to be
in love, after all. Then everything depends upon Fanny now; but how am I
to find out whether she will have me or not? eh? that's another sell."

"Ask her," replied I; and, turning down a different path, I left him to
deliberate upon this knotty point in solitude.

As I walked towards home my meditations assumed a somewhat gloomy
colouring. The matter was no longer doubtful, Lawless was Fanny's
declared suitor; this, as he had himself observed, was something like
doing business. Instead of planning with my mother how we could prevent
the affair from going any farther, I must now inform her of his offer,
and find out whether she could give me any clue as to the state of
Fanny's affections. And now that Lawless's intentions were certain, and
that it appeared by no means improbable he might succeed in obtaining
Fanny's hand, a feeling of repugnance came over me, and I began to think
Mr. Frampton was right, and that my sister was formed for better things
than to be the companion for life of such a man as Lawless. From a
reverie which thoughts like these had engendered, I was aroused by Harry
Oaklands' favourite ~357~~ Scotch terrier, which attracted my attention
by jumping and fawning upon me, and on raising my eyes I perceived the
figure of his master, leaning, with folded arms, against the trunk of an
old tree. As we exchanged salutations I was struck by an unusual air of
dejection both in his manner and appearance. "You are looking ill
and miserable this morning, Harry; is your side painful?" inquired I
anxiously.

"No," was the reply, "I believe it is doing well enough; Ellis says so;"
he paused, and then resumed in a low hurried voice, "Frank, I am going
abroad."

"Going abroad!" repeated I in astonishment, "where are you going to?
when are you going? this is a very sudden resolution, surely."

"I know it is, but I cannot stay here," he continued; "I must get
away--I am wretched, perfectly miserable."

"My dear Harry," replied I, "what is the matter? come tell me; as boys
we had no concealments from each other, and this reserve which appears
lately to have sprung up between us is not well: what has occurred to
render you unhappy?"

A deep sigh was for some minutes his only answer; then, gazing steadily
in my face, he said, "And have you really no idea?--But why should I
be surprised at the blindness of others, when I myself have only become
aware of the true nature of my own feelings when my peace of mind