me; the sea of upturned faces was before me, all eyes were fixed upon me; there was a burst of welcome, and then a sudden hush. They were waiting for me to speak; waiting for the speech which the fir-trees in the wood-walk and the poplars in the water-meadows had heard so often; and my mind was a blank save for the one thought, the one recollection-Charles Treyhen had forgotten me. Mr. Williamson seized my hand to lead me to the front; with a rapid gesture I snatched it away, and turning suddenly, caught sight of Charles Treyhen himself, as, with a face of agony, he fought his way towards me through the crowd. For one second I stood motionless; then darting forward with a scream which echoed through the room, I fell forward into his arms, as he sprang upon the platform just in time to catch me.

My darling, my poor darling!'

It was whispered in my ear, and then I heard no more I was unconscious. I was afterwards told, that aunt Dunk herself supplied my place in an impromptu speech of great originality and energy, and that the roars of laughter and applause which she called forth did not please her half as much as the hisses elicited by the discovery that she had forced me to appear against my will.

CHAPTER III.

AUNT DUNK ON AGUE.

FOR many days life was a blank to me. I was taken back to Dunk Marsh that night, because the doctor who was immediately summoned declared that it would be at the risk of my life. Aunt Dunk knew better, and she took me back to delirium and Crow. When the former left me, I was weak as a baby; and the latter informed me that my fatal speech had been constantly upon my lips; that Mr. Treyhen and Mr. Charles called several times a day to ask after me; and that aunt Dunk persisted in asserting that I was suf fering from a slight cold in the head. I began to mend, and from that day, all danger being over, aunt Dunk expressed the greatest anxiety on my behalf; assuring me that my state was most critical, nearly worrying me out of my life with suggestions and remedies, and trying to make me do everything the doctor had forbidden.

My illness was by my aunt pronounced in succession to be nervous, typhus, scarlet, and brain fever, and treated accordingly. The rights of woman were neglected for the study of medicine; the right of being quiet in illness was more especially overlooked. Unfortunately, aunt Dunk adopted the theory that like cures like, and when she decided that my malady was nervous, she administered a succession of shocks calculated to try the nerves of the most robust. She would dart at me suddenly after a profound silence, pluck away a pillow, startle me out of a quiet sleep, let a tray fall, or slam a door.

The effect was such, that in two days she was able triumphantly to assert that the fever was on the move. It had changed its character to brain. No sign could be more favourable.' She now prescribed a ceaseless course of Whately's Logic, and with that soothing work resting under my feeble hand, and Crow by my side, I was left alone for hours. The régime suited me; and aunt Dunk, more than ever satisfied with her treatment, dismissed the doctor.

At last I was able to come down-stairs, and in time I crept out in the sun. I was taking my second walk with still tottering steps, when Henry and Charles Treyhen approached. Aunt Dunk, who stumped beside me with terrible energy, called out, She's not so well to-day, boys; weaker by ever so much than she was yesterday. I declare, I shouldn't wonder if she slipt through our fingers after all.'

My cheeks and eyes gave the lie to her words, and Charles answered with something of his old manner: I am delighted to hear it; we were really anxious, as long as you assured us Miss Pellam was improving daily, and that nothing ailed her but a slight cold in the head.'

And then aunt Dunk did the very last thing she would have done, had she entertained the slightest suspicion of the state of affairs. She desired Charles to give me his arm.

'She is to take fourteen turns in the sun, and I'm going to take Henry to see my pigs; they are the finest fellows I've seen for a long time.'

She marched off with Henry, saying, 'Nothing is so bracing for you boys as to do what you don't like. You'd go forty miles round. to avoid me any day, and Charles hates nothing more than dancing attendance on a silly girl without an idea in her head; wonder what they'll find to say.'

We heard every word, and it was impossible not to smile.

My hand was resting on Charles Treyhen's arm, and before we had taken two turns out of the fourteen, he had asked me if it might not stay there for life. What foolish things people do say sometimes, to be sure! but it did as well as anything else. I understood him perfectly well, and I think he understood me too, though I said something still more odd, and apparently senseless.

Wait till I get to the bench, please,' was all I could say; and he did wait. And then he said a great deal that I cannot repeat; but I was very happy, although tears were raining through my thin fingers. He got hold of my hand at last, and asked me if I would answer him one word. I did manage to look up then, and to say, If I were aunt Dunk, I suppose I should say, "Decidedly not, Mr. Treyhen." He was quite satisfied, and we sat there till aunt Dunk's voice was heard in the distance. It was a fortunate thing for me that her voice always preceded her. I do not think she had been

gone long, but we had had time to determine that she must not be told of our engagement until I was strong enough to bear the extra persecution which she would have every right to inflict.

Whether it was from sitting on that bench, I know not, but the next morning Crow had to inform aunt Dunk that I was shivering in the first stage of ague. Aunt Dunk immediately denied the possibility, on the ground that there had never been a case in the house, although the district was an aguish one. After which she arose

and came to look at me. There could be no doubt. My teeth were chattering till the very bed shook. With her accustomed promptitude of action, aunt Dunk seized me by the shoulders and shook me violently. Crow cried out for mercy, and I-fainted away.

Aunt Dunk eyed me complacently. Ha, I thought that would stop it; like cures like, never fails.'

Crow could hardly conceal her indignation, but my aunt walked cheerfully away, putting her head in at the door again to say, 'Call me at once, Crow, if the fit returns. I've long wanted a case of ague under my own eye.'

As soon as she could leave me, Crow sought her firm ally Crampton, and the result of their deliberations was, that the latter marched off to the rectory and dispatched Charles Treyhen to the manor-house. He found my aunt up to her elbows in books of medicine.

