"Love took up the glass of Time, and turned it in his glowing hands; Every moment lightly shaken ran itself in golden sands.

Love took up the harp of life, and smote on all the chords with mightSmote the chord of self, which, trembling, passed in music out of sight. Tennyson.

It was a December afternoon,-Christmas was near at hand, and seemed likely to arrive decked in the picturesque garb of snow-wreaths and icicles, for already the ground was snow-clad, and the thermometer stood at 28 degrees. Consequently, out of doors it was very cold indeed; but not so in-doors at Northcourt, where bright fires burnt cheerily on every hearth, and which was as full of people as could be with any degree of comfort accommodated in the house. A large party was staying there, among whom were the Nugents, and Lord Brinkworth, Sir Gaspard and Lady Howick, her sister Miss Long, and Lord Herbert Ross; also Mr. Stratton, who had just arrived. As there was to be an addition to the dinner party, it was decided that there should be a school-room tea party; so Margaret Stourton had to entertain Miss May and Miss Long, and a most merry party they were. As Lady North passed the door, she heard such talking and laughing that she went into the school-room to see what was going on.

'Why, you banished ones don't seem after all to find your destiny a very hard one," she said, and she put her hand on Margaret's white shoulder, and went on to say, "I have just heard a piece of news. Mr. Stratton,-(Margaret's shoulder gave a slight twitch, 'is really going to be married this time,' she said to herself,) has

AA

offered," continued Lady North, "the living of Stratton to Mr. Shirley, and he is likely to accept it.”

66

Really! is it true ?”

"Yes, Mr. Stratton has heard from Mr. Shirley that he likes the idea of it very much, and he has just told me about it."

"Oh! Mr. Stratton is come, then, is he?" said Maude.

"Yes, the train was delayed by the snow; that was why he did not arrive earlier."

After a few more words Lady North said, "You all look so comfortable that I am quite sorry to leave such a pleasant-looking party; but there is the bell, so go I must, but I shall find you all in the drawing-room after dinner."

It had been no great trial to Margaret to resume her place as head of the Northcourt school-room. The delight of the children at exchanging 'Miss Küchen' for 'Miss Stourton' was unbounded, and Lady North was scarcely less charmed to have her again with them. Margaret's fifty pounds had been a great assistance to the family at home; but the greater part of it was now spent. For years their poverty had been such, that everything in the house was reduced to a state of rags and tatters,' and Margaret had had the pleasure of re-furnishing her mother's room, putting a new carpet in the little drawing-room, buying two arm-chairs, and purchasing a number of other useful and necessary articles which had long been wanting in the house. There were various other ways, too, in which she had contributed to the general benefit of the family, and in doing so, pleased none of them more than herself. She felt what an agreeable thing it was to possess the power which her fairly earned money gave her, of increasing the comfort of those about whom she was most interested. Her father and mother knew that she was sure of meeting with the utmost kindness and consideration at Northcourt, and they knew she had been, on the whole, happy there. They therefore consented to let her return, and Margaret felt that another year of governess life would once more refill her now nearly exhausted purse.

In the evening, as the ladies sat talking and lazily working at embroidery, Margaret found it very difficult to keep up her attention to subjects which were being discussed or detailed. Coffee had come in, and the servants had returned to take away the empty cups; the hands of the gold clock on the mantlepiece pointed to half-past eight, and the little bell struck the half hour; a few minutes more and the drawing room door opened; the third gentleman who entered was Mr. Stratton; the next minute he was shaking hands with Margaret, and in another he had taken the chair nearest to her.

She was very glad when her heart stopped beating so quickly, and she had quite regained the self-possession which for a moment, though unperceived by others, she had lost. Yes, evidently the person he cared to converse with was Margaret; and when after a while she turned to speak to Miss Long, and then went to sing with Miss May and Lord Herk ert, Mr. Stratton sat quite silent, merely

looking towards the piano from time to time. He was roused at length from his reverie by Lady Howick, who addressed a question to him; and she continued to talk to him for some time. And so passed the evening, like many others; There was singing, laughing, and talking, but Margaret herself was hardly aware of what was going on. During a part of the evening Mr. May had been a good deal devoted to her, but did not find her as agreeable as usual, and finally, much to her relief, he was monopolised by Miss Nugent, while Lord Brinkworth was talking elsewhere.

*

*

*

*

Twenty-four hours passed-dinner was over. Already carriages had arrived, and the cheerful sounds of instrumental music came from the large uncarpeted drawing-room, which, however, was as yet untenanted save by some half-dozen musicians, who were occupied in tuning their instruments, and discussing the merits of new valses and sets of quadrilles.

The folding-doors were open between the drawing-rooms; it was evident that ere long the larger of the two was destined to be filled with dancers. Among a group assembled in front of the blazing fire in the lesser room, there were gentlemen putting on their gloves, and even selecting partners; while a charming buzz of happy voices mingled with laughter prevailed. Sir Roger was very busy and very active, as the young host; and was constantly flitting about, now making his bow to new comers, and now going to his mother's side to assist her in entertaining them.

'Mother," he said at last, "I think we may as well begin dancing, don't you? There are plenty here for a quadrille. Those fellows have been tuning up for the last half-hour. They'll break their fiddles over each others' heads, for want of something better to do, if we don't make haste. Will you come now ?"

"With all my heart my dear boy; we will make a general move, unless," she added, turning towards Lady Howick, "you prefer remaining in this room a little longer?" But Lady Howick was quite in favour of moving.

