of this remarkable act of leniency, but by the honourably-felt necessity of preserving their good faith."

"Hasten then, my dear son," cried the poet, anxious to escape from the reiterated exclamations of gratitude which now burst forth from the lips of both Hubert and his foster parents, "hasten to arrange this business with those whom I am now happy to term your late associates, and returning hither as soon as possible, hold yourself in readiness to attend me at the Hall at a moment's notice." Saying this, and repeatedly acknowledging by his looks the blessings which followed his footsteps, he hurried from the cottage and its kind-hearted inhabitants, rejoicing that he had it now in his power to tell Eustace Montchensey that Hubert Gray was no longer a companion and chief of freebooters.

It was about noon on the fourth day after. this meeting at the cottage of Simon Fraser, that as the family at the Hall were walking in one of the home plantations, Peter came with information, that a gentleman was just arrived as if from a long journey, and had asked to

speak with Master Shakspeare. "Show him into the library,” cried Montchensey in evident agitation, whilst Shakspeare glancing a significant look at his friend, hastened after the servant.

It is scarcely necessary to say, after what has been made known to the reader, that this person was Raymond Neville. The two long separated friends embraced each other under emotions which would not for some time allow either of them to speak. At length Neville, collecting himself as it were with painful effort, exclaimed in a hurried tone, and with a look in which fear and hope were nearly equally blended, "Is Hubert Gray is my son alive?”

"He is, and well!" returned Shakspeare, "and, let me add, that the question you have just asked, has afforded me nearly as much pleasure as even you can derive from the reply." And here he entered into a fuller detail than he had done in his letter to his friend, of what had occurred both in the family of Montchensey and of Simon Fraser, in consequence of the profound mystery which he, Neville, had preserved with regard both to his own existence and the parentage of Hubert, painting, in strong

colours, what had been, and still were, the danger and the sufferings of his son, of his sister, and of Montchensey. As soon as he had briefly done this, he rang the bell, and ordering the servant to tell his master that they should be glad to see him immediately. " Excuse me,” he continued, "for thus hurrying you into the presence of Montchensey, but I am desirous, as he is apprised of your arrival, and anxious for admission, that he should be relieved as soon as possible from the torture of suspense."

At this moment, and as Neville was about to enquire further after his sister, Montchensey entered, and Shakspeare, pointing to the former as he advanced, and exclaiming at the same time, "The father of Hubert Gray!" he took a hand of each and united them." May Heaven bless you both," he continued, "as this shall prove a pledge of lasting union !”

The solemnity of the appeal was such as might have influenced men much less inclined to reconcilement than were Eustace Montchensey and Raymond Neville; the former, indeed, had discovered his error almost immediately after its commission, but, though thoroughly

repentant of the deed, incidents had followed in its train which had ever since robbed him of all peace of mind; whilst the latter, owing to a singular combination of circumstances, had remained totally ignorant of the real cause of Montchensey's attack upon him, until a ́casual mention of it in the letter which he had just received from Shakspeare, suddenly unveiled the truth, and placed before him the folly and enormity of his conduct, which, by suffering the malignant passion of revenge to sway his breast, had deprived him of an early opportunity of ascertaining the fact, and had, as its bitter consequence, plunged not only himself and his imagined betrayer, but his sister and his son, into countless misery and distress.

When, therefore, Montchensey, recalling to his recollection his disastrous mistake, began to implore the forgiveness of his brother-in-law, the latter instantly interrupted him by saying, "Seek not forgiveness from me, my dear Eustace, who have much more reason to ask it from yourself." "Indeed!" cried the astonished Montchensey, "in what way? for I had ever thought you more sinned against than sinning,

and this assertion, I confess, excites my wonder even more than did your sudden and unaccountable disappearance immediately after our last unhappy meeting."

"You shall judge for yourselves, my friends,” replied Neville, "for I will unbosom myself unto you without reserve. Your past sufferings, Eustace, call for the avowal; and the unparelleled exertions of our great benefactor here, as amiable in his virtues as he is unequalled in his talents, have a like demand upon my confidence.”

"Thou hast not forgotten, friend Neville, I perceive," said the poet smiling, "thy wonted love for panegyric; but proceed, I prythee, with thy narrative, and let us hear by what marvellous means, by what wizard art, thou wert able, lodged as it were in the arms of death, to vanish from all eyes, to escape from all enquiry."

"You will doubtless recollect, my friends," continued Neville," the charge so falsely and so maliciously brought against me during the last campaign of Essex in Ireland, a charge which, owing to circumstances springing from my unfortunate attachment to the daughter of Tyrone, admitted of so plausible a colouring, as