The Lady Muriel.

When we got to Harwich , we found that the boat hacl not come in from Antwerp , but a telegram awaited Mr . Falconbridge . It was dated from the Hotel de l'Europe , and it informed him in the usual curt way that " Lady Muriel

Mandeville was uuable to proceed . It Avas feared she was dying . ' ' I shall never forget the ashy paleness that overspread his face Avhen he road the intelligence . I tried to rouse him , but without effect

for some time . He sat down in the hotel that we had gone to , read the telegram , and the tears coursed down his cheeks as he said to himself , " Poor child ! poor child !" It was a pitiful siht to see a man like

g him , usually so difficult to move , completelybroken clown . Shall it be owned , my own eyes moistened as I heard him saying over those words to himself , like one dazed , "Poor child ! poor child !"

The next boat did not leave for Antwerp till the following evening , and I persuaded him to come back with me to Ipswich . For some reason or other he would go back by boat , instead of taking the train .

CHAPTER V . VERY NEAR TO SILENT STREET . " THE day is lovely , " I said , trying to get him to talk to me as we made our way down to the steamboat . ' Yes . "

" Aren ' t you well , old fellow ? " " Oh yes . I ' m all right , " he answered , looking straightforward at A'acancy , ancl seeming to see nothing . " Take a glass of brandy before Ave go , " I urged . " You look palemanand

, , knocked up . " " No thanks , I'm all right . " We bad brought clown his St . Bernard dog , Lion , Avith us . The poor beast often came with us in our walks , and having followed ns to the station in the morning

, Ave hacl alloived him to accompany us . At Harwich ive missed him , however ; but just as the steamer started , it tracked ns out , ancl coming down with a bound on the landing stage , at once leapt into the Avater and swam after us . It Avas a

faithful beast , a shaggy fawn-coloured coat , and a large , beautiful head , with great foolish , loving eyes , as mild as any woman ' s ancl a tender as placid ancl good as ever dog owned . Falconbridge was very fond of it , for it

was a present from Lady Kilpatriek , to Avhom it hacl been given by the Misses Pemiyfathers , ancl its sire was the same dog that figured in the memorable scene years ago at Canchester . The poor thing barked and swam after

us as fast as it could , but the steamer soon got ahead , and I feared the clog would be droAvned . On any other occasion Falconbridge would have been the first to go to the rescue of poor Lion ; but there he sat moodily with his face buried in his hands

, taking no heed of Avhat was passing by . At last I went to the captain , vvho goodnaturedly stopiped the boat , and in a few minutes Ave got the faithful beast on board .

It immediately ran to its master , ancl crouched at his feet , but he took no notice of it . I was walking to the other end of the vessel , when there was a sudden cry , " A man overboard ! " A rush to the side of the vessel , which

was immediately stopped , showed me Falconbridge in the water . A loud bark and a great plunge , and " Lion " was seen swimming with his arm in its mouth . To lower the boat , to take up the body , was the Avork of a minute or two only ; to restore consciousness took a much longer time .

I hurried clown into the cabin which was cleared of passengers , and there was the dog Avhining pitifully , and licking his master ' s hands , whicli hung clown lifelessly by his side . But , thank God ! he was saved , though it was long before he recovered . When he did he ivas a changed man .

It appeared that some one had lent him the day ' s newspaper , he took it , out of civility , for a moment , and as he handed it back with thanks , his eye caught the heading of a paragraph : —• " Failure of the great Shipping Company—Waters , Waters and Co . " The sudden shock caused by seeing this news of the wreck of his fortune was too much for him . A sudden dreadful