CHAPTER X.

Toiling, rejoicing,-sorrowing,
Onward through life he goes:
Each morning sees some task begun,
Each evening sees it close:
Something attempted, something done,
Has earned a night's repose.

H. W. LONGFELLOW.

HE details of the wedding may as well be

THE

omitted. As usual on these occasions, the invited guests declared that the bride looked beautiful,—that the bridegroom behaved very well,— that it was rather a slow affair, but went off very well, on the whole. Of the under current of feeling -tearful prayers, fond yearnings, and pure, sanctified joy, the world in general does not take much note, nor is it necessary to speak.

The Selbys came down to Chudleigh in great force, and though Sir Stephen had no near relations, an old aunt and a distant cousin or twonot answering to the name of Vaughan-were hunted up to represent his side of the house. But all the guests dispersed on the day after the marriage, and Dorothy sat down with great satis

faction to dine with her father on the débris of the wedding feast.

'It has all passed off very well,' said Colonel Mowbray, 'and I am glad that it is over, and that every one is pleased. Your aunt Emma was quite animated in her satisfaction.'

'Poor Aunt Emma!' said Dorothy; 'no one is so easily pleased.'

'Not without reason, in this instance, however,' said the Colonel. 'And I can tell you with whom she is not pleased. She gave me a long lecture when we were walking round the garden this morning respecting your behaviour:-she wishes you to remember your position as Miss Mowbray.'

'And behave as such, as nurse Hardy used to say?' 'Exactly-instead of getting into a corner, and leaving her girls to do all the talking. She was quite distressed that you went upstairs to sit with Blanche, instead of appearing at the breakfast, and she is sure that if you would only do yourself justice, you might be as popular as anybody.'

And now, papa,' said Dora, saucily, 'please tell me whether you are handing on Aunt Emma's advice, under a harmless delusion that any one attends to it, or are you making her the medium of your own opinion?'

satisfied with

any change,friends say, and

'Why, really, Dora, I am so well you at present, that I do not wish for only I wish you to hear what your your own good sense can determine whether they are right. Allan was regretting the other day that did not take more pains to be generally agreeable.'

you

'He does so much in that way himself,' said Dorothy, that I thought it might suffice for the firm. And he ought to give me credit for the pains I took to hunt out the Sporting Magazine for that worthy scion of his house who thought Ivanhoe too steady. As another instance of my anxiety to perform my social duties, I now suggest that you should ride over to Bagley to-morrow, to call on the new curate, and ask him to dinner any day that suits him. Mr. Parker told me that he settled there last week.'

'What, Allan's cousin, Mr. Vaughan?' said the Colonel.

'And Lance's friend,' replied Dorothy, colouring; 'you promised Lance that you would be civil to him.'

‘True,—but that was before I knew his story,— which it seems Lance did know, when he spoke to Parker about him.'

'Yes, papa, it was because he knew his story that he was so anxious to find some provision for him, and so sure he would do his work well.'

‘It is natural enough that Lance should stand up for his friend,' said Colonel Mowbray, and I don't enter into the merits of the case. I only wish that he had not planted him so near our gates, for it puts me in a very awkward position. It is impossible for me to be intimate with him, when he is not on speaking terms with Allan.'

'And whose fault is that?' said Dorothy; 'it is hard measure if Stephen's displeasure is to lay him under an interdict, and it will only cause the story to be known. Now, I believe that even the Parkers

are not aware of the relationship; but of course, if you do not visit the curate of one of your own hamlets, the neighbourhood will not rest until they have ascertained the reason.'

'That is true,' said Colonel Mowbray, 'and as you say, his claim as Lance's friend can hardly be passed It will be a mere formal visit, and there will be no occasion to mention it to Allan at all.'

over.

But Dorothy saw no necessity for such reserve: her father's intentions were recorded in the letter she was writing to Blanche, and she was able to add, that the visit had been duly paid, and that the Colonel had been quite attracted by Mr. Vaughan's manner and appearance.

As Dorothy's mind was made up beforehand, she was at least equally well pleased when he came to dinner on the following day. Yet he was singularly unlike the image she had pictured to herself of a grave, ascetic, reserved man :—his physical strength corresponded to his energy of character: he had high animal spirits, and a frank manner, always going straight to his point with a resolution which bore down opposition, simply by refusing to see the obstacles in his path. He met Dorothy with the cordiality of long acquaintance, and very soon produced a letter from Lance, some parts of which, he said, she might like to hear.

Dorothy thanked him, though with a swelling heart. Among her stores of letters, there was many a sheet in Lance's hand as closely written, but they were of old date, and since he had left them, he had only written a few lines from Antwerp, to inform the Colonel that he was so far on his way. felt that after seeing that letter, it was magnani

She

mous of her to like Mr. Vaughan so well as she did, especially when, after reading straight through the account of what Lance had seen, he stopped short, and said, with a smile. Those are all his facts, and then comes his philosophy, which I think I ought to keep to myself.' His philosophy, or rather, as Dorothy suspected, his want of it, was the very passage which she was most anxious to read.

'It is a very good letter,' said the Colonel, and I am glad to hear that he is getting on so well. Lance writes so much more fluently than he talks.'

'Most reserved men do,' observed Mr. Vaughan; 'the security that they cannot be drawn into betraying more of their thoughts and feelings than they think fit, gives them the power of expressing themselves. However, I would give up all Clifford's letters for one of our desultory, disjointed talks; I do not expect to see any one half so pleasant till he comes home again.'

Dorothy's assent was too heartfelt to be spoken; but her father said, with a smile, 'You are anxious to prove yourself disinterested, Mr. Vaughan, for it was his visit to you which clenched Lance's determination to go to India. But for that, I believe we should still have had him amongst us.'

'I was afraid I should get the credit, or the odium, of his decision,' replied Mr. Vaughan; ‘but he was shivering on the edge of the bank, and I only gave the friendly shove which sent him over. I hope that you do not owe me a grudge on that

account.'

'Not I,' said the Colonel; 'much as we miss Lance, his father has the best right to him; and it