At last Selina was tired, and left me to play by ear, for the evening was closing, and dusky shadows fell, one by one, over the room. This was a time in which I liked to play; no one could see my face, and my fingers could say what they pleased. Penitent and sorrowful thoughts flowed from them with high aspirations and solemn hopes for the future. Then came the soft and liquid melody of peace and harmony. I was startled out of all my thoughts by a voice close to me. "You believe in Heaven, don't you?" "Yes!" I omitted the obnoxious "sir !" "There music is to be the soul's enjoyment?". I could not answer this extraordinary speech. "Such music would fill eternity! Good night, children! I have enjoyed the evening." He was gone. For two or three days Mr. Glynne took no notice of me, but he was very kind to Selina. During that time we never had so many visitors. All the world came to see the great hero, of whose existence and triumphs we were almost ignorant a short time before. However, we made up for it now, and Selina's adoration fell short of worship. Out of his own catalogue of sins, we discovered he had not misnamed some; for he swore terribly; he did not go to church on Sunday; and he drank a whole bottle of claret every day for dinner, and that in tumblers!-he said "wineglasses were made for fools and women!" He was always scrupulously polite to Lady Maria, condescendingly fond of Selina; but apparently showed it more to please her than himself; spoke to every person who came near him, whether he knew them or not, whether they were gentles or menials, and always with an air of entire satisfaction in himself; and yet it was neither a vain nor insulting air, but one that seemed to say "I am myself—no more, no less." CHAPTER XXIII. "The sea of fortune doth not ever flow- Her tides have equal times to come and go; No hap so hard but may in fine amend." R. SOUTHCOATE. I WAS secretly curious to know whether my guardian and Mr. Glynne would like each other. I believe Selina had some such feelings also, but fortunately more on her brother's account than Captain Forest's. Miss Seymour augured well from this. We did not see the meeting; but after dinner, in the drawing-room, shaded by a friendly win VOL. I. P dow-curtain, I made my observations. Selina always dined down-stairs now. It appeared to me that my guardian was moved in his mind about something; but it was not an uncomfortable feeling, for his eyes were bright, his countenance animated. While Mr. Glynne sat all the evening in a corner, his black brows meeting, his great, broad forehead corrugated with a frown, and his moustaches curling up in a stiff, sarcastic form; from beneath his heavy brows there gleamed flashing eyes. Evidently Mr. Glynne's "imaginary personage" had full possession of him. I noticed that if he was not scowling at Lady Maria, he was keenly investigating my guardian, and from him he turned a somewhat softened gaze upon Selina. I thought to myself, "He knows all about these people; he has had some foolish man, Isabel, to tell him, or some friend has put himself in aunt Scann's situation." The whole of that evening he spent thus; which conduct had the effect of visibly annoying his mother, while Selina, conscious that he was present, required no other stimulus to be happy. The next day, when I was in the studio, Mr. Glynne came in. I could not avoid colouring at the remembrance of the only time he had been there before. "What sort of man is he?" he began, unceremoniously. He is very good," I answered. Always the same as he was last night ?" Always." "Do you think Selina suffers?" "No; you will love her?" Humph! I love no one." "But yourself," thought I. "No, I don't love myself," said he, aloud. "You have eyes, child, that speak, however silent you may be. What is your name?" "Nellie Offley, Mr. Glynne." 66 Mister Glynne, ha ha! What prompts you to herd me with the crowd of misters? It |