s sake, that you
should put yourself in the way of learning the truth.

Believe me to be yours sincerely,

JULIA DE GUEST.

COURCY CASTLE, Thursday.

The squire had never been very fond of any of the De Guest family,
and had, perhaps, liked Lady Julia the least of them all. He was wont
to call her a meddling old woman,--remembering her bitterness and
pride in those now long bygone days in which the gallant major had
run off with Lady Fanny. When he first received this letter, he did
not, on the first reading of it, believe a word of its contents.
"Cross-grained old harridan," he said out loud to his nephew. "Look
what that aunt of yours has written to me." Bernard read the letter
twice, and as he did so his face became hard and angry.

"You don't mean to say you believe it?" said the squire.

"I don't think it will be safe to disregard it."

"What! you think it possible that your friend is doing as she says?"

"It is certainly possible. He was angry when he found that Lily had
no fortune."

"Heavens, Bernard! And you can speak of it in that way?"

"I don't say that it is true; but I think we should look to it. I
will go to Courcy Castle and learn the truth."

The squire at last decided that he would go. He went to Courcy
Castle, and found that Crosbie had started two hours before his
arrival. He asked for Lady Julia, and learned from her that Crosbie
had actually left the house as the betrothed husband of Lady
Alexandrina.

"The countess, I am sure, will not contradict it, if you will see
her," said Lady Julia. But this the squire was unwilling to do. He
would not proclaim the wretched condition of his niece more loudly
than was necessary, and therefore he started on his pursuit of
Crosbie. What was his success on that evening we have already
learned.

Both Lady Alexandrina and her mother heard of Mr Dale's arrival at
the castle, but nothing was said between them on the subject. Lady
Amelia Gazebee heard of it also, and she ventured to discuss the
matter with her sister.

"You don't know exactly how far it went, do you?"

"No; yes;--not exactly, that is," said Alexandrina.

"I suppose he did say something about marriage to the girl?"

"Yes, I'm afraid he did."

"Dear, dear! It's very unfortunate. What sort of people are those
Dales? I suppose he talked to you about them."

"No, he didn't; not very much. I daresay she is an artful, sly thing!
It's a great pity men should go on in s