ented his host's departure.--"I have but one
word to say to the Master of Ravenswood, Mr. Caleb, and I fancy he will
excuse your waiting."

With a second reverence, lower than the former, Caleb withdrew; and his
master stood motionless, expecting, with considerable embarrassment,
what was to close the events of a day fraught with unexpected incidents.

"Master of Ravenswood," said Sir William Ashton, with some
embarrassment, "I hope you understand the Christian law too well to
suffer the sun to set upon your anger."

The Master blushed and replied, "He had no occasion that evening to
exercise the duty enjoined upon him by his Christian faith."

"I should have thought otherwise," said his guest, "considering the
various subjects of dispute and litigation which have unhappily occurred
more frequently than was desirable or necessary betwixt the late
honourable lord, your father, and myself."

"I could wish, my lord," said Ravenswood, agitated by suppressed
emotion, "that reference to these circumstances should be made anywhere
rather than under my father's roof."

"I should have felt the delicacy of this appeal at another time," said
Sir William Ashton, "but now I must proceed with what I mean to say.
I have suffered too much in my own mind, from the false delicacy which
prevented my soliciting with earnestness, what indeed I frequently
requested, a personal communing with your father: much distress of mind
to him and to me might have been prevented."

"It is true," said Ravenswood, after a moment's reflection, "I have
heard my father say your lordship had proposed a personal interview."

"Proposed, my dear Master? I did indeed propose it; but I ought to have
begged, entreated, beseeched it. I ought to have torn away the veil,
which interested persons had stretched betwixt us, and shown myself as
I was, willing to sacrifice a considerable part even of my legal rights,
in order to conciliate feelings so natural as his must be allowed to
have been. Let me say for myself, my young friend, for so I will call
you, that had your father and I spent the same time together which
my good fortune has allowed me to-day to pass in your company, it is
possible the land might yet have enjoyed one of the most respectable of
its ancient nobility, and I should have been spared the pain of parting
in enmity from a person whose general character I so much admired and
honoured."

He put his handkerchief to his eyes. Ravenswood also w