"I think we are engaged for the first quadrille, Miss May," said Sir Roger.

"I believe so," she replied.

"Well I must secure a vis-a-vis then; Have you any choice? Oh, Herbert, have you got a partner yet? because we are going to begin. I beg your pardon, Miss May, did you say who it should be? as vis-a vis, I mean."

Having smoothed his moustache, Captain May proceeded to ask Margaret to dance with him.

"Thank you," she answered, "but I am already engaged for this quadrille."

He then requested the next valse, to which she agreeing, he left her, to find a partner for the quadrille elsewhere. The dancing-room was soon filled, and a large quadrille was forined. It was a particularly pretty one, Lady North thought, and although a shade of sadness

often crossed her brow during that evening, she looked with pleasure on the bright and happy young faces round her, and especially on those of her children, and rejoiced to think that sorrow had left no shadow there deep enough to dim the sense of present enjoyment. Sir Roger had found no difficulty in securing Mr. Stratton and Margaret as vis-a-vis, as Miss May had suggested he should. A look of amusement sparkled in her eyes, mingled with one of pleasure, when, as they took their places, she succeeded in catching a smile from Margaret, which was instantly followed by the slightest possible brightening of colour. Miss Nugent was dancing with Edward Shirley, Captain May with Maude North, Lord Brinkworth with Miss Long, while Lord Herbert Ross had good-naturedly selected Fanny, to whom he was as usual talking no small amount of amusing nonsense, thereby causing her to make no end of mistakes in the figures she was or ought to have been dancing. He was always so good-natured to children, and Fanny looked delighted.

The quadrille over, a valse succeeded it almost immediately. Mr. Stratton stood leaning against one of the folding doors, apparently listening to the music, and at intervals talking a little to Lady North, while at the same time he watched with much attention the movements of one couple among the dancers—in short, Captain May and Margaret. She wore a pink dress that evening, a colour which suited her complexion particularly well. It was simply, but well and prettily made. Her hair, too, which was also simply arranged, was nevertheless, by Maude's and Fanny's express desire, dressed by their maid in the way most becoming to the style of Margaret's features, and she looked exceedingly nice. There were few prettier faces in the room than hers, and certainly none more pleasing. The pink dress was a present, and well chosen.

66

Come, Stratton," said Sir Roger, as with his partner he paused a moment. "You have not earned repose yet, and this is such a first-rate valse, too."

"It is," he answered; and seeing that Maude was sitting down, he went and asked her if she would not like to dance. She was only too happy, and, proud of such a partner, accepted him with great pleasure. He asked her whether they had made many more sketches after he had seen her drawing in the park in the summer. She said they had, and that both she and Margaret had sketched the Church and Rectory, as he had proposed they should. She told him that Miss Stourton's was really such a pretty picture, so very like; but that the subject was too difficult a one for herself, although she could draw better now, since Miss Stourton had been giving her regular drawing lessons; "which she is so kind about," added Maude.

66

"She is very kind, I suppose," said Mr. Stratton. "Oh yes, indeed she is," replied Maude.

"Are you all fond of her ?" he asked.

"Yes, that we are, and Mamma finds she likes her quite as much as we had told her we knew she would." Maude went on talking

about Margaret, telling Mr. Stratton what great pains she had taken with Oliver; how hard she had worked in various ways to improve herself, that she might be able to continue to teach them as they grew older, and how everybody liked her; "but not one bit more than she ought to be liked, and," added Maude, "Mamma says it is for her parents' sake that she consented to become a governess. They are such nice people, too. They were staying here once for a week." "So I heard," he answered; "Do you know her brother at all ?" "No," said Maude, "Do you ?"

66 Yes, I met him at Mr. Leslie's a short time ago. He is my Uncle's curate. But come, we must have one more turn, before this valse is over."

He danced twice with Margaret after this, at different times during the evening; causing some remarks to be made thereby, for he was no heartless flirt, it was well known; but as he scarcely danced with any one else it did seem rather remarkable.

"Who is that young lady who is dancing with Stratton ?" asked Lord Brinkworth. "It appears to me I have seen her before; and, moreover, I fancied she bowed to me when I first came in."

"You will be considerably surprised," replied Miss Nugent, with a little laugh, when I tell you she is the governess here!" "Is she, indeed ?"

"Yes, and most ridiculous it is, the fuss they all make with her. She gives herself quite airs enough without being so set up by them all. They think her lovely, too, I believe: What do you think?" "She is what people call pretty, I suppose," he answered, languid" and so Stratton thinks, it seems.' Miss Nugent laughed again.

ly;

"She is rather graceful; and she's well dressed," continued Lord Brinkworth, as he watched Margaret.

"As to her dress, Oliver has been telling all the world that Lady North gave it her, and calling upon them to admire it; so you are quite right to do that: she could not of course have afforded such an one herself."

"Ah!" he replied, "I suppose, now, that sort of thing is expensive ?"

"For her, it would be, certainly, I should say," she answered; looking down with much satisfaction at her own very exquisite attire.

"What is her name ?" continued Lord Brinkworth.

"Stourton,-Margaret Stourton."

"Stourton! to be sure, I recollect now."

A gentleman at that moment claimed Miss Nugent as his promised partner for a set of "Lancers," already formed; and Lord Brinkworth walked quickly across the room to where Margaret was sitting, and began making apologies to her for not recollecting her at first. He told her how completely his having met her at his sister's had escaped his memory during the earlier part of the evening; he went on to tell her that he had lately been staying with Mrs.