on the eve of execution, and when the hammering up of the scaffold is audible in their cells. Eva slept until her usual hour of waking in the morning.

Mr. Gryffyth's motives for the unexpected disposal of his estate might, very likely, occur to you without our dwelling on them; yet we may briefly recapitulate them.

most a sin. Mr. Dowlas was an excellent man in himself, but to endow him with wealth would be to enrich his wife all the same.

They had four children, but Mr. Gryffyth felt the anomaly of passing over the parents for their sakes. Mr. Dowlas must have domestic difficulties enough. It would hardly be well to complicate them by making his children wealthy while he continued poor. Besides, was it likely that the children of such a mother would grow up qualified to adorn a higher position?

However, people must be taken as they stand. And some time towards the close of 1855 Mr. Gryffyth executed a will, bequeathing his landed property all to Mr. Dowlas, and charging it with an income of two hundred a year, to be paid for life to poor Mrs. Roberts. As time after time stories reached his ears of the behaviour of Mrs. Dowlas, and of the small control her husband exercised over her, Mr. Gryffyth felt very uncomfortable, and many a time envied those people who can die and leave nothing behind them. He was still disquieting himself, while feeling that very soon the matter would have passed out of his control altogether, when he heard that Susanna Roberts had, after all, a living daughter, and that that daughter was coming to Llynbwllyn.

He lived hoping and hoping that his nephew would, one day or other, step forward and heal the breach between them. Mr. Gryffyth would have exacted no humiliating condition. The merest wish for a renewed intercourse would have been met, on his part, with restored affection in life, On that day when Mrs. Dowlas had inand the reversion of his estate after death. sisted on her husband's taking her to TreBut time wore on, and the nephew, pros-mallyoc, old Gryffyth, shutting out the lady pering in his own way, made no advance on his side. Owen Gryffyth was far too proud to expose himself to the chances of a cold refusal. He was a Dissenter, and his nephew a richly beneficed clergyman. He grew old in years, and received one or two signs within that the earthly tabernacle was failing him. Resolved that (in default of a reconciliation) his natural heir should not be his actual heir, the old Welshman considered what he should do. He greatly desired to benefit the Roberts family. He cherished the memory of his stepmother, the sister of Mr. David Roberts. She had (in marrying his father) delivered him from the dominion of a very cross aunt; and, though somewhat his father's inferior in station, had performed all her duties kindly and wisely. But, as Left to himself, Mr. Gryffyth took note of he wearily considered, could he hope that what he had heard. He did not feel equal either of her nieces would make a good use to seeing the young lady himself, but he of his estate if they got it? Susanna was a could trust the sense and taste of his more fool; and her folly had left her in a very than disinterested informant. Surely she painful and doubtful position before the was expressly created to rescue him out of world. Jane, Mrs. Dowlas, was an intem- the difficulty he so much and so often deperate vixen, to enrich whom would be al-plored. Here as if by direct interference

from the conference, had asked many questions of Mr. Dowlas as to the new relation suddenly come amongst them. The good rector of Llynbwllyn gave to Eva all the praise he thought her to deserve. She was very beautiful; she had been thoroughly well educated, both in solid acquirements and ornamental accomplishments; she was a perfect lady, and fit for any station to which Providence might be about to call her. Withal she was most amiable in disposition, forbearing with the weaknesses of her mother, and winning the grateful affection of her youthful cousins. Thus, with the utmost pleasure to himself, did Mr. Dowlas talk of Eva. And this was the good which Mrs. Dowlas got by the visit she would insist upon paying!

am your mother after all.
to disown me, Eva?"

You don't intend

"Poor dear mother!. at least, I know of no mother besides you, I'll never cause you any pain which I can possibly help giving you. At least be sure of that."

from the skies was an heiress combining kindred with his deceased stepmother with every personal and moral quality which he could have desired. Is it surprising that ere the week was at an end, Owen Gryffyth had destroyed his former will, and duly signed that one which we have had the privilege of "Then you'll let me stay with you here, reading? Before the sun went down upon and I shall be happy, I know. Oh, I can't the day of his burial, a circle, widening from tell what I should have done if I had had to hour to hour, was talking of Eva as of the go home with your aunt and uncle. Really, I being in all their acquaintance the most to think I must have gone and slept at the pubbe envied. For she was beautiful and rich. lic-house. Your aunt is positively not safe And she all the while was wondering wheth- just now, not safe. I hear that the way er the night would close in on anybody who she went on as soon as they got back to the had a harder burthen than her own to Rectory yesterday was really awful, somebear. thing quite awful. They tell me that she kicked the cat from the top to the bottom of the stairs, and threw Winifred's best bonnet on the kitchen fire. But my sister Dowlas has such strength of character, to be sure; such strength of character that there are times when she really doesn't know what she does herself."

When, on the following morning, she came down-stairs, she found Mrs. Roberts in the breakfast room. It was as pleasant a room as you can fancy. But all the delights of the house were so many torments to poor Eva. She felt herself such a degraded impostor. Of all the company which had thronged the house the day before, there was not one who had not a somewhat better right to be there than she had, And they had all retired and left her to rule in the house alone.

