unknown but to them; and the more she knew of Christ, the more she knew of a happiness independent of the world and all things in it. A poet of this world has said that "hope is happiness;" yes, when founded upon a rock. Can that be said of any earthly hope?

She could now measure the value of the things of time by the light of eternity. She had not forgotten Frederick de Vere. Such love as hers had been does not soon pass away; and even when it has passed away it leaves a mark where it has been. Yet Rosamond had no regrets. When she had torn herself from this well-nigh worshipped being she had done it as a dreadful sacrifice, at the cost (as she then thought) of all happiness on earth. How differently she looked upon it now; how impossible did it now appear to her, the very idea of marriage with any one who was not a child of God, a member of Christ. Now she felt she could not love one who did not, above all things, love the Saviour; who every day was becoming more and more her all in all. She looked back and wondered at her idolatrous passion of past days; she looked back and wondered still more at the mercy and wisdom of God's dealings with her; she had prayed much for faith, and humility, and obedience; and the Holy Spirit had shown her many things which at the time she had no more

observed than the blind man sees the light of day. She was often constrained to exclaim, "O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!"

Her thoughts of Captain de Vere were now all anxiety for his soul's welfare, and that he might be brought to a saving knowledge of the truth she constantly prayed. She knew that he was in England, for he had an appointment at the Horse Guards, and her aunt had told her that he was considered one of the most dissipated young men in London, "which," Mrs. Howard added, "was all Rosamond's doing-that she had driven him to this by her ill-usage of him."

But however much Rosamond might be grieved at hearing such an account of him, her conscience did not accuse her as being at all responsible for it. She looked back to this event in her life, not only without regret, but with the deepest thankfulness that she had been enabled to escape so deep a sin and so great a danger as allying herself with one who knew not the Lord Jesus.

CHAPTER XV.

ONE of Rosamond's greatest anxieties was her brother Arthur. He was not what the world calls bad. He did nothing to offend society; he did not break any of the laws of the world's code of honour, nor did he indulge in any vice; nevertheless he was often a painful thought to both his father and sister. Happily he was of an open, confiding nature, and had an affectionate disposition. He loved and and looked up to his sister as to a perfect being, and from his earliest childhood had always made her his friend and confidant. This had been a great safeguard to him; but he had an easy way of confessing his sins and very soon falling back into them, which was extremely distressing to Rosamond. She never could make him see as she did the sin of getting into debt. "Now, my dearest Rosamond, how can you make such a fuss about thirty pounds? why it's nothing at all, and I do assure you I don't owe another fraction: if you would just mention to the governor that I should be glad to pay those little bills when I go back,

one should not keep the poor tradespeople out of their money, you know, Rosa."

"I know that I will certainly not ask papa for that sum. I told you what an expensive drainage work he has been engaged in this year, which will all be for your benefit hereafter, Arthur; and I know it would be extremely inconvenient to him at this moment to give thirty pounds, though you seem to think it such a trifle. I wish I could make you see how dishonest it is to order things that you have not the means of paying for."

"Dishonest! Rosa," said Arthur, and his cheek

flushed.

"Yes, dishonest, and dishonourable too; it is much better to call things by their right names."

They are very hard names, though; and I do assure you, my dear creature, if you knew a little more of the world, you would not think owing a few pounds at a shop such a deadly sin.”

"I know quite enough of the world, Arthur; and I know one of its greatest dangers is the light way in which sin is thought of, and spoken of-yes, and even boasted of, too, sometimes.'

"Oh, Rosa, I don't boast of my bills, I assure you, and I am extremely anxious to have them paid."

"I dare say,-by somebody else. But really I

cannot ask papa for the money; and he started you again all clear only last Christmas.”

"Then what am I to do?"

"If you are really anxious to pay them, exercise a little self-denial, and save the amount out of your next quarter."

"Oh, ah, don't I wish I could do it; the thing is simply impossible. You are too hard upon me, my lovely Rosa; you've got all your thorns out this morning."

"It is not the least impossible if you would only have a little prudence, and not indulge yourself in every passing fancy and such absurd extravagances. Just look at this bill of Smith's, nine pounds thirteen and sixpence for perfumes, soap-'

Oh, my dear Rosa, I hope you are not going to forbid the use of that necessary cleansing compound, vulgarly called soap."

"Don't be silly, Arthur; is all this quantity of expensive perfumery necessary?"

Oh, the half of those bouquets and extraits I got for Addy, not for myself."

"I think if Adelaide wants so many perfumes, she had better buy them for herself," said Rosamond, dryly..

"Oh, poor Addy, she is always in trouble too about her finances; she can't make her allowance do at all."