Brothers.

nearest the engine , and I will join you at Whitron AVood ' and go on to London with you . " "What for , Mr . John ? " with eagerness and amazement . " To prevent a scandal , my poor girl . To save the honour of our house , to save you , to save your poor father and

mine . — -I am going to marry you , Mary ! " and never were words of such serious import said with more meaning than those were said to her .

" Mr . John ! " and what with wonderment and misunder " standing Mary could positively say nothing . " Don ' t ask any questions , little one . There is no time , and this is no place for them . You promised , when you confided your story to me , a month ago , to abide by my

advice ; you were to let me guide you in all you did , you were to believe in me implicitly , you were to do just as I wished you to . If you sacrifice anything in a marriage with me , how much do you think , Mary , I sacrifice in marrying you ? If you know what sentiment is , withdraw it altogether

from the case , and let a sensible man of the world and an innocent little woman like you , Mary , " and he smiled at her encouragingly , " look upon the whole thing from the point of necessity . You will be there , Mary ? " Mary said "Yes , " and so it was settled .

We do not want to inquire too much into this meeting in Newlyn Abbey . Here was a man . of strength and purpose making an honourable alliance with a weak woman—to be correct , let us say girl—who was completely subjected to

his stronger will . And , presently , when it was almost dark —quite dark , in fact , but for the snow-clad ground—Mary and her companion parted company , for their roads divided . There was no sleep this night for Mary Finch , and her eyes were heavy , perhaps with tears , when she came down ,

stairs the following morning . Her father had long since been out on his round , and would not see her again until she returned from the Hall late in the afternoon . But she was not returning to her poor old father , or to her home , again . No heart had Mary for breakfast . She was

alone in the cottage ; and she came downstairs dressed for her journey . She left a little note , which she had scribbled in her bedroom , leaning up against the clock on the mantelpiece , and she pulled the front door after her , without one glance back into the sweet little parlour , where she had

been so happy and comfortable for as long as she could remember . Not even a tremor of the little fingers as they pressed upon the latch for the last time . And yet Mary Finch had sinned , and her heart was broken . The village postman returned from his round later than

usual . His feet were weary with ploughing through the snow . His hands were numbed ; his eyes were almost blinded , and there was no light at home to cheer , or fire to comfort him .

" Mary will stay at the Hal ) , to-night , puss , said poor old Bob to "Tim , " the cat . Then he lit the lamp and the fire , and boiled water for his tea , and laid the cloth , and enjoyed his meal . And then it was time for the evening smoke . So from the shelf Bob took his jar and his pipe , and the

letter which Mary had left for him . "Good little woman , " he thought , "to let me know she was staying at the Hall , " but poor foolish Bob never inquired of himself how the letter could get on the mantelpiece if Mary had sent it by one of the men-servants . So he lit his pipe and blew several clouds up to the ceiling before he attempted to read the letter . It was brief , and to

the manner of such letters which loving daughters write to loving parents when shame drags them from their nests of peace and happiness into the great yawning abyss which swallows up so many of our country maidens . There were no regrets or evidence of sorrow , nothing but plain facts

from a poor girl whose heart was rent with shame too great for words . " DEAR FATHER , —I am going on a long journey . I shall come back to you before a great while , because I want to tell you so much which I could not tell you now . Lucy

will do for you until I return , and I shall pray to God every night of my life that when I do come back to you you will love me just as you love me now . —Good bye , dear father . From your affectionate daughter , "MARY . "

The snow flakes fell from the leaden clouds thicker and thicker as the night wore on . They covered the palace of the peer and the palace of the peasant . To some came joys , to some came sorrows ; and when the night had passed and the light of another day revealed more clear the snow flakes

still falling , it revealed poor Bob Finch upon his knees by the bedside , with Mary ' s letter tightly clasped between his hands . The local postman of Newlyn started on his delivery as usual , his heart and his back being heavily loaded .

CHAPTER II . "I LIKE your article , Mr . Cumberland , " said the chief Editor of the Daily T ' elephone , to a youngster who sat without the slightest trepidation in the presence of the great man , " your knowledge of life must be very extensive , much

more than your years . " " No , sir ! I think not : my acquaintance with what you may consider life extends over a period of about three weeks . I am a Cambridge man with a couple of Firsts lo my credit , and the Latin Scholar of my year , but beyond

that I presume but little . " " How , then , do you come to be in want of such work as I can offer you ? " and the Editor seemed curious . "That , sir , is my business , " and Mr . John Cumberland rose , prepared to put an end to the interview if required to

do so . " I heard , just in the nick of time , of your requirement , and was offered a letter of introduction to you from a person of high position in the political world , but I refused that letter because it is necessary I should earn my living on my own footing ; a salary of three pounds a-week is very poor , but not too poor for me , and if you are satisfied , I have no objection to make to anything you wish . "

The Editor took his glasses from his nose , and played with them meaningly , as he glanced across the table to this very independent gentleman seated opposite him . The Editor was clearly getting interested . "My dear young friend , " he said presently , and very

slowly , " I don ' t know that I have given any young man so much valuable time as I am giving you now , but you have admitted your ignorance of the world , which surprises me as much as you do yourself . You are right ; you are ignorant of it , or you would fear lest your independent manner should

leave you miles behind the thousands of educated fellows who would grasp the present post with alacrity . But that post , Mr . Cumberland , is yours , " and touching a bell to bring an assistant to his room , " if you will please place