She found but little comfort in her poor silly companion. Pre-occupied as her thoughts were, Eva could not but observe the change that sudden prosperity had made in the manner and look of Mrs. Roberts. The immense difference between herself and her fiery sister seemed now to have greatly diminished. She really looked selfasserting in her turn. The poor creature had actually stuck some trashy finery on to her dress; and the likelihood that the dreadful disappointment coming would throw her mind fairly off its balance arose before Eva's eyes, and filled her with a new and sickening dread.

Mrs. Roberts was talkative enough now. "Well, my dear, dearest love, isn't it a great blessing that, instead of living any more with my sister Dowlas, and bearing all her shocking tantrums, we can live by ourselves in this delightful place? Ah, my dear girl! you'll forgive your poor mother freely now now won't you? Eva, say you forgive me; say I shall always have a home with you!"

"Poor-poor woman! I will do my best, believe me."

Eva had no moral or example wherewith to point this sketch of aunt Dowlas; and Mrs. Roberts went talking on :—

"But though she has behaved so badly to you, Eva, I hope you'll try to forgive her -to forgive her just enough to have her here to tea by-and-bye, just to show her that it's our turn now, you know. We can show a much better set of tea-things than hers that she's so proud of. I've been looking over the things myself just now, and you've got a set- oh, I should think that every single cup in it must be worth the whole cost of my sister Jane's best; so I really should like her to see it."

And by-and-by, to Eva's great satisfaction, the woman whom wealth had already changed went out to pursue her inquiries into the house and its treasures, and Miss March could consider what she had better do. Her hitherto ready resource, the counsel of Mr. Ballow, was not in this matter available. It was Friday now, and not before Sunday, if indeed so soon, could she obtain an answer to any letter she might send. Could she really defer proceedings until Monday? that would be three whole days. Three entire days passed in deceit and duplicity which sickened her more and more every minute. And could she doubt what Mr. Ballow would advise? He would counsel her to reveal all without delay. And would he not be certai to indicate Mr. Lewis as the person to whom the first revelation had better be made? The fearful mischief which had ensued from concealment was a warning to her to conceal no longer. Mr. Lewis had

expressed himself ready to wait upon her if have heard how strange a history mine has she desired that very day. She bitterly felt been?- how I grew up under the care of that in so much as requesting his presence one who protected me out of charity, and she was acting on false pretences. For what without any knowledge of my real pareal claim did she possess on his attentions? rents?" But it was the only honest course before her, and strength was given her to proceed with it. She wrote a short note, beseeching him to come to her that day, on very urgent matters arising out of Mr. Gryffyth's will. Mr. Lewis lived about five miles off. Eva's messenger was quickly home again with a note in reply. Mr. Lewis would wait upon Miss Roberts that very day, about two o'clock.

Eva wrote to the Ballows to tell them of the dreadful embarrassment which had overtaken her, and of her hope that the lawyer's assistance might guide her to some honest escape from it. She also wrote to Richard. Her immediate anxiety was to keep Mrs. Roberts from assisting at the coming interview. This it proved easy to do. After a very early dinner the latter lady went out on a gossipping visit to one or two families with whom she had some acquaintance. And she was a mile away from the house by the time the lawyer arrived.

He was very cordial and animated. Eva was by far the most interesting client he had had for many and many a long year; and he greatly rejoiced to think into what hands Tremallyoc House had fallen.

Eva thought she must offer him a glass of wine. Poor girl! she could not even do that without a guilty feeling that she was robbing Mr. Gryffyth's real heir. They sat in the breakfast-room aforesaid, he with his glass in his hand, she nervously fingering her watch-guard, deferring the inevitable plunge, and (as we are wont to do) suffering it many times over in consequence. Her hesitation was much too manifest to be passed unnoticed by him.

"Hm ! to a certain extent T- I have heard it," replied Mr. Lewis, who, if he could avoid it without a falsehood, would never confess to ignorance. Eva went on,

"A short time ago I was led to believe I most solemnly assure you I did believe that Mrs. Roberts was my mother. A little while ago I received from my nearest and dearest friends positive proof that it was entirely a mistake; that in short, that I am not Mrs. Roberts's daughter, and, as you will see at once, have no possible claim to the property left me under that name." "Is it possible? Miss Roberts, you're surely under some delusion!"

But if

"I was under a delusion indeed. you look at this letter, which was written by Mr. Dowlas only six weeks ago, you will see that I really had every reason to think myself his niece. And then if you look at this other letter, which I myself received some days ago from Mr. Ballow (he is one of the friends of whom I spoke just now), you will see how thoroughly all the proofs in the former letter are set aside."

Mr. Lewis took the two letters in hand, - to wit, Mr.Dowlas's letter to Mrs. Ferrier (transcribed by us in chapter the sixth), and the letter from Mr. Ballow, telling Eva of his interview with Madame Durange, and the consequent certainty that Mrs. Roberts's daughter had died in her infancy. For many minutes the lawyer was perusing, comparing, and weighing the two important documents, together with the papeis procured by Mr. Ballow to make his case a certain one.

