ter than our
last parting. Now, I am going to prepare a beautiful home for you, and
when I come at Christmas, it will be for the purpose of carrying you
back with me."

The widow gave her son a beaming look of love.

With a "Heaven be with you, my dearest mother," and "God bless you, my
best son," they parted. They parted to meet no more on earth.

Let us now return to the mansion of Colonel Delany, and learn the
nature of that "matter of the utmost moment to herself," that had
summoned Alice so inopportunely from the side of her lover.

* * * * *

On reaching the study of her uncle, Miss Raymond found him in deep
consultation with an elderly gentleman in black. Various packets of
papers were before him--an open letter was held in his hand. He arose
to meet Alice, as she advanced into the room, and taking her hand with
grave respect, said:

"Lady Hilden, permit me to congratulate you on your accession to your
title and estates."

"Sir! uncle!" exclaimed Alice, gazing at him with the utmost
astonishment, scarcely conscious whether she was waking or dreaming.

"Yes, my dear, it is true. Your grandfather--old Lord
Hilden--departed this life on the sixth of last March. His only living
son survived him but a few weeks, and died without issue, and the
title and estates, with a rent-roll of eight thousand pounds per
annum, has descended, in right of your father, to yourself!"

"I shall have so much to give to William!" involuntarily exclaimed
Alice.

"Madam!" exclaimed Colonel Delany in surprise.

Alice blushed violently at having thought aloud. "Dear sir," said she,
"I did not know what I was saying."

"Ah, well, I suppose you are a little startled with this sudden news,"
said the Colonel, smiling; "but now it is necessary for you to examine
with us some of these papers. Ah, I crave your pardon, Mr.
Reynard--Lady Hilden, this is Mr. Reynard, late solicitor to your
deceased grandfather, the Baron----"

Great was the excitement in the neighborhood when it was noised abroad
that Alice Raymond had become a baroness, in her own right, and the
possessor of a large estate in England. And when, for the first time
since her accession to her new dignities, she appeared at church, in
deep mourning, every eye was turned upon her, and she almost sank
beneath the gaze of so many people.

In the height of the "nine days' wonder," William Dulan returned, and
was greeted by the news from every