e afraid of
him."

"Then you write yourself?" said Jane.

"Oh! how foolish of me to let you know in such a silly way. I write
nothing to speak of. I never thought any one would take me for an
authoress. But I do so doat on poetry, and it seems so natural to
express one's feelings in verse--not for publication, you know--only
for my friends. Once or twice--but this is a great secret--I have had
pieces brought out in the 'Ladies' Magazine.' If you read it, you may
have seen them; they had the signature of Ella--a pretty name, is it
not?--more uncommon than my own."

"Is it a fair question," said Jane, anxiously; "but did you receive
anything for your verses?"

"You have such a commercial turn of mind, Miss Melville, as papa says,
that you really ought to be in business. No; I did not receive or,
indeed, did I wish for any payment. I would mix no prose with my
poetry."

"You are not in need of money," said Jane, with a slight sigh; and she
turned to the publisher, and asked if he brought out new poems as well
as new novels.

"Poetry is ticklish stuff to go off, particularly in Edinburgh," said
he. "I am very shy of it, except in bringing out cheap editions of
poems of established reputation, or reprints of American poets."

"Where there is no copyright to be paid for," said Mr. Malcolm; "I know
the tricks of the trade."

Mrs. Rennie had asked Jane to play and sing, which she could not do,
and then had engaged in conversation with Mr. Hogarth for a
considerable time. Now she supposed Jane must fancy she was not
receiving sufficient attention from her hostess, considering that she
was the only lady guest, so she came forward, and withdrew her from the
animated conversation of the gentlemen, and proceeded to entertain her
in the best way that she could. Her younger children (not her youngest,
for they were in bed) were gathered around her, and the conversation
was somewhat desultory, owing to their interruptions and little
delinquencies. It was now getting time for them, too, to go to bed, and
it was not without repeated orders from mamma, supported at last by a
forcible observation from papa, that they bade the company good-night,
and retired. They were all very nice-looking children, and not
ill-disposed, though somewhat refractory and dilatory about the vexed
question of going to bed.

Talking to them and about them naturally brought up the subject of
education; and Jane timidly inquired if Mrs. Rennie was in