dense Thames fog was everywhere; but the man, careless of her feelings, struck a match, and the light from two candles revealed the whole horror of the scene. Full upon Gertrude's pale but handsome face it shoneon the eyes that were turned away in horror from her first-born, and on the trembling lips that strove in vain to speak. They may talk of maternal instinct, and of a love which is all the stronger for the child that is afflicted of God and an object of disgust to man; but in such cases the forlorn one must be the offspring of one beloved, and have been itself the object of the mother's devoted care. Gertrude, as she herself had truly said, felt no affection for the child of Henry Considine, and therefore her words, when they did come, were only the cold ones of:

6

Why did you bring him here?'

"To see his mother,' answered Peters, with a disagreeable smile. To see his mother, and to show your Ladyship what a heavy charge he is in every way.'

'But I have nothing to give you,' said Gertrude, wringing her hands despairingly, and shrinking back in affright from the unfortunate creature who was trying to lay hold of her dress, and pushing against her with unpleasant force. I have nothing to give you. Oh! hold him!' she cried in horror. 'Don't let him come so near me! This is too dreadful!'

He is not a pleasant companion, certainly,' said Peters, as with a jerk he pushed the boy backwards; and your Ladyship owes me something for acting a father's part towards him.'

'But I have nothing,' repeated Gertrude ; 'I take God to witness that I have given you the last farthing I possess.'

Nothing?' resumed her companion, after a short pause-and then added coarsely, 'I don't know what you call "nothing." You have your beauty, and I am willing to take that in payment this time;' and he made a movement towards her.

Lady Thornleigh rose from the chair on which she had thrown herself, and despair lent her a momentary courage.

"You have brought me here to insult me,' she exclaimed, and the panting of her bosom was evident beneath the costly cashmere that she wore. 'Rather than endure your insolence, I will reveal all. I will appeal to my husband,—and,' she added with vindictive hate, he will kill you!'

'I will have something for my life first, how

ever,' cried Peters, with a look that was a compound of many an evil passion; 'I will have his wife's kisses, as I have had his own gold. Did you think, poor fool, that it was only for money that I brought you here to-day? Do you think that I am a man who can see your dainty English beauty unmoved? Why, if you had had your eyes open, you would have seen in the Thornleigh woods that I had vowed you should be

speak the words, but waited

nity that has come at last.

mine. I didn't

for the opportuCome, don't be

absurd. I am better as a friend than as an enemy, and we are quite alone. The secret shall be well kept-not the only one between us, eh?"

He came nearer as he spoke, and ere Lady Thornleigh could arrest the movement, his arm was round her waist, and he had drawn her towards him. Gertrude struggled violently to free herself, and a wild scream broke from her lips. Peters laid his hand upon her mouth, for, as he well knew, the house was full of lodgers, some of whom hearing the tumult, might rush to the rescue. It was a fearful moment to the weak and easily overcome woman, whose strength and nerves were so little fitted for the unequal contest; but succour came, and that from an unexpected quarter. A deadly faintness, caused partly by the pressure on her mouth, was creeping over the unfortunate Gertrude, when a sudden blaze of light burst out, and the instinct of self-preservation was never more keenly felt by Peters

(whose physical courage was not of a high order) than when, looking round, he perceived that the sofa and muslin curtains were on fire!

In a moment Gertrude, conscious that she at least was saved, rushed to the door, and then descending the stairs as rapidly as her strength permitted, found herself, to her intense delight, outside the house. She had no thought, as she threw herself into the cab that waited for her, of the son whose insane fancy (by inducing him, unobserved by the other actors in the scene, to let loose the devouring element) had saved the honour of the mother who detested him; and when on the following morning she read in the newspapers that a fire had broken out in the second story of a house in D-Street, a fire which might have been attended with loss of life, she laid down the paper with a sigh which could hardly be called one of relief.

From that time Peters and Lady Thornleigh met occasionally, but as may readily be