Ianthe.

excited , knowing him as well as I do , and liking him better than anyone else ? "

" Ianthe , Ianthe , " repeated Miss Dalton , "I am very sorry for you . ' " But why , dear aunt ? " " Simply because , as I said before , "—Miss Dalton now spoke slowly and seA'erely for her —• " it is a passing fancy , a pleasant dream , just as the shadow falls on the ferns on our heath ancl passes away in a moment . Ancl remember that I , AVIIO have bought experience bitterly , now warn you that hastmarriages generally end badland that the love which is built up

y y , on the caprice of a pretty face , of a few soft hours of pleasing , of enervating society , is not worth having , is certain one day to give way , to fade , to die . " At this moment a ring at the bell roused Ianthe , and Topsy , ancl the servants , ancl the young lady , blushing- and delighted , exclaimed in a somewhat tremulous voice , " Aunt , it ' s Mr . Compton . " And here for a moment we leave our " actors" and give our readers an

, idea of the " real situation of affairs , " most important as it is for the understanding of this " novelette . " Ianthe Meadows was the only child of Lieutenant-Colonel Meadows , who had married Ianthe Dalton , Miss Mary Dalton ' s onl y sister . Ianthe had had the misfortune to lose her parents at an early age , and had lived henceforth under the loving care of the best of aunts . She had an uncle , Prebendary

Dalton , who lived at Winchester , a kind but stately soul , ivho had married an heiress , ancl was well-to-do , sleek , ancl comfortable . He took things easy , ancl admired Ianthe , whom his only son , James Dalton admired too . But Ianthe , for some reason or other , would not respond to Prebendary Dalton ' s ivishes or James Dalton ' s tender sighs . When , then , our tale opens , Ianthe ancl her aunt bad accustomed themselves to a rural life and an isolated domicile , in however the most lovable of spots , ancl had contented themselves with the vicar , his wife ancl daughter , aud Colonel and Mrs . Chavtlev , old . fvicuds of Colonel Meadows .

Mr . Compton had only recently returned to Long-worth , which had long been unoccupied , ivith his invalid mother , as , since the death of his father , they had been abroad in Algiers , at Mentone , at Malaga , ancl at Naples , always changing the scene , ancl seeking a mild climate .

CHAPTER II . AFTER this little pause and retrogression , I will go on AA'ith my story . Mr . Compton was soon introduced by " Eleanor , " who did everything ; old Robert confining himself to the garden , the stables , the cows and the pigs , with the help of a shock-headed lad called " Jim "—James SUOAV . Warm was his reception by Ianthestately and measured by Miss Dalton . But it was soon

, quite clear that he had come for a purpose , ancl Ianthe , like a knowing younglady at such matters , as they mostly are , made an excuse for going into the garden , leaving Mr . Compton alone AA'ith Miss Dalton , much to that good lady ' s evident discomfort and distress . But so it was , and so it often is , in the affairs of life , that when unwelcome truths are to be told , ancl unpalatable difficulties are to be faced , or uncongenial facts are to be realized , we all alike shrink from

the season of confidences , or the moment of exposure . Alas , in this world of ours , great , pretentions , noisy , callous as it is , Avhat moral cowards we all are ! "Miss Dalton , " Mr , Compton began " you cannot be insensible of my admiration for Ianthe . I am eome , therefore , to-day , to ask you to give consent to our marriage . Ianthe is herself , she tells me , not unwilling , and my mother quite approves ; may I ask your kind adhesion , knoAving well what a good friend and guardian of Ianthe ' s young hours you have been ? " and without pausing , hardly , Mr . Compton went on to say , " You know , too , I hope , how