r side, pouring forth his thanks for her kindness, and
begging that she would not look upon him with disgust on account of the
unfavourable circumstances under which their first meeting took place.
His manners were so easy, and his conversation so entertaining, that
they reached the end of the street in which she lived, almost before she
was aware. He bade her "good night," and struck off in an opposite
direction.

Sally's heart palpitated more quickly than usual, as she entered the
house, and for some reason, unknown even to herself, she did not
acquaint her parents with the interview. She endeavoured to occupy her
mind by busying herself with the little household affairs, but her
manner was abstracted, so feigning exhaustion she went to her room, at
an earlier hour than usual. She slept, but not that deep, quiet,
undisturbed slumber that wraps in oblivion all the senses. She dreamed
strange dreams, in which she saw strange faces, but the one face was
ever there, and in the morning she arose, feverish and unrefreshed.

CHAPTER II.

Some months had elapsed since Sally's first interview with young Arthur
Grafton, (for such his name proved to be,) and during that time matters
had assumed a very different character. One or two meetings seemingly
accidental, led to an intimacy growing between them, which was not
easily to be mistaken.

Arthur was a young man possessing great advantages, not only in personal
attractions, but as the possessor of an ample fortune. His father had
been dead many years and his mother resided in the neighbourhood of
London. No sooner, however, did Arthur attain his majority, and find
himself in such a favoured position, than he gave way to those excesses
which are generally somewhat lightly styled, youthful indiscretions. His
mother had done all that lay in her to prevail upon him to alter his
course of conduct, but he being headstrong, yet affectionate, and not
wishing to cause her pain, at the same time being disinclined to follow
her advice, left home in order to be free from all restraint. Thus it
happened that he was spending a porportion of his time in Y------.
Sally's parents were not blind to the state of their daughter's feelings
towards Arthur, but they were full of fear. Once or twice he had called
at the cottage, and they had marked the unnatural sparkle of his eye,
that told of a too great indulgence in drink. On one or two occasions he
had openly scoffed at religion, and treate