for ever.

"This, I proudly refused to do--and the Baronet as proudly told me, 'To
see his face no more!'

"I looked sorrowfully up as he said this. The tears were in my eyes,
for I loved him very much--but my heart was too full to speak.

"He leant down from his horse, expecting my answer. I was silent: the
colour mounted to his cheeks; he waited a few minutes longer; I made no
sign, and he struck the spurs into his horse, and rode quickly away.

"'There goes my only friend!' I cried. 'Curse the mean wretch, who
robbed me of my friend! I only regret that I did not kill him!'

"Thus for one boyish act of indiscretion I was flung friendless upon
the world. Yet, Geoffrey, were the thing to do again, I feel that I
could not, and would not, act otherwise.

"Time has convinced me that Robert Moncton, acting with his usual
policy, had made Sir Alexander ashamed of his connection with us, and
he gladly availed himself of the first plausible excuse to cast me off.
Alice deeply lamented my disgrace; but the whole affair afforded mirth
to my grandmother, who seemed greatly to enjoy my unfortunate triumph
over the boy with the _hard name_."

CHAPTER XVII.

HARRISON FINDS A FRIEND IN NEED.

"During my residence at school in York, my master was often visited by
a wealthy merchant who bore the same name with myself. This man was an
old bachelor, very eccentric, but universally esteemed as one of the
most benevolent of men. He was present at one of the school
examinations in which I took many prizes, and asking my name he found
out that he was related to my father, and bestowed upon me many marks
of favour, such as presenting me with useful books, and often asking me
over to his house to dine, or spend the evening.

"Flattered by his attentions to me, I had lost no opportunity of
increasing our friendship, and I determined to apply to him in my
present distress.

"I was a perfect novice in the art of letter-writing, never having
penned an epistle in my life, and after making several attempts with
which I was perfectly disgusted, I determined to walk over to the city
and make my application in person to Mr. Mornington.

"Without communicating my intentions to Alice, I carefully tied up a
change of linen in a silk handkerchief, and with the mighty sum of five
shillings in my pocket, commenced my pedestrian journey of thirty odd
miles.

"I started in the morning by day-break, and without meeting with any
particu