et
maidens in England; and besides, the fatal time is past, for it is now
almost eight."

"Then that villain Raven deceived me when he said the clock was too
fast; but I have just reflected these repeated crosses in love qualify
me to take a very advanced degree in misanthropy. There is therefore,
good hope that I may make a figure in the world."

Raven appeared. Scythrop looked at him very fiercely, and said, "Bring
some Madeira!"

* * * * *

JANE PORTER

The Scottish Chiefs

Jane Porter was born at Durham in 1776, but at the age of four
she went to Edinburgh with her family, was brought up in
Scotland, and had the privilege of knowing Sir Walter Scott.
Her first romance, "Thaddeus of Warsaw," was published in
1803, soon after she had removed from Edinburgh to London. Her
next romance, "The Scottish Chiefs," did not appear until
1810. It won an immediate popularity, which survived even the
formidable rivalry of the "Waverley Novels," and the book
remained a favourite, especially in Scotland, during most of
the last century. The story abounds in historical
inaccuracies, and the characters are addicted to conversing in
the dialect of melodrama-but these blemishes did not abate the
vogue of this exciting and spirited work with the reading
public. Miss Porter remained a prominent figure in London
literary society until her death on May 24, 1850.

_I.--The Lady Marion_

Sir William Wallace made his way swiftly along the crags and across the
river to the cliffs which overlooked the garden of Ellerslie. As he
approached he saw his newly-wedded wife, the Lady Marion, leaning over
the couch of a wounded man. She looked up, and, with a cry of joy, threw
herself into his arms. Blood dropped from his forehead upon her bosom.

"O my Wallace, my Wallace!" cried she in agony.

"Fear not, my love, it is a mere scratch. How is the wounded stranger?"

It was Wallace who had saved the stranger's life. That day he had been
summoned to Douglas Castle, where he had received in secret from Sir
John Monteith an iron box entrusted to him by Lord Douglas, then
imprisoned in England; he had been charged to cherish the box in
strictness, and not to suffer it to be opened until Scotland was again
free. Returning with his treasure through Lanark, he had seen a fellow
countryman wounded, and in deadly peril at the ha