m than any music he could hear nearer than Hollywell.

He went down-stairs with his uncle, who all the way raved about the
music, satisfied to find ears that could comprehend, and was too full of
it even to attend or respond to the parting thanks, for his last words
were something about a magnificent counter-tenor.

Guy walked up slowly, trying to gather his thoughts: but when it came
back to him that Amy was his again, his brain seemed to reel with
ecstasy, and it would have taken far more time than he could spare to
recall his sober senses, so he opened the door, to convince himself at
least of Mr. Edmonstone's presence, and was received with another shake
of the hand.

'So here you are again. I was afraid he was carrying you off to his
concert after all! I believe you have half a mind for it. Do you like
to stay in London for the next? Eh, Guy?' and it was good to hear Mr.
Edmonstone's hearty laugh, as he patted his ward on the shoulder, saw
his blushing, smiling shake of the head, and gave a knowing look, which
let in a fresh light on Markham, and luckily was unseen by Guy.

'Well,' continued Mr. Edmonstone, 'the man is more gentlemanlike than I
expected. A good sort of fellow at the bottom, I dare say. He was pretty
considerably shocked to find he had brought you into such a scrape.'

'He is very generous,' said Guy. 'Oh, there is much of a noble character
in him.'

'Noble! humph!' put in Markham. 'He has gone down-hill fast enough,
since I used to see him in your father's time; but I am glad he had the
decency not to be the undoing of you.'

'His feeling is his great point,' said Guy, 'when you can once get at
it. I wish--' But breaking off short, 'I can't make it out. What did
little Marianne tell you? Or was it Miss Wellwood?'

'It was first the youngest sister,' said Markham. 'I sat there talking
to her some little time; she said you had been very kind to the family,
and the child was very grateful to you--was always talking of some
morning when you and your dog came, and helped her mother. Her father
had been out all night, and her mother was crying, she said, and
declaring he would be sent to prison, till you came and helped them.'

'Yes, that's it,' said Guy.

'Well, I remembered what you had told me of the mystery of the draft,
and guessed that this might be the clue to it. I begged to see the
child, and in she came, the very image of your mother, and a sharp
little thing that knew what she meant