his house might have been, had he
acted, himself, upon the principles he recommended to his son. It was
with some displeasure that he heard Edward's intention of giving up, for
a while, his pursuit of a desirable bride, and this displeasure was not
lessened by hearing that the truant intended prolonging his expedition,
for the purpose of visiting his mother's nephew, William Bellairs.

The journey, however, was made without any opposition on the Earl's
part. Mr. Percy spent a few weeks in Quebec, then the seat of
Government, and travelling slowly westward arrived finally at his
cousin's house at Cacouna. Mr. Bellairs was a barrister in good
practice; his pretty wife, a Frenchwoman by descent, had brought him a
fortune of considerable amount for the colonies, and knew how to make
his house sufficiently attractive. Both received their English relative
with hearty hospitality, and thus it happened that the even current of
Cacouna society was disturbed by the appearance of a visitor important
enough to be a centre of attraction.

The morning after the picnic Mr. Bellairs proposed to his guest that
they should drive along the river-bank to some rapids a few miles
distant, which formed one of the objects to which visitors to Cacouna
were in the habit of making pilgrimages. They went accordingly, in a
light waggon, and having duly admired the rapids, and the surrounding
scenery, started for home. Their way led past the Leighs' house and the
end of the lane leading to Mrs. Costello's. Mr. Bellairs pointed them
both out to his companion.

"Do you see that cottage close to the river? That is the nest of the
prettiest bird in Cacouna; and in this long white house to the right
lives my most hopeful pupil and my wife's right hand, Maurice Leigh."

"Miss Costello told me they were near neighbours," said Mr. Percy. "Has
she no father or brother, that she seems to be so much the property of
this pupil of yours?"

"No, indeed, poor girl! Her father died, I believe, when she was an
infant. Mrs. Costello came here twelve years ago, a widow, with this one
child."

"Is young Leigh any relation?"

Mr. Bellairs laughed. "Not at present certainly, though I have thought
it would come to that by-and-by. It is only a case of devoted
friendship. Alice Leigh, Maurice's sister, and Lucia used to be always
together; but poor Alice died, and I suppose Maurice felt bound to make
up to Lucia for the loss."

"Who or what are the Leighs then? I