day, and we dined all together very happily, never
wearied of talking over the plan before us, and each speculating as
to what share of acute-ness he could contribute to the common stock
of investigation. It was when Crofton left the room to search for the
portrait of Whalley, that Mary sat down at my side, and said,--

"I have been thinking for some time over a project in which you can aid
me greatly. My brother tells me that you are known to Miss Herbert.
Now I want to write to her; I want to tell her that there is one who,
belonging to a family from which hers has suffered heavily, desires to
expiate so far, maybe, the great wrong, and, if she will permit it,
to be her friend. While I can in a letter explain what I feel on this
score, I am well aware how much aid it would afford me to have the
personal corroboration of one who could say, 'She who writes this is not
altogether unworthy of your affection; do not reject the offer she makes
you, or, at least, reflect and think oyer it before you refuse it' Will
you help me so far?"

My heart bounded with delight as I first listened to her plan; it was
only a moment before that I remembered how difficult, if not impossible,
it would be for me to approach Miss Herbert once more. How or in what
character could I seek her? To appear before her in any feigned part
would be, under the circumstances, ignoble and unworthy, and yet was
I, out of any merely personal consideration, any regard for the poor
creature Potts, to forego the interests, mayhap the whole happiness, of
one so immeasurably better and worthier? Would not any amount of shame
and exposure to myself be a cheap price for even a small quantity
of benefit bestowed on _her!_ What signified it that I was poor and
ragged--unknown, unrecognized--if _she_ were to be the gainer? Would
not, in fact, the very sacrifice of self in the affair be ennobling and
elevating to me, and would I not stand better in my own esteem for this
one honest act, than I had ever done after any mock success or imaginary
victory?

"I think I can guess why you hesitate," cried she; "you fear that I will
say something indiscreet,--something that would compromise you with Miss
Herbert,--but you need not dread that; and, at all events, you shall
read my letter."

"Far from it," said I; "my hesitation had a very different source. I
was solely thinking whether, if you were aware of how I stood in my
relations to Miss Herbert, you would have select