She's got it, Charles-she's got the ague. Never was anything more fortunate. It's a clear case. Just what I've been wanting. 1 know exactly how to treat it.'

'Of course, it is so common about here. It would be absurd to have a doctor for such a trifle.'

'I don't see anything absurd in having a doctor if you are ill. It is the proper thing to do.'

'Not for mere ague.'

Mere ague, as you are pleased to call it, is the most dangerous. thing you can have. It leads to many fatal diseases.'

You don't really mean that, aunt Dunk?' said Charles in real alarm.

'Don't I? What should you know about ague, I should like to know? Why, I had it before you were born, and shall have it again after you are dead, as likely as not. It always leaves a weakness in the constitution and generally a tendency to decline, or paralysis, or lumbago. I don't half like the girl's looks, and I've half a mind to have Dr. Belton back to look at her."

A little more discussion, and Dr. Belton was sent for. Apparently he understood the case, for though declining to blame the shaking, he considered that the one already given was sufficient. He did not wish it repeated, and my aunt, satisfied with what she called his approval, allowed me to take his prescriptions. The ague was obstinate. Although the attacks were less violent each time,

they still returned, and change of air was pronounced indispensable. Dr. Belton was wise enough to desire Crow to inform my aunt of his opinion, which she did, with comments of her own upon the needlessness of such a step. The result took us all by surprise.

That evening, Henry and Charles Treyhen having walked up after dinner, aunt Dunk stood for some time netting vigorously in perfect silence. We felt that something was impending. It came at last.

Now my mind's made up. The girl must be doing something. Ay, you all thought I'd forgotten about her profession, I'll be bound. But I've not. She's not the stuff for a lecturer. But work she must for her daily bread.' Charles and I exchanged glances of amusement. 'I've long thought a lady courier might make a good living. I shall shut up this house, and take you to travel, Jane. We'll go to Bolong, and if we like that, and you get on as should be, we'll go on to Rome and Jerusalem. That's settled and done.'

Nobody spoke. Henry was smothering his laughter, and Charles his indignation. Aunt Dunk went on netting and talking vehemently for the rest of the evening. She had arranged it all, and there was no appeal.

After this I was most anxious to tell her of our engagement, but Henry strongly advised us to wait, and even Anne, to whom I had written at once, offered the same advice. Scarlet fever at home made it impossible for her to receive me, and I had nowhere else to go, should aunt Dunk turn me out, as was very likely to be the case. I did not like the concealment. It seemed like treachery to be living at her expense, and keeping her in ignorance of my prospects. But I was overruled, and the preparations for our journey continued.

The house was entirely dismantled, the pictures taken down, the carpets rolled up. Aunt Dunk, who for upwards of thirty years had never passed a night away from the manor-house, announced an intended absence of years; which made us all hopeful that a month would find her at home again. She made her will, let the ground up to the hall-door, and her only remaining difficulty was how to dispose of the family plate and diamonds. She was advised to leave the former in Crampton's charge, and to deposit the latter at her banker's. She accordingly left the plate at the bank, and decided upon taking her diamonds with her.

'Henry, I want a pair of your boots; the shabbiest and thickest you've got,' said she one evening.

Henry could only assent, but Charles dared to ask the reason why.

'For my di'monds, of course; I shall stow them away inside. Nobody would dream of stealing old boots. I shall leave them about in perfect safety, whereas no lock and key will keep out thieves.

The boots will make people think we've got a man with us too; and now I think of it, you may send up an old shooting suit as well, Henry. I'll leave it about the room where we stop, and it will keep those rascally Frenchmen from robbing us. They are born thieves, I'll be bound.'

The next preparation was still more eccentric. In contemplation of the possibility of war breaking out before our return, I was desired to cut out and prepare a quantity of plain work, to be done in the French prison, where we should probably pass some years. I was also to learn by heart several pieces of music, though why it was to be supposed that we should be allowed a piano, and deprived of music to play, I could not understand. Finally, large stores of groceries from Crippleton were packed to accompany us, aunt Dunk declining to believe that tea and coffee were known in France.

Our party consisted of aunt Dunk, Crow, and myself: Crampton was left to kill and eat the hares. We travelled only to Folkestone the first day, and were to have slept at the Pavilion. But matters turned out differently.

As soon as we arrived, aunt Dunk walked briskly out into the town, and edified the men idling about near the harbour by darting among them, and asking what was the chief article of commerce in the town, and for what it was principally remarkable. They stared, grinned, and were so long in answering, that my aunt walked on rapidly, remarking, A parcel of stupid Frenchmen, every man John of them!'

We joined the table-d'hôte that evening; but aunt Dunk could find nothing to her taste, and complained loudly enough to attract general attention.

'I declare I believe it's frogs already, Jane. One expects it the other side of the water, but I did hope for a joint here, I must say.' Presently she electrified me by calling a waiter and desiring him to send her maid out to buy a chop.

'Mrs. Dunk's maid-Mrs. Dunk of Dunk Marsh-and tell her to cook them, as she knows how, over my bedroom fire, and to bring them here at once. I don't care to go up-stairs, for I want my niece to see the world.'

and lost all appetite; But the mutton-chops

The waiter bowed; I coloured crimson, the company kindly pretended not to hear. came not. Aunt Dunk grew angry, and repeated the order in a voice which suspended all other conversation.

The maître d'hôtel now himself appeared. He was extremely sorry the lady was not satisfied. Would it not be better to order

something in her own apartment?

Why, bless your heart, man, what does it matter to you where

I eat? I have ordered my maid to cook a chop up-stairs and bring it here.'