creature, and, being blessed with the thinness of flank so bepraised by hero describers, without the breadth of chest which is considered to be its fitting accompaniment. It It was evident from the ill-chosen and worse fitting habiliments that covered his ungainly person, that the 'Seminary' was no school for the formation of taste, and the boy was besides painfully shy, dreading contact with young ladies morbidly, and conscious of but one bugbear more terrible, that one being his conceited cousin Robert, of whose jibes and jeers he had for years been the unhappy victim.

He

This ingenious tormentor of one whose meek submission should have been his safeguard against persecution, was two years older than Edward, and was preparing for his examination as an army surgeon. was idle, selfish, and given to an inordinate use of tobacco, added to which qualifications for failure he was better up in Chaff than chemistry, and came out far stronger in

slang than in knowledge of surgical cases. The first greeting of this hopeful youth was in this wise:

'Well, Teddy, old fellow,' he cried, while a cordial thump between the shoulders made the younger boy red all over, 'you have been sparing the scissors to some purpose this time! Eh! Eh! Yellow hackle as I live! what will you take for your next clip?'

There was a general laugh at the expense of poor Edward's incipient manhood and deeply blushing face and ears; but Helen, bursting into the room at this trying moment, turned the crimson on his thin cheek to a flush of joy.

'Now, Robert,' she exclaimed, after a warm welcome to her cousin, I won't have him teazed, you great awkward soldier lout.' She was not very discriminating in her expressions when roused. He is my friend, and he and I mean to be always together. Don't we, Eddy,' she added, turning her bright, eager face towards him.

'Oh, you do-do you, you little flirt,' laughed Robert. You will be as bad as the other girls by-and-by-only give you time, and I would not be the man in your way.'

Wouldn't be indeed!' retorted the indignant Sarah; 'I should like to know what girl ever looked at you.'

'Girls never do look-oh, never-wouldn't do such a thing for the world,' cried the provoking Robert; upon which Sarah, fearing to be worsted in the war of words, prudently beat a retreat.

During this short colloquy Helen had drawn the discomfited lad from the room, and in another moment was in the garden with him, pacing along the snow-covered walks, and (regardless of the cold) imparting to him with rapid utterance all she had done during his absence, all she had read, and all she had committed to memory.

6

And you, Eddy,' she asked, when her communications were at last ended, what have you been about? Papa is afraid that

you will never be successful in your examination, for he says it is so very hard, and that he fears you are too too idle to be the

first.'

--

She had hesitated in her choice of an adjective, and the one she fixed upon at last was felt to be as inappropriate as any that had previously occurred to her,

'My uncle is very kind to interest himself so much about me,' said Edward; but I have made up my mind not to pass that examination.'

'Come, that is good,' shouted the ubiquitous Robert, as he darted upon them from behind the thick cover of a yew hedge.

That really is good. But how about the examiners passing you?'

'I mean, I don't intend to try,' said his victim meekly.

'Not try? Well I must say I should like to be as great a man as you, and could choose what I'd be-would not I throw all the doctoring to the deuce, that's all! But

I say! won't you have a proper wigging from the governor? I should like to know how you mean to get out of that.'

'I don't know-I shall be sorry to displease him; but I mean to pass an examination-your examination - the one for the army.'

6

And you think that easy, do you?' sneered Robert. Why what a muff you are; you've got a nomination for a clerkship-a good hundred a-year to begin with; and you give it up, just because you're too idle or stupid. to try your luck.'

'Oh, go along, do,' interposed Helen, ‘you don't know what we're talking about; I wish you would leave Eddy to me.'

Robert laughed as he walked off; and then the boy entered awkwardly on his explanation.

'Nellie,' he began, do you know I have given up reading?'

'Given up reading! Good gracious, Eddy!'

Yes, but only our reading. I used to