After All;

AFTER ALL ;

OR , THRICE WON . BY HENRY CALVERT APPLEBY , Hon . Librarian of the Hull Literary Club , and Author of "A Queer Courtship , " " The Fatal- Picture , " etc .,

CHAPTER XXII . Euin upon ruin . —MIMON . OLIVIA PHANE now knew how it happened that Arthur Humberton had saved her , and he was dearer than ever in her eyes . She shuddered as

she thought of the perilous position they had occupied , and how near the doors of death they had been . A kind Providence must have been watching over her destiny , ancl reserving for her ancl her lover a life of usefulness . She had much to be thankful for , though she had experienced great griefs . There was the loss of her mother , coupled with the distress of her father , and followed so soon b y the lamentable death of Mervyn Merrisslope . These were

severe trials , but she had still her dear father left , and Arthur Humberton was true to her , while little Dolly—her loved mother ' s pet—grew a bonnier aud more winsome creature each day . _ Soon after her recovery she asked for the clear child , and the innocent little thing was delighted to see Olivia getting better again . Its merry prattle worked wonders upon Miss Phane , as her recollection of the old scenes revived

while it chattered pleasantly of bygone clays , ancl how it had wished for " Oily " to be better for such a long time . The fresh gaze of the happy child inspired her with new hopes and faith that she would soon be well again . Long she listened to the almost unconscious talk of the pretty darling , whose rosy cheeks and lily-shining skin would soon bud into beautiful girlhood , anon to blossom into blooming womanhood . Very comforting was it to kiss the

little gem once more ancl smooth its lovely flaxen ringlets , so like what her own had once been . Sweetl y the little jewel encircled Olivia ' s neck , tenderly embracing her as she kissed her " Good night ; " ancl , as Dickens had done , the convalescent sufferer likened its smiles to " halos of heaven shedding sunshine of love " on her face .

Pleasant were her dreams that ni ght , seeming like a new life bursting upon her after a sad ancl weary journey . All the joys of her past life appeared to have accumulated into one vast lake , with a lovely sheeny surface , studded with beautiful lilies . In this she seemed to float ecstatically , and forget all her past troubles , which had filtered to the bottom of this Lethe , while overhead hung a _ gorgeous sky—a poetical vision of silent peace , bright ancl smoothin which Time

, had no measure . Thus heaven sweetly flowed upon her soul , like a soft amber light stealing gently over and penetrating her very being , which she imagined to have continued for ages , until she forgot everything ; and then she awoke from this fair and glorious dream , peopled with "footless fancies , " to a bright and exhilarating morning , such a morning as made it seem impossible for to be unhappyThe dawn blushed in

anyone . rosy steps over the east , breathing freshness ancl fragrance upon the rested earth as its eyelids opened to its beauties . Slowly Aurora flooded the landscape , until the whole was a dazzling blaze of li ght , and the genial influence of Ph tabus rapidl y dispelled that of Morpheus . Cheerily the birds whistled in their