him into the snug, warm room.

"I ex

pected to see you again after the last time we met, but Harry came home and told us that you had disappeared. What happened then?"

"Didn't you hear, sir, that my father turned me out of doors? He told me that if I ever dared to come into his sight again, he would have me taken up and put in prison; so I ran away that night. Jack managed to put up some of my clothes for me on the sly, and I had a little money.

I

walked as far as the Four Corners,' where the stage stopped, and got a lift on to Midborough."

"And what did you do when you got there?"

"Well, sir, I scarcely know how I have lived this last two months, but I got errands, and one thing and another, so that I didn't starve and a woman who once lived about here, gave me lodging for a trifle, and a dinner too, sometimes-but it was hard work."

"But what brought you back here, Tom ?” The boy looked down, and hesitated. His lips were no strangers to a lie; but Philip's life had not been without its effect upon him. He had been kept from stealing many a time,

L

when sore pressed by hunger, by the memory of his patient endurance; and now he had been drawn back to the neighbourhood chiefly by a rumour of Philip's serious illness, which had reached him by chance at Midborough. He felt he must confess, for the weight on his conscience was more than he could bear. Philip might be dying, and he must ask his forgiveness before it was too late. Mr. Lynton's kind words too, had not been thrown away, and he did not fear to meet him again, but he was not prepared to unburden his mind to him. He could not tell Mr. Lynton why he was there, without betraying his secret. Mr. Lynton, surprised at his confusion, repeated his question.

"I-I want to see Quin," he blurted out at length.

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Well, you shall see him presently," said Mr. Lynton, kindly; "but what are you going to do with yourself afterwards ? "

"I don't know; going back, I suppose," said Tom, rather dubiously.

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Well, I must see what can be done; perhaps I may be able to find some employment for you-come in," he added, as Harry knocked at the door.

"Philip wants to see Hardy, papa, when you have done with him."

"You can go now, Tom," said Mr. Lynton; and Harry led the way to the room which Philip occupied. The sofa on which he was lying was drawn towards the window, and the pale crescent of the new moon shone in, in the cold grey twilight of a winter's afternoon. Philip held out his wasted hand as Hardy entered, and Harry left them together. "I'm sorry you're so bad, Quin," said Hardy, looking frightened and pale, and beginning to repent of his resolution to confess-it seemed so much more difficult now that the time had come.

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'I wanted so much to see you, Hardy; you don't mind coming up, do you? I've been ill, and sometimes I think I shall never be any better; and I thought I should like to give you this," said Philip, laying his hand on the Bible by his side, which Mr. Elmslie had given him, and Tom had saved from the fire. "See, I have written your name in it, and Hardy, you will keep it and read it for my sake, won't you?" he added, earnestly. Dear Tom, will you promise me?"

66

"Oh, I can't!-I can't have it!" sobbed the boy, quite broken down by Philip's pleading words. "I've done you more harm than any one else ever did, and I can't! I can't!"

"Oh, Hardy, you will? It is the last thing, most likely, I shall ever ask you, and you won't refuse me? I know you will not." Tom rose from his low seat by Philip's side, and, calming himself, spoke rapidly and with a strong effort.

"Stay, you don't know all, wait till you hear, and then you will hate and despise me as I hate and despise myself now; but I must tell-I came here to tell you, for I can't keep it to myself any longer, and I don't care what becomes of me! I burnt down your place there, I did! because I hated to see you getting the prizes and keeping above me in the class. Do you hear?" said he, seeing Philip looked neither surprised nor indignant, 66 I tell you 'twas I set fire to your arbour that night! I didn't mean to burn the cottage, but it caught. It was I ruined you, Quin, and brought all this trouble upon you, and if you die I shall feel I have killed you : and now you know all !" His forced composure gave way, and hiding his face in his hands, he sobbed as if his heart would break. There was silence in the room for a minute, broken only by the sound of Hardy's weeping; and then Philip laid his hand gently on his

arm.

"Dear Hardy, I have known all this a long