g at matronly airs."'

Guy gave a long, heavy sigh, brushed away a tear, and after a long
silence, said, 'Is that all?'

'All that I like to read to you. Indeed, there is no more about her;
and it would be of no use to read all the reports that were going
about.--Ah! here,' said Mrs. Edmonstone, looking into another letter,
'she speaks of your father as a very fine young man, with most generous
impulses,'--but here again she was obliged to stop, for the next
sentence spoke of 'a noble character ruined by mismanagement.' 'She
never saw them again,' continued Mrs. Edmonstone; 'Mr. Dixon, your
mother's brother, had great influence with your father, and made matters
worse--so much worse, that my brother did not feel himself justified in
having any more to do with them.'

'Ah! he went to America,' said Guy; 'I don't know any more about him
except that he came to the funeral and stood with his arms folded, not
choosing to shake hands with my poor grandfather.' After another silence
he said, 'Will you read that again?' and when he had heard it, he sat
shading his brow with his hand, as if to bring the fair, girlish picture
fully before his mind, while Mrs. Edmonstone sought in vain among her
letters for one which did not speak of the fiery passions ignited on
either side, in terms too strong to be fit for his ears.

When next he spoke it was to repeat that he had not been informed of
the history of his parents till within the last few months. He had,
of course, known the manner of their death, but had only lately become
aware of the circumstances attending it.

The truth was that Guy had grown up peculiarly shielded from evil, but
ignorant of the cause of the almost morbid solicitude with which he was
regarded by his grandfather. He was a very happy, joyous boy, leading
an active, enterprising life, though so lonely as to occasion greater
dreaminess and thoughtfulness than usual at such an early age. He was
devotedly attached to his grandfather, looking on him as the first and
best of human beings, and silencing the belief that Sir Hugh Morville
had entailed a doom of crime and sorrow on the family, by a reference to
him, as one who had been always good and prosperous.

When, however, Guy had reached an age at which he must encounter the
influences which had proved so baneful to others of his family, his
grandfather thought it time to give him the warning of his own history.

The sins, which the repentance of years had