h between the juniper
bushes, backwards till her heels are overhanging the ravine, and she
grips life with nothing but her little toes, I shall force her, step
by step, before me. Then I shall lean forward, closer, closer, till I
kiss her purpling lips, and down, down, down, past the startled sea-
birds, past the white spray of the foss, past the downward peeping
pines, down, down, down, we will go together, till we find the thing
that lies sleeping beneath the waters of the fiord."

With these words ended the last letter, unsigned. At the first streak of
dawn we left the house, and, after much wandering, found our way back to
the valley. But of our guide we heard no news. Whether he remained
still upon the mountain, or whether by some false step he had perished
upon that night, we never learnt.

VARIETY PATTER.

My first appearance at a Music Hall was in the year one thousand eight
hundred and s---. Well, I would rather not mention the exact date. I
was fourteen at the time. It was during the Christmas holidays, and my
aunt had given me five shillings to go and see Phelps--I think it was
Phelps--in _Coriolanus_--I think it was _Coriolanus_. Anyhow, it was to
see a high-class and improving entertainment, I know.

I suggested that I should induce young Skegson, who lived in our road, to
go with me. Skegson is a barrister now, and could not tell you the
difference between a knave of clubs and a club of knaves. A few years
hence he will, if he works hard, be innocent enough for a judge. But at
the period of which I speak he was a red-haired boy of worldly tastes,
notwithstanding which I loved him as a brother. My dear mother wished to
see him before consenting to the arrangement, so as to be able to form
her own opinion as to whether he was a fit and proper companion for me;
and, accordingly, he was invited to tea. He came, and made a most
favourable impression upon both my mother and my aunt. He had a way of
talking about the advantages of application to study in early life, and
the duties of youth towards those placed in authority over it, that won
for him much esteem in grown-up circles. The spirit of the Bar had
descended upon Skegson at a very early period of his career.

My aunt, indeed, was so much pleased with him that she gave him two
shillings towards his own expenses ("sprung half a dollar" was how he
explained the transaction when we were outside), and commended m