"Why so?"

“Oh, it is a secret," replied Susan hesitatingly, all the time she was determined upon telling him, but

"Oh, if it is a secret, I have no wish-no right to

"But I think I may tell you, because you are a stranger, and will not repeat it. It is only to keep the people about here from chattering that they did not wish it talked about; but grandmama and I have known the Leicesters for so long that they told us. Rosamond is engaged to be married, has been since last year."

There was a pause for a few moments, and then Mr. Waldegrave said,

"That is very likely; so beautiful and attractive a person as Miss Leicester is sure to have plenty of admirers."

Beautiful and attractive, thought Susan to herself; oh, it is just as well I told him.

It may seem strange, that a plain person of thirty, should feel jealous of a very handsome one of two-and-twenty. Susan would not for a moment have believed that she was jealous of Rosamond, but she considered that as Miss Leicester was going to be married, she certainly ought not to attract other men; and Susan was particularly alive as regarded clergymen, whom she always looked upon as her own peculiar property.

May I ask, if it is not an indiscreet question," said Mr. Waldegrave, "who the gentleman is to whom Miss Leicester is engaged ?"

"Oh, I suppose there is no harm in my telling you, only pray do not mention the subject at all to any one. It is Captain de Vere, a young man of very distinguished family, but very poor; he is with his regiment in Canada just now. Colonel Leicester will not hear of his daughter going abroad, so they are to wait until he gets some appointment at home, which he is sure to do soon, and then they will be married."

do

Mr. Waldegrave would gladly have asked a little more about Captain de Vere, but he did not So, and soon turned the conversation to some of those topics which were agreeable to his companion. He was not very sorry when the long walk came to an end, and he promised, at Miss Grant's request, that he would soon go to see her grandmother at Achnacraig.

Rosamond walked slowly home from her visit to Mrs. Ross, her thoughts were far, very far away, they were on the other side of the Atlantic.

CHAPTER VIII.

ALFRED's birthday had never been made a marked day; it recalled too much that was painful to his father; but Colonel Leicester now determined that his own feelings should not stand in the way of giving his child, who so well deserved it, some pleasure. Accordingly, having talked over the matter with Rosamond, he said one evening, quite suddenly, to Alfred,

"Your birthday will soon be here; would you like to invite all your little friends, and have a party ?"

The child coloured with surprise and pleasure, and running to his father, threw his arms round his neck, exclaiming,

"Oh yes, thank you, papa, so much; I should like it so much; would it not be delightful, Rosy ?"

"Well my boy, you shall have one, and ask whoever you like."

Alfred in raptures again thanked his father, and then began reckoning over all the names of those who were to be invited.

"And, Rosy, will you write all the notes for me? for it would take me so long; and I hope they will all come, and then shall we dance, and have games ?"

Having discussed for a few minutes the pleasures of the projected party, he suddenly paused, and the rose-leaf tint again deepening on his fair cheek, he said, timidly,

-if-if you

"Papa, I should like so much would let me have some of the poor children too, and give them a treat before the others come; I mean such ones as Willy and Jessie Cameron, and Donald and Andrew Campbell, and the poor little ones that live on the muir

-and

"Yes, Alfred, you shall have them all; and I think the best plan will be to give them a good dinner at four o'clock, in the servants' hall, it is too cold for the barn, and then they can have some fun afterwards, and go away at seven o'clock, before the drawing-room guests arrive."

Again Alfred warmly thanked and kissed his father, who saw the child's eyes were full of tears, as was often the case with him when particularly happy or interested about anything.

"Rosamond, you and Mrs. Thompson will have to lay your heads together on the subject of supplies for this small multitude," said Colonel Leicester.

H

"Oh yes, we shall be able to manage that part of it; and you, papa, must superintend the party in the hall; the drawing-room will be quite enough for me: I do not know what I shall do without Arthur to help (or Frederick, she thought to herself); little ladies and gentlemen are often difficult to manage."

"Oh, Rosy, if you ask Mr. Waldegrave, I am sure he will do anything, he is so good-natured, the Ross's are so fond of him."

Certainly, we shall ask him, and Susan Grant, she gets on well with children."

"Oh, yes, Rosy, and dear old Mrs. Grant, I should like so to have her on my birthday."

Well, we must see whether she will venture to change her bed, for of course she would have to sleep here. Now you must come and help me while I make out a list, in case I forget any of the brats."

The much longed-for day had come, and Alfred was early summoned to his father's room, from which, after a few minutes, he rushed to his sister's, knocking, indeed, at the door, but not waiting for "Come in."

"Oh, look, Rosy, just look what papa has given me," and he placed in her hands a Bible bound in blue velvet with silver clasps. Clasping his own hands together, he looked up in her face, exclaiming,