e, "that in his
last letter he enjoined my mother not to receive any payment from the
assurance company, nor enter into any compromise with them; and, above
all, to live in the hope that we should meet again and be happy."

"And are you still ignorant of where he now is?"

"We only know that a cousin of mine, an officer of engineers at Aden,
heard of an Englishman being engaged by the Shah of Persia to report
on certain silver mines at Kashan, and from all he could learn, the
description would apply to him. My cousin had obtained leave of absence
expressly to trace him, and promised in his last letter to bring me
himself any tidings he might procure here to Malta. Indeed, when I
learned that a stranger had asked to see me, I was full sure it was my
cousin Harry."

Was it that her eyes grew darker in color as this name escaped, her was
it that a certain tremor shook her voice, or was it the anxiety of my
own jealous humor that made me wretched as I heard of that cousin Harry,
now mentioned for the first time?

"What reparation can I make you for so blank a disappointment?" said I,
with a sad, half-bitter tone.

"Be the same kind friend that he would have proved himself if it had
been his fortune to have come first," said she; and though she spoke
calmly, she blushed deeply! "Here," said she, hurriedly, taking a small
printed paragraph from a letter, and eagerly, as it seemed, trying
to recover her former manner,--"here is a slip I have cut out of the
'Levant Herald.' I found it about two months since. It ran thus: 'The
person who had contracted for the works at Pera, and who now turns
out to be an Englishman, is reported to have had a violent altercation
yesterday with Musted Pasha, in consequence of which he has thrown up
his contract, and demanded his passport for Russia. It is rumored here
that the Russian ambassador is no stranger to this rupture.' Vague as
this is, I feel persuaded that he is the person alluded to, and that it
is from Constantinople we must trace him."

"Well," cried I, "I am ready. I will set out at once."

"Oh! can I believe you will do us this great service?" cried she, with
swimming eyes and clasped hands.

"This time you will find me faithful," said I, gravely. "He who has said
and done so many foolish things as I have, must, by one good action,
give bail for his future character."

"You are a true friend, and you have all my confidence."

"Mrs. Keats's compliments, miss," said the