liance on their cavaliers; and
even Miss Lavinia reposed upon a settee, and exclaimed that it was
dreadful--very dreadful and terrifying.

Thereat, Mr. Roundjacket rose into the hero, and alluded to the crowd
with dignified amusement; and when Miss Lavinia said, in a low voice,
that other lives were precious to her besides her own--evidently
referring to Mr. Roundjacket--that gentleman brandished his ruler, and
declared that life was far less valuable than her smiles.

In another part of the room Ralph and Fanny laughed and
jested--opposite them. Mr. Rushton indignantly shook his fist in the
direction of the crowd, and vituperated the Hibernian nation, in a
manner shocking to hear.

Verty was leaning on the mantel-piece, as quietly as if there was
nothing to attract his attention. He had pushed Cloud through the mass
with the unimpressed carriage of the Indian hunter; and his dreamy
eyes were far away--he listened to other sounds than shouts, perhaps
to a maiden singing.

The little singer--we refer to Miss Redbud--had been much terrified
by the crowd, and felt weak, owing to the recent sickness. She looked
round for a seat, and saw none.

The door leading into the inner sanctum of Mr. Rushton then attracted
her attention, and seeing a comfortable chair within, she entered, and
sat down.

Redbud uttered a sigh of weariness and relief, and then gazed around
her.

The curtain was drawn back from the picture--the child's face was
visible.

She went to it, and was lost in contemplation of the bright, pretty
face; when, as had happened with Verty, she felt a hand upon her
shoulder, and started.

Mr. Rushton stood beside her.

"Well, Miss!" he said, roughly, "what are you doing?"

"Oh, sir!" Redbud replied, "I am sorry I offended you--but I saw this
pretty picture, and just come to look at it."

"Humph!" growled the lawyer, "nothing can be kept private here."

And, with a softened expression, he gazed at the picture.

"It is very pretty," said Redbud, gently; "who was she, sir?"

The lawyer was silent; he seemed afraid to trust his voice. At last he
said:

"My child."

And his voice was so pathetic, that Redbud felt the tears come to her
eyes.

"Pardon me for making you grieve, Mr. Rushton," she said, softly,
"it was very thoughtless in me. But will you let me speak? She is in
heaven, you know; the dear Savior said himself, that the kingdom of
heaven was full of such."

The lawyer's head bent down,