testimony for Mr. Ambery, he had been tempted
of Satan to claim the moneys from him. The
wretched man spoke clearly, and Rebecca wrote
it down with a firm hand. Whereupon he rang
and ordered Joshua Lamb to his presence, and
without reading the paper to him he signed it,
and bade him put his name to it as a witness.
After which, with the precious paper in our
own possession, we returned home rejoicing.

Mr. Corbett lingered nearly a month from
that day, during which time I saw him often,
for though we were in different stations, we
were townspeople, and I had known him all my
life; and I could not bear to think of him passing
away with nobody but hirelings to smooth his
dying pillow. Several messages I carried to
him, full of kindliness and gospel comfort, from
the old minister, all ignorant as he was of the
restitution the miserable man had made. He
died at last without much feeling, either of
body or mind, as most people do, whether they
be saints or sinners; and the following Monday,
being the ordinary monthly church meeting,
Rebecca sent that paper to Mr. Craig for him
to read before the assembly of the church.

She and I had never been to a church meeting
since the charge was brought against Mr.
Ambery; nor did we go to that. We were
sitting together in Mr. Ambery's chamber,
Rebecca near the window, looking up to the evening
sky so peacefully, that there was no line of
grief or care upon her face, when through the
quiet house there rang a loud and earnest peal,
which caused us all to start with affright, and I
ran down stairs hastily to open the front door.
There in the street stood the assembled church,
with Mr. Craig at their head, and all the deacons
pressing close after him, eager to follow
him in. Mr. Craig put me gently on one side,
and marched straight on with his company up
into the minister's long deserted and desolate
chamber. There was little need of speech.
The weeping church, tongue-tied with shame
and sorrow, yet smiling amid its tears, crowded
round the old pastor's bed, begging pardