Amabel Vaughan.*

AMABEL VAUGHAN . *

BY BEO . EMEA HOLMES , Authorof " Tales , Poems , and Masonic Papers ; " "Mildred , an AidumnRomance ; " "My Lord the King ; " "The path of Life , an Allegory ; ' "Another Fenian Outrage ; " "Notes on the United Orders of the Temple and Hospital , " fyc , § c . CHAPTER III ,

TRINITY PARSONAGE . —REMINISCENCES OF AN OLD BLUE , " " \ TERY glad to see you , " said the Vicar of Trinity Church , Camden Town , to V young Seaton , as he sauntered in , looking very happy that evening . " Where is your friend , " Mr . Brig added ; " I thought you were coming together . " "Well , " said Harry , after greeting Mabel with much empressement , "the fact

is Fitzgerald had to go to see some publishers about a little volume of his just coming out . I believe it ' s a play , but he won't tell me , and I fancy it will be published anonymously , so we shan ' t know where to look for it . " "Ah ! here he is to answer for himself , " cried Mabel , as they sat down to tea , determined to wait no longer . " Now , Sir , " she added , turning to him with bri ght flashing eyes , " and where have you been ] I demand to know . "

" Well , my fair cousin , " Fitz replied gaily , " I ' ve been on business , —business of the State , let us say , at all events it is no business "—of yours he was going to say , but it struck him it would be rude— " that would interest you ; " he murmured , as he sank down carelessly by her side on the sofa , and accepted a cup of tea passed to him by Miss Griss , who presided behind an old-fashioned urn , and looked benignantly on all around . "How do you know , " said Mabel , archly ; " of course I am interested in everything

that interests you / ' she quietly added . Mark looked across the table , where he was sitting , with just the shadow of the shade of jealousy passing swiftly over his handsome face j but instantly turned away and resumed his conversation with Miss Griss , and the words mammoth , mastodon , Troglodyte , might have been heard hy any one listening as he discoursed learnedly for the delectation of that dear sapient . old maid , upon some of the curiosities of geology and paleontology , —and I am afraid , rather poking fun at that elderly spinster . The Vicar was looking over a lot of letters that had just come in by the post ,, having apologised with old-fashioned courtesy for opening them .

"Oh ! Reginald , " he said as he opened an envolope with a deep black border . " Here is another urgent letter from Mrs . Dawson . She says her boy will be 10 in January , and of course he cannot enter the Blue-coat School after that day . It is therefore very necessary that we should bestir ourselves if he is to be got in . " "Oh ! Hncle , I do hope we shall get him a presentation : you see he is a sort of cousin of mine , this boy , " Mabel urges , turning to Mark , " and they are so very

poor . " Presently the tea things having been moved , Mabel sat herself down to the piano , and played and sang to them , and as Mark stood by her side and turned over the music , he said in a low voice , " and so you are going to-morrow . " " Yes , to-morrow , " Mabel replied gaily . " Don ' t you think I have been here k > ! 1 o enough" she added with a mischievous lance in her eye .

, g " I don't know . I can only say I , for one , shall be awfully sorry . " " Nonsense ! " said Mabel rising , as she finished " Leoline" Blumenthals lovely songi which she had sung with exquisite feeling . " Nonsense ! You will forget me in ' month . "