Amabel Vaughan.

" Yes , sir ; please to walk in . " Thus invited , the two friends entered a well sized apartment that apparently served for breakfast room , dining room and library . The study , where Mr . Brig usually sat during the mornings when not engaged visiting his parishioners , or attending service on Saints' days , which , like a good churchman , he scrupulously kept , was a little room which opened out from this ; but as neither have to do much with our story but only the

present party , I shall not seek to describe them further . And here Mabel was sitting . I think she was embroidering some nameless article or other which might be of use , but did not appear like it—but she looked so charming as she sat there working , that a half involuntary sigh escaped from our susceptible friend Seaton , which roused the young lady from a reverie into which she had apparently fallen , and she rose and welcomed her

cousin . " Let me introduce my Mend , Mr . Seaton , to you , Mabel . Oh ! by the bye , though , I think you have met before . " " Yes , I believe I have had that pleasure , " Mabel answered pleasantly , with an arch look at Seaton .

"Was it not at Mrs . Somerset ' s ?" " I think it was , " Mark replied , " and I remember I thought it seemed a rather absurd idea , having a party at this time of the year , and a dance , too , by the way , though , thanks to you , Miss Vaughan , I enjoyed it very much . " " Thank you for the intended compliment , but it was a very nice party . I suppose they had it so late on account of William Somerset going , to India with his young bride almost immediately . " " Mabel , I ' ve come to take you to the Crystal Palace to-day . Will you go ? " Fitz asks , interrupting his cousin .

" Well , I don't mind if Miss Griss will go , but you had better ask her . " " Very well , where is she , I'll hunt the old lady up . " " Go then , and convert her as soon as possible ; she will argue the point with you , so let us see , Mr . Barrister , if you can carry the day . " Miss Griss , be it understood , was an elderly lady , not old , for she was not much over fifty , who was of a curious and somewhat speculative cast of mind . She had taken up

with Mesmerism , table turning , spirit rapping , homoeopathy , our descent from the lost tribes of Israel , and other matters of an equally abstruse character ; and now she had settled down into district visiting , with an occasional dip into her brother's treatises on theology and other kindred sciences , and at this moment she was in the parson ' s study reading Paley ' s Evidences of Christianity , and fancying that because she got bewildered that she was beginning to understand it all .

However , she was a thorougldy kind-hearted lady , and always made herself the slave of other people , so that it was not difficult to persuade her that- a visit to the Crystal Palace that fine Midsummer ' s day would be highly beneficial to the health of herself and her fair niece . So Fitz went off to ask his aunt to go with them , whilst Mark stayed to talk with Mabel , and she soon wove her meshes round that too susceptible heart .

" Reginald , " Mabel said as they entered the Palace ;— - " I want you to be specially attentive to Aunt Mary to clay . We needn ' t part company , you know , but I like your friend , and shall cidtivate him . " "All right , Mabel , but mind you don't play with edged tools , that's all . " _ " Confoundedly cool of her though , " he muttered as he turned off to follow Miss Griss , who was wandering on looking at the savage Lidians that decorate the neig hbourhood of the entrance to the building , and wearing au abstracted air as if she were still thinking of " Paley ' s Evidences " which certainly did not exactly bear upon the things before her .

Mabel and Mark leisurely followed just within hail , but sufficiently far-off not to be heard by their friends . Mark , who was a well informed young fellow , soon found that he had a match in his