short day as much had happened to him as
in all the course of his previous life, but the very force of the
thoughts, the emotions, the hopes, the fears, which had visited him,
made him, strong, young and vigorous as he was, so utterly weary, that
when he reached his rooms he felt that he must let tired-out nature have
its way--he threw himself on his bed and slept the sleep of the young
and healthy until the morning.

It was February weather, February unusually mild and genial, and the pet
day of yesterday was followed by another as soft and sweet and mild.
When Hinton awoke from his refreshing slumbers, the day was so well and
thoroughly risen that a gleam of sunshine lay across his bed. He started
up to discover a corresponding glow in his heart. What was causing this
glow? In a moment he remembered, and the gleam of heart sunshine grew
brighter with the knowledge. The fact was, happiness was standing by the
young man's side, holding out two radiant hands, and saying, "Take me,
take me to your heart of hearts, for I have come to dwell with you."
Hinton rose, dressed hastily, and went into his sitting-room. All the
gloom which had so oppressed him yesterday had vanished. He could not
resist the outward sunshine, nor the heart-glow which had come to him.
He stepped lightly, and whistled some gay airs. He ate his breakfast
with appetite, then threw himself into an easy-chair which stood near
the window; he need not go to his chambers for at least an hour, he
might give himself this time to think.

Again happiness stepped up close and showed her beautiful face. Should
he take her; should he receive the rare and lovely thing and shut out
that stern sense of justice, of relieving the oppressed, of seeing the
wronged righted, which had been as his sheet-anchor yesterday, which had
been more or less the sheet-anchor of his life. Here was his position.
He was engaged to marry Charlotte Harman; he loved her with his whole
heart; she loved him with her whole heart; she was a beautiful woman, a
noble woman, a wealthy woman. With her as his wife, love, riches, power
might all be his. What more could the warm, warm feelings of youth
desire? what more could the ambitions of youth aspire to? Yesterday, it
is true, he had felt some rising of that noble pride which scorns to
receive so much and give so little. He had formed a wild, almost
passionate determination to obtain his brief before he obtained his
bride, but Mr. Harman had so