let us be off before we have any more light on the subject. Then will I come back and see your brother and do anything you want done.'

The roof of the burning house fell in as he spoke; and though the brilliant light soon darkened again, they saw that the fire was walking along the block with no tardy step, and the engines redoubled their play upon the front windows. "Make haste, dear Alie!' said little Hulda, again hiding her eyes from the sight.

'Hulda,' said her friend, will you let me put you in the carriage first, and will you stay there while I come back for your sister?'

'Who is in the carriage?' said Hulda, raising her head to look at him.

'Caleb Williams is there with the horses.'

'The man in the grey coat?' said Hulda.

'Yes. You would not be afraid to stay with him for five minutes?'

'No,' said Hulda laying her head down again. 'Not if you want me to.'

And her friend carried her out. It was well he had but one to take care of. The way to the carriage was not long, but it was all he could do to pass through the crowd. At least with his hands so full-the way back was much quicker, but confusion had thickened inside the house.

'Gracious me! Tom Skiddy,' said Martha as she knelt in the hall; do you suppose folks has no feelings because the house is afire?'

'Ha'n't got time to suppose,' said Tom, as he went up three stairs at a time on some errand from his mistress.

'And I'm sure I don't know how a person can pack with men flying over their heads at that rate,' said Martha. 'And the Captain away too-it's a miracle houses can't catch when people are home.'

ROSALIE CARRIED OFF.

'Where is Miss Rosalie, Martha ?'

197

'My! She aint in this basket, Mr. Raynor-if that's what you mean. Like enough she's up in the skylight—it's a firstrate place to look at fires, if you can get the first chance. Pretty good powers of come and go!' said Martha to herself, as the young gentleman went upstairs much after the example of Tom Skiddy. 'If he's one third more of a witch, he can take a flying leap with her out of the window.'

Rosalie was upstairs, quietly giving directions to Tom and the firemen,—they, swarthy, smoky, black-capped and red-shirted figures,—she in one of the wrappers which Thornton admired so much,-delicate, white-handed; and white-cheeked too, for that matter with the fatigue of excitement.

If you have any doubts left,' Mr. Raynor said as he approached her, 'I will resolve them. You are not respon, sible for being carried off against your will. And I cannot let you have any more time here. These things shall be cared for, but you first.'

And before Rosalie could attempt any organized plan of resistance it was too late,-she was out of the house and passing through the crowd, and then in the carriage by Hulda. Or rather by her conductor, for Hulda had taken her old place on Mr. Raynor's lap, and they were driving rapidly away. In two minutes Hulda was asleep; nor did she give other note of the change than a sigh, when Mr. Raynor laid her-a softly breathing and sleeping little figure, upon the sofa in the library at the Quakerage.' He stayed only to place Rosalie in an easychair at her side, before he sprang away up stairs.

Rosalie felt in a kind of maze,—so swiftly had the last hour sunk down, and the little heap of sand seemed of such strange particles. She looked about her. The room shewed no trace of modern things-unless the flowers deserved that name-and the fire which had evidently been lately re

plenished, shone upon oak and black walnut embrowned with exposure to the light of a century. It rose and fell once or twice, flickering fantastically about, and then a quick step was on the stairs and her dream vanished. immediately she heard a door open and the words,

And

Henry Raynor! thee is not going out again? Thee must not!'

He stopped and spoke a word or two, but Rosalie did not hear his answer; and in a moment the front door opened and closed. In another moment Mrs. Raynor was in the library.

'Thou dear child!' she said. 'How glad I am to see thee! how glad to have anything bring thee here. Sit thee still, child.'

And how sorry I am to do anything to give you any trouble,' said Rosalie as she returned her friend's greeting.

'Trouble? bless thee,' said the good quakeress, 'I would I could keep thee here always! Wilt thou be persuaded to stay?' she added anxiously, bending down to look at the sweet face that was looking up at her.

But Rosalie's eyes fell again, and she shook her head. The quakeress stood gently smoothing down her hair.

'Well love, thee knows best,' she said. 'But now come away to bed, and trouble not thyself about thy houseHenry has gone back to see that all be done.' 'O I am very sorry! He should not have gone!' 'None could hinder him-not even thou,' said the quakeress smiling. He thought thy brother might return and Henry knows thou art a thing to be asked for. But come, love, and trouble not thy mind about anything.'

Rosalie carried her little charge to Mrs. Raynor's dressingroom, and covered her up on the sofa there; and when Mrs. Raynor had left her she sat down on a low seat by Hulda, and laying her head on the same sofa cushion she fell asleep, with the first streaks of daylight falling across her face.

Come, says Puss, without any more ado, 'tis time to go to breakfast; cats don't live upon dialogues.-L'ESTRANGE.

THE morning rose fair and still, with that ever fresh look from a night's repose, full of hope, promise, and expectation. As yet that day and the world had not come in contact; and with a child's eye the morning looked at the dark city beneath-wondering and fearless. At present all lay peacefully quiet, and the early light found no cause of complaint except that it could not see everything. Would ever drops lie heavier than the morning dew? could there ever be darkness which the risen sun should not dispel?

As yet the morning glanced only at the chimneys with their upward curls of household smoke,-at the tall steeples that stood like finger-posts to the Celestial City, lest any man should think the way lay near earth's level. At these —but most of all at the sunrise clouds, with their bewitching shapes and colours,-those castles in the air at which so many days have looked; to see some swept away by the strong wind of circumstance, and some dried up at mid-day, and some to pour down their artillery upon all beneath.

So comes the morning with its first look, and the noon with its clear-sightedness that burns as fire, and dries up all springs not fed by the fountain of living waters and shadowed by the Great Rock; and so man goeth forth unto his work until the evening-with its weariness, its repose, its hope of a better day.

"These all died in faith."

“I desire grace and patience," says Samuel Rutherford, "to wait on, and to lie upon the brink, till the water fill and flow. I know he is fast coming."

No such thoughts accompanied Thornton Clyde in his morning walk to Mrs. Raynor's. He had promised to come there to breakfast for certain good reasons not very well known to himself; and now in fulfilment of the promise he walked leisurely along-for it was yet early. He had visited the scene of last night's bonfire, looked at the smoking ruins of the destroyed houses and at the blackened and defaced appearance of his own; and had stood musingly about the spot until the city tide gates were opened, and its population poured forth. Thornton stayed until a half dozen boys had come to the ruin, to pick up nails and charred wood; and then turning away with a feeling of disgust he walked swiftly on.

I say no such thoughts possessed him, and yet the blackened home with its destroyed surroundings looked too out of keeping with the fresh beauty of the day, not to stir up some bitter fountain within him. A fountain that murmured of lost precious things; while the water in its basin gave back pictures that he had no wish to see nor remember. Thornton walked faster and faster.

6 Will you tell Miss Clyde that her brother is here?' he said, when James Hoxton and he had brought their very different qualities to bear upon each other.

'Truly friend, I think not,' replied the quaker with a cool survey. 'It may well chance that thou shalt see her first. She hath not yet arisen.'

And leading the way into the library James Hoxton gave a grave and sagacious kick to the fire, and left the

room.

Thornton thought to himself that one of last night's