ons not extremely young; for, in fact, almost all
the noblest and finest men and the loveliest and sweetest women of real
life are considerably older than the vast majority of heroes and
heroines in the world of fiction.

I have also let some of the same characters play a part in both stories,
though the last opens long before the first, and runs on after it is
finished. It is by this latter device that I have chiefly hoped to give
to each the air of a family history, and thus excite curiosity and
invite investigation; the small portion known to a young girl being told
by her from her own point of view and mingled into her own life and
love, and the larger narrative taking a different point of view and
giving both events and motives.

But in general, while describing the actions and setting down the words,
I have left the reader to judge my people; for I think many writers must
feel as I do, that, if characters are at all true to life, there is just
as much uncertainty as to how far they are to blame in any course that
they may have taken as there is in the case of our actual living
contemporaries.

But why then, you may ask, do I write this preface, which must, if
nothing else had done so, destroy any such sense of truth and reality?
Why, my American friends, because I am told that a great many of you
are pleased to wish for some explanation. I am sure you more than
deserve of me some efforts to please you. I seldom have an opportunity
of saying how truly I think so; and besides, even if I had declined to
give it, I know very well that for all my pains you would still have
never been beguiled into the least faith as to the reality of these two
stories!

London, June, 1875.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

I. A WATCHER OF LILIES
II. THE LESSON
III. GOLD, THE INCORRUPTIBLE WITNESS
IV. SWARMS OF CHILDREN
V. OF A FINE MAN AND SOME FOOLISH WOMEN
VI. THE SHADOW OF A SHADE
VII. AN OLD MAN DIGS A WELL
VIII. THEY MEET AN AUTHOR
IX. SIGNED "DANIEL MORTIMER."--CANADA
X. CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES
XI. WANTED A DESERT ISLAND
XII. VALENTINE
XIII. VENERABLE ANCIENTRY
XIV. EMILY
XV. THE AMERICAN GUEST
XVI. WEARING THE WILLOW
XVII. AN EASY DISMISSAL
XVIII. A MORNING CALL
XIX. MR. MORTIMER GOES THROUGH THE TURNPIKE
XX. THE RIVER
XXI. THE DEAD FATHER ENTREATS
XXII. SOPHISTRY
XXIII. DANTE AND OTHERS
XXIV. SELF-WONDER AND SELF-SCORN
XXV. THAT RAI