At length Mr. Lewis returned them into Eva's hand.

"Well, Miss Roberts - Well Miss March, I ought to say, - this is a very complicated matter, to be sure. It is much to be regretted that you did not make known the contents of this letter of Mr. Ballow's as soon as you received it.

Eva now had to tell him her motives for hiding the truth. She was glad to see that he did not appear to distrust her.

"Miss March," he said, "I fully believe you. As to your designing to get this property, why, no one knows better than I do how very close my old friend Gryffyth kept his intentions; and I know it was impossible, since he never so much as saw you, that you could have been expecting such a

thing. But I cannot promise you that you | gyman, as you may be aware. His name is will meet with like justice from everybody Leyburn the Reverend Henry Leyburn. It ought to be in our favour that he has got a splendid living, and is very well off in other ways."

concerned."

"No indeed, Mr. Lewis. I dare say you are thinking of Mrs. Dowlas. You saw what her anger was when she had no idea I had anything to hide from her. What will be her fury when she becomes aware that she has lost the property through one who had never the remotest connection with her!"

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Why, Miss March, I am not so sure but that, when she discovered she really had a grievance against you, she might hate you all the less. It would give her a certain sense of superiority. However, you are right in thinking that the shock may be very dangerous to that poor weak Mrs. Roberts. We must use the utmost precaution. Of course I now understand what yesterday puzzled me very much, in the remarks you made and the questions you asked."

"And now, Mr. Lewis, tell me I entreat you, if there be any way in which this fearful mischief can be undone."

"But would you advise my going there myself?"

"Yes, I should, I do. With a proper escort, of course. Have you no friend who would go with you?"

Eva thought of Mrs. Check, and said she had a friend in London. She thought it would be selfish to ask so singular a service from Mrs. Ballow.

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Very well. Then stay here quietly till Monday. Don't fancy yourself an intruder. When Mr. Leyburn finds that you are the cause of his inheriting Tremallyoc after all, he will not grudge you a few nights' rest in it. Say not a word to anybody here; and on Monday I'll see you safe at Chester and off by the train. Then write to your friend to meet you in London, and take you down into Cambridgeshire on the Tuesday. Tell Mr. Leyburn the whole at once. Of course, if he won't make any concessions, why, you can only fall back on the knowledge that you did your best and "I see only one resource," he said; meant your best all the matter through. "clearly, but one. You are already aware And now, my dear, good-bye. I do feel that, there being no such person as the very sorry that this house is not to be yours daughter of Mrs. Roberts, all the property-only don't you tell Mr. Leyburn of my (not specified in the will) must come to saying so. Just another thing: have you the heir-at-law, who happens also to be the plenty of money?" next of kin. What you desire is that something should be done for the benefit of Mrs. Roberts, and also for the Dowlases. That, I conclude, is the thing?"

Mr. Lewis thought a little before he spoke again.

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Yes, most certainly yes."

“And you will see directly, that if such a thing is to be done at all, the heir-at-law and no one else must be trusted to do it. The question for us is, will he do it? Will he, seeing that he benefits himself so largely by this strange mistake? Will he be generous to those who, on the other hand, have suffered so largely by it."

"I suppose he cannot be bound to do anything?"

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By no means. You can only appeal to his generosity. And I should recommend your doing it in person. It's a somewhat singular proceeding, I am aware. But the whole affair is singular from beginning to end; and it would be far the best way for effect."

"But who is he? and where does he live?"

"I am sorry to say that he lives a very great distance from here. About halfway Between Cambridge and Isly. He is a cler

Yes, ample. And my friends at Minchley will supply me with any more I may need."

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Very good, only don't be backward in asking me if you really want any. I'll make such explanations here and at Llynbwllyn as may be needed. Nothing more reasonable than when a young lady has money left her, she should be called to travel up to London."

And then Mr. Lewis went away.

Of Eva's doings for the next two days we need only say that her heart was very much lightened, anxious as it still continued. She could not go to the church on Sunday, for it involved the sitting, as owner of the manor, in the great Tremallyoc House pew. On Saturday she had written both to Mrs. Ballow and to Richard of the new enterprise now before her.

About the middle of Monday she found herself handed into the train for London by Mr. Lewis at Chester. They had quitted Tremallyoc early in the morning. Eva felt very desolate and not a little unhappy. It seemed as if she were again and again to be driven about, the world affording her no

FOURTH SERIES. LIVING AGE. VOL. III. 44.

resting-place. But she lived to view this tide sweeping all in one direction- undojourney in a very different aspect by far. ing wrongs of which, as yet, she was not There was a thread of light in the labyrinth aware, and guiding her back to the she was compelled to tread. Through all hearts of her long-lost parents, and to the the varying currents which drove her hither discovery of her rightful home. and thither there was an over-mastering