for the brief space which remains before you attain your majority, to act as your guardian. I hope you will not object to me.'

He still held her two hands, gazed sentimentally into her eyes, and went on before she had time to reply:

'We have not seen so much of each other as we might have done in the old days. That was entirely my fault. My partial estrangement from you, and from the rest of the family, was my fault altogether. But your father and I were never estranged. One heart, always. Perhaps I took offence because certain youthful peccadilloes were too severely visited. Perhaps I showed offence too readily, and have been forgiven with difficulty. But never mind. Those things are now like old songs. You have no fear of any more wild oats, Alison ?'

'Not at all, uncle.'

She smiled in his face, as he held her hands. She was too young to see that the light in his eyes was unreal and the smile on his lips forced.

'Then that is settled. You will do what you like, go where you like, have all you wish to have. That will be my sole care as your guardian. That is my idea of looking after you for the next fifteen months or so. When you come of age, you can turn me into the street, and sit down to enjoy, all the rest of your life, this wealth of your father. Happy girl! I wish I was only twenty.

like

And I wish I was going to have, you, a quarter of a million of money!' This part of his speech, at any rate, was sincere.

CHAPTER IX.

HOW STEPHEN DREAMED A DREAM.

THIS good understanding was celebrated after the English fashion. Stephen dined with the ladies in the evening. Nicolas was permitted to assist at this little banquet, which was, the boy observed with pleasure, the first cheerful meal since the calamity, and he hoped it was the presage of better things. It was, in reality, only the lifting of the clouds for a brief moment..

Stephen had never shown himself more kindly, more thoughtful, more sympathetic, than on this occasion. Alison wondered how they had all come to overlook these.

fine qualities of geniality and tenderness. They accounted fully, she concluded, for her father's steady affection for him. By what sad accident was it that the cousins regarded the Black Hamblin, and had taught her to regard him, with so much dislike and suspicion? What was it in him, what had he done, that her father should so often have been rendered moody for days together? Why, this spendthrift, this prodigal, this man who was the Awful Example quoted by Aunt Flora to young Nicolas in a solemn warning, was a delightful companion, full of anecdote, of ready sympathy, quick to feel, of kind heart, and wide experience. Occasionally something was said which jarred. That, however, was due no doubt to his inexperience of the calm, domestic life.

Thinking thus, while Stephen talked, Alison caught the eyes of young Nick, who blushed immediately with an unwonted

confusion. They were both thinking the

same things.

Mrs. Cridland was not so ready to accept the new aspect of things without suspicion. She naturally reserved her opinions until they were in the drawing-room.

'Stephen,' she said, when arrived there, ' reminds me of what he used to be fiveand-twenty years ago, when he wanted to get anything out of his mother. Poor soul! he would cajole and caress her, until she gave it him, and then he was away at once and back to his profligate courses in town. A heartless and wicked boy!'

'My dear auntie,' Alison expostulated, 'surely we ought to forget old stories if we can. I suppose my uncle is no longer what you say he was.'

'I don't know, my dear,' said her aunt, sharply. We never inquired into Stephen's private life after his mother died. He may be repentant, but I doubt it.'