come out the sweetest, purest, most
loving of human beings, ever ready to cast back all thought or shadow of
evil, and seek only that which is lovely and of good report--the germ of
which is every where to be found, even in the blackest heart that ever
weighed down the breast of man; and so, bending over her, Sir Michael
kissed the spotless forehead, and internally resolved that she, and none
other, should be his heiress, the possessor of Randolph Abbey: but he
said nothing, for when he had summoned the children of his four brothers
to come and reside with him, that he might make choice of an heir, he
had announced to them that they were to have a probation of six months,
during which time he designed to judge of their merits, without making
any announcement of his decision, till the period had expired.

III.-THE ASSEMBLING OF THE HEIRS IN PRESENCE OF THE JUDGE.

Through the dark old hall, from which the lingering twilight was
excluded, came Lilias Randolph towards the room where she was to meet
the assembled family, and make acquaintance with her competitors. It was
a fairer sight than these grim walls had witnessed for many a day, to
see her wandering down, with her sunny hair and snowy garments, among
the suits of armor and warlike relics of ancient times which lay around
on all sides: there was a grace in all her movements, a softness and
purity in her aspect, which made her ever seem like a moving light, and
now, in that shadowy expanse, her glancing form was almost the flitting
of moon-beams along the wall. She paused one moment at the door, and
though her thoughts were busy with the recollection that amongst those
she was about to meet there was to be found, she knew not where, a
dangerous foe, yet did not her heart beat one stroke the faster beneath
the gentle hands so calmly crossed upon her breast. She felt that she
had injured none, she knew that never would she desire aught but the
well-being of all around her, and therefore she feared nothing that man
could do, for she was well convinced that there are limits set to the
unprovoked wrong.

In another moment she stood within the room--a lofty saloon,
magnificently furnished, and of great size; there were two fireplaces,
but the whole group were collected round one, for although the summer
was just bursting over the earth, the evenings were still chilly.

She distinguished at first only Sir Michael and Lady Randolph--the
former crouching down in a huge ar