Lewis Bertram, Esq. whose representative you are.'

And so saying, the old gentleman took his candle and left the room; and the company dispersed after the Dominie had once more hugged and embraced his 'little Harry Bertram,' as he continued to call the young soldier of six feet high.

CHAPTER XX.

-My imagination

Carries no favour in it but Bertram's;
I am undone; there is no living, none,

If Bertram be away.All's well that ends well.

AT the hour which had been appointed in the preceding evening, the indefatigable lawyer was seated by a good fire, and a pair of wax candles, with a velvet cap upon his head, and a quilted silk night-gown on his person, busy arranging his memoranda of proofs and indications concerning the murder of Frank Kennedy. An express had also been despatched to Mr. Mac-Morlan, requesting his attendance at Woodbourne as soon as possible, upon business of importance. Dinmont, fatigued with the events of the evening before, and finding the accommodations of Woodbourne much preferable to those of Mac-Guffog, was in no hurry to rise. The impatience of Bertram might have put him earlier in motion, but Colonel Mannering had intimated an intention to visit him in his apartment in the morning, and he did not choose to leave it.

Before this interview he had dressed himself, Barnes having, by his master's orders, supplied him with every accommodation of linen, &c. and now anxiously waited the promised visit of his landlord.

In a short time a gentle tap announced the Colonel, with whom Bertram held a long and satisfactory conversation. Each, however, concealed from the other one circumstance. Mannering could not bring himself to acknowledge the astrological prediction; and Bertram was, for motives which may be easily conceived, silent respecting his love for Julia. In other respects, their intercourse was frank and grateful to both, and had latterly, upon the colonel's part, even an approach to curdiality. Bertram carefully measured his own conduct by that of his host, and seemed rather to receive his offered kindness with gratitude and pleasure, than to press for it with solicitation.

Miss Bertram was in the breakfast parlour when Sampson shuffled in, his face all radiant with smiles; a circumstance so uncommon, that Lucy's first idea was, that somebody had been bantering him with an imposition which had thrown him into this ecstacy. Having sate for some time, rolling his eyes and gaping with his mouth like the great wooden head at Merlin's exhibition, he had at length began-‘And what do you think of him, Miss Lucy?'

'Think of whom, Mr. Sampson?'

'Of Har-no-of him that you know about?' 'That I know about?'

Yes, the stranger, you know, that came last even

ing in the post vehicle-he who shot young Hazlewood-ha, ha, ho!'

a

Indeed, Mr. Sampson, you have chosen strange subject for mirth-I think nothing about. the man, only I hope the outrage was accidental, and that we need not fear a repetition of it.'

"Accidental! ho, ho, ha!'

เ

Really, Mr. Sampson,' said Lucy, somewhat piqued, 'you are unusually gay this morning.'

'Yes, of a surety I am! ha, ha, ho! face-ti-ousho, ho, ha!'

'So unusually facetious, my dear sir, that I would wish rather to know the meaning of your mirth, than to be amused with its effects only.'

'You shall know it, Miss Lucy. Do you remember your brother?'

"Good God! how can you ask me? no one knows better than you-he was lost on the very day I was born.'

'Very true, very true,' answered the Dominie, saddening at the recollection. I was strangely oblivious-ay, ay-too true. But you remember your worthy father?'

How should you doubt it, Mr. Sampson? it's not so many weeks since'

True, true-ay, too true-I will be facetious no more under these remembrances-but look at that young man!".

Bertram at this instant entered the room. Yes, look at him well-he is your father's living image; and as God has deprived you of your dear parents -O my children, love one another!-'

It is indeed my father's face and form,' said Lucy, turning very pale; Bertram ran to support her

-the Dominie to fetch water to throw upon her face -(which in his haste he took from the boiling teaurn) when fortunately her colour returning rapidly, saved her from the application of his ill judged remedy. I conjure you tell me, Mr. Sampson,' she said in an interrupted yet solemn voice,' is this my brother?'

It is it is!-Miss Lucy, it is little Harry Bertram, as sure as God's sun is in that heaven!'

And this is my sister?' said Bertram, giving way to all that family affection which had so long slumbered in his bosom for want of an object to expand itself upon

--

It is it is!-it is Miss Lucy Bertram, whom by my poor aid you will find perfect in the tongues of France, and Italy, and even of Spain; in reading and writing her vernacular tongue, and in arithmetic and book-keeping by double and single entry. I say nothing of her talents of shaping, and hemming, and governing a household, which, to give every one their due, she acquired not from me, but from the house-keeper; nor do I take merit for her performance upon stringed instruments, whereunto the instructions of an honourable young lady of virtue and modesty, and very facetious withal-Miss Julia Mannering-hath not meanly contributed-Suum cuique tribuito."

'You then,' said Bertram to his sister, are all that remains to me! Last night-but more fully this morning, Colonel Mannering gave me an account of our family misfortunes, though without saying I should find you here.'

'That,' said Lucy, he left to this gentleman to tell you, one of the kindest and most faithful of

friends, who soothed my father's long sickness, witnessed his dying moments, and amid the heaviest clouds of misfortune would not desert his orphan.' 'God bless him for it!' said Bertram, shaking the Dominie's hand, he deserves the love with which I have always regarded even the shadow of his memory which my childhood retained.'

'And God bless you both, my dear children,' said Sampson; ' if it had not been for your sake, I would have been contented (had heaven's pleasure so been) to lay my head upon the turf beside my patron.'

'But, I trust,' said Bertram, I am encouraged to hope we shall all see better days. All our wrongs shall be redressed, since heaven has sent me means and friends to assert my right.'

'Friends indeed!' echoed the Dominie, ' and sent, as you truly say, by HIM, to whom I early taught you to look up as the source of all that is good. There is the great Colonel Mannering from the Eastern Indies, who is a man of great erudition considering his imperfect opportunities; and there is, moreover, the great advocate, Mr. Pleydell, who is also a man of great erudition, but who descendeth to trifles unbeseeming thereof; and there is Mr. Andrew Dinmont, whom I do not understand to have possession of much erudition, but who, like the patriarchs of old, is cunning in that which belongeth to flocks and herds. Lastly, there is even I myself, whose opportunities of collecting erudition, as they have been greater than those of the aforesaid yaluable persons, have not, if it becomes me to speak, been pretermitted by me in as far as my poor faculties have enabled me to profit by them: of a surety, little Harry, we must speedily resume our studies.