"Yes, I know how entirely disinterested you are," continued Sir Edward, significantly.

"Not at all, sir," interrupted his companion, eagerly.

"Something very closely allied to selfishness influences me in this matter, I suspect !

Oh, indeed," rejoined Sir Edward, laughing incredulously. "Well, whatever may be your motive," he went on more seriously, "you have my best wishes for your success. If I could in any way forward your views, I would gladly exert myself; but unless I am mistaken, you will prefer managing this matter in your own way."

"Thank you, sir," was the grateful respose. "I do not despair of accomplishing my object."

Having said this, James Gordon left the room; but, before he had proceeded far, he was followed, by Sir Edward, who, coming close up to him, touched him on the arm, and, lowering his voice so that no third person could overhear his words, said abruptly,-

"Gordon, it has just occurred to me that Herbert will probably spend half his income in charity."

Very likely, sir," replied the other, with perfect composure.

"And I want you to remember that my purse is always at your service-you might, I should think, discover many ways of making his position more endurable, and adding greatly to his comfort, without his being aware of the fact-do you understand me, Gordon?"

'Perfectly!" he answered-a quick responsive gleam passing over his face.

"See that you make use of me, then," replied Sir Edward, emphatically, as he hastily moved away.

The next moment he returned, saying in a tone of affected carelessness,

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'By-the-by, James, I intended to ask you to lend me the key of Herbert Cottage-I have a curiosity to go over it."

"Sir!" exclaimed his companion, in unfeigned surprise.

"There can be no objection, I suppose," said the young man, a little impatiently.

"None whatever," replied James Gordon, recovering from his surprise ; "but would you not prefer waiting a few days, and then going over it with Mr. Herbert ? "

"No, no," was the decisive answer; "I wish particularly to see it

at once."

"Very well, sir; here is the key."

"Don't breathe a syllable of this to Herbert," whispered Sir Edward, as he eagerly grasped it.

And, without stopping for a reply, he was gone.

He did not see the smile of amusement-none the lese real because partially suppressed--that his concluding injunction had called up on James Gordon's face; neither did he hear the low-toned ejaculatory sentence which involuntarily escaped his lips, or he would have felt no little astonishment at these symptoms of apparently causeless mirth in the demeanour of one usually so serious and staid in all his movements.

A few hasty strides brought him to the door of Lady Stanley's tastefully embellished boudoir, where he knew she generally spent an hour or two every morning.

She was reading when he entered, but instantly laid aside her book, and smilingly pointed to a seat near her own.

Instead, however, of taking it at once, Sir Edward perambulated the apartment for a short time, pondering deeply.

At length his brow cleared, and a look of evident satisfaction lighted up his pleasant countenance.

"Mother," he said, pausing directly in front of her, and addressing her with sparkling eyes, "I have such a delightful scheme in my head, and I want your help!"

Well," she observed in a tone of good-humoured raillery, "what is it? Are you going to rebuild your model almshouses which were blown down last winter? or do you wish me to assist you in choosing another site for

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No, motner, no!" interrupted the young man, colouring lightly at being thus reminded of his past failures; I simply want to spend these," and he showed her a bundle of bank notes which he held in his hand," in purchasing furniture for Herbert Cottage."

"Oh !" exclaimed the lady, leaning back in her chair, and regarding him attentively, "I understood that it was already furnished." "From what I have incidentally gathered in my conversations with Herbert, everything must be in a most woful state of dilapidation; for although James Gordon has been getting the house itself put in thorough repair, he had no instructions about the furniture, and it is now many years since it was renewed."

"Still I do not see how you can remedy this," returned Lady Stanley, in a tone of gentle remonstrance. "Your friend would very naturally feel aggrieved and insulted at your interference in such a purely personal matter."

"I do not think there is the slightest chance of his discovering what has been done," said Sir Edward, thoughtfully. "He has never yet seen the cottage, and it would not occur to him to suspect me of having made any change in it."

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Perhaps not," replied the lady, shaking her head, as much as to say that her next words would prove unanswerable; "but why should you take it for granted that he has not acuteness enough to find out the difference between old and new furniture?" "The very question which puzzled me a good deal at first!" exclaimed her son eagerly. "I have, however, thought of a way of managing so as to obviate this difficulty."

"Really!" (spoken in a rather surprised tone).

"Yes; I suddenly remembered those ancient-looking suites of furniture we saw at Fisher's when purchasing the ebony cabinet you prize so much; and although they are certainly very peculiar, there is something handsome about them, in spite of their old-fashioned appearance.

"O Edward!" said Lady Stanley, unable to repress a smile at his ignorance; "these old-fashioned' articles, as you are pleased to call them, are more costly that you suspect."

"Indeed! We must hope then that Herbert will in like manner undervalue them," he cheerfully rejoined.

"The expense does not alarm you?"

slowly.

observed Lady Stanley,

"Far from it, mother. I have only provided myself with £200, but if more be necessary it shall be forthcoming."

"You heedless, extravagant creature!" cried the lady, half jestingly, half earnestly, "when will you learn prudence?"

"I am taking my first lesson," he answered in the same tone," so that ere long you may expect to find me quite proficient in this practical branch of wisdom. Meanwhile would it be possible for you to give me the benefit of your experience?"

"Well, as you seem so thoroughly in earnest, I suppose I must rouse myself to the undertaking; but tell me first of all" (looking dubiously at the bank notes) " what you expect me to do."

"I thought that perhaps it would be advisable for us to go over the cottage in order to discover what is really required, and we might call at Fisher's on our return, and tell him to send the furniture there without delay. I am sorry to appear impatient," added the young man considerately, "but unless something is done at once it will be too late; as it would be impossible for us to induce Herbert to remain here more than a few days longer."

"Very well," said Lady Stanley, promptly; "I can be ready in less than half an hour."

"Oh, thank you," replied the young man, with a bright glance of affection, such as amply repaid the fond mother for the trifling inconvenience he was about to cause her; "the carriage shall be here immediately;" and as suddenly as he had entered, he turned to leave the room.

"Of course Gordon will accompany us?" observed the lady, arresting him ere he was gone.

"I did not think of asking him," said Sir Edward, returning to her side; "but if you consider it necessary I can do so. Perhaps it would be as well," he continued, musingly "to take him into our confidence now, instead of waiting."

"Oh, decidedly; he may be of much assistance to us: indeed, I do not see how you could keep him in ignorance, even if you desired it."

Accordingly Sir Edward went in search of him, but the unexpected arrival of friends from a distant part of the country obliged him to defer his communication until some more appropriate season, and he had to content himself with expressing in a few hurried words his wish that James Gordon should hold himself in readiness to accompany Lady Stanley and himself to Herbert Cottage, so that there might be no unnecessary delay after the departure of their guests.

To this arrangement James Gordon readily agreed, although, if the expression of his face could be relied on, he certainly appeared to attach far less importance to the anticipated visit than did the young baronet.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

AN ARRIVAL.

"No mortal doth know

What he can bestow,

What light, strength, and comfort do after him go."

GAMBOLD.

AFTER a long and not particularly interesting drive through the crowded streets of Lanchester, Sir Edward and Lady Stanley had at length the satisfaction of arriving at Herbert Cottage.

It was a small but commodious and comfortable dwelling, situated on a gentle eminence, with a tastefully arranged flower-garden in front, and a closely shaven lawn behind, gradually sloping down towards the river-a portion of which ran through the grounds, greatly adding to their beauty, although, alas! a nearer survey showed that it no longer retained its pristine clearness and purity.

"What a pretty place!" was Sir Edward's first exclamation, as they alighted from the carriage, and walked up the neatly-kept footpath leading to the house.

replied his mother, "and she pointed

"Originally it must have been very pretty," casting a critical glance around her; "but nowsignificantly to two tall chimneys within a short distance of each other, from whence issued volumes of smoke.

"Ah, you have discovered the dark side of the picture," said Sir Edward, laughingly: “I was intending to ignore that altogether." "It would be difficult to close one's eyes to such a palpable objection," reurned the lady, following James Gordon into the house.

Here a surprise awaited them; for not only was there no appearance of discomfort or dilapidation, but every part of it, from the drawingroom to the cozy little kitchen, was filled with good substantial furniture, something similar in design to that which Sir Edward had spoken of purchasing. Indeed, so striking was this similarity, that he paused at the entrance of one of the rooms, and gazed about him in mute amazement, utterly confounded and perplexed at the extraordinary coincidence.

"We are too late, Edward," said his mother, coming close up to him, and speaking in a low tone; "your idea has been already carried into execution by another; " and she fixed her eyes searchingly upon James Gordon's immovable countenance, as if asking for an explanation.

"Your ladyship sees that the furniture is quite good, although by no means modern in style," he remarked, with an air of well-feigned unconsciousness.

"So I perceive," gravely responded the lady. "Why, James, we were not prepared for this!" exclaimed Sir Edward, abruptly; "what have you been doing?

"Well, sir,” replied the other, shunning his archly-inquiring looks,

“there were a great many repairs to be attended to when I first arrived here

"Nonsense," interrupted Sir Edward, impatiently; "you know I did not allude to the repairs; it is the furniture that surprises me; how is it that Herbert still speaks of it as old and worn out, without mentioning the fact of your having received his instructions to renew it?"

"Does he consider it worn out?" asked James Gordon, uneasily; "I was not aware of that. I thought "-here he hesitated, and seemed much embarrassed-" I expected he would never discover the alteration which had been made in it."

Lady Stanley exchanged a brief but expressive glance with her son, as she asked gently,

"Are we to understand, then, that you have, on your own responsi bility, refurnished the house?"

James Gordon bowed assent.

"But how, I do not comprehend," she began, in evident bewilderment; "I mean," she went on hastily, "that perhaps Mr. Seymour may object to the expense."

Again that same curious smile which had so often before puzzled Sir Edward, appeared on James Gordon's lips; and for the space of half a minute he drew himself up with a gesture of proud indifference; but quickly recovering his self-possession, he answered in a tone of the utmost respect,―

"I hope it may not be necessary for me to enter into any of these particulars with him."

"How can you avoid doing so?" inquired Lady Stanley, in accents of profound astonishment; for she was still thinking of the expense, which her experience told her would not be trifling, and wondering what he could possibly mean by proposing to keep Herbert in ignorance of the amount.

She would have said more, but Sir Edward, whose keen observant eye had been steadily and scrutinisingly fixed upon James Gordon's face all this time, saw that he was becoming painfully embarrassed, and with his usual kind-hearted consideration, and with an irresistible smile of good humour, he instantly interposed, saying pleasantly,

"Now, mother, that is scarcely a fair question; do you not see that he fears to let us into his secrets, lest we should unwittingly reveal them to Herbert. I have no doubt "-turning slyly to Gordon-" that it was this very fear which made you so anxious to prevent our coming here to-day."

"Well, indeed, sir, you are right," replied the other frankly. "I should have preferred keeping my own counsel; but now that you have found out what I wished so much to conceal, I must throw myself on your mercy, and beg you to assist me in hiding the truth from Mr. Herbert."

"Oh, certainly; we will not divulge anything," laughed Sir Edward.

Lady Stanley yet looked a little puzzled; but Gordon contrived to change the current of her thoughts, by calling her attention to various alterations he proposed making, and respectfully asking her advice on several points connected with the arrangement of the furniture, until at length she became really interested in his plans, and even condescended to suggest a few improvements, unimportant in