sfied
till he had avowed this truth, and asked his young friend's pardon for
the injury he had done him.

Nothing is more sudden and complete than changes in popular feeling. The
shameful act of Jefferies, in casting on the innocent the stigma of
shame and crime which was his own, was quite enough for the honest and
simple villagers. At once they condemned themselves (which perhaps they
might not have been quite so ready to do, had not Mr. Hamilton and their
rector shown them the example), and not only defended and completely
exculpated Myrvin, but in an incredibly short space of time, so many
anecdotes of the young man's performance of his duty were collected,
that had not Mr. Hamilton been aware of the violent nature of popular
feeling, those defects which still remained, though excused by the
recollection of the mental tortures Myrvin had been enduring, would
undoubtedly have departed, as entirely as every darker shade on his
character had done.

Convinced that Arthur's attention to parochial affairs, as well as his
conduct in other matters, had been very opposite to that which had been
reported, neither Mr. Howard nor Mr. Hamilton could feel satisfied till
they had written to him, frankly avowing their injustice, and asking his
pardon and forgetfulness of the past, and assuring him that, if his
conduct continued equally worthy of approbation as it was at the present
time, he should ever find in them sincere and active friends.

Mr. Hamilton felt he had much, very much to say to the young man; but in
what manner to word it he was somewhat perplexed. He could not speak of
his daughter, and yet Myrvin's conduct towards her had created a feeling
of gratitude and admiration which he could not suppress. Many fathers
would have felt indignation only at the young man's presumption, but Mr.
Hamilton was neither so unreasonable nor so completely devoid of
sympathy. It was he himself, he thought, who had acted imprudently in
allowing him to associate so intimately with his daughters, not the
fault of the sufferer. Myrvin had done but his duty indeed, but Mr.
Hamilton knew well there were very few young men who would have acted as
he had done, when conscious that his affection was returned with all the
enthusiasm and devotedness of a disposition such as Emmeline's. How few
but would have played with those feelings, tortured her by persuasions
to forget duty for the sake of love; but Arthur had not done this, and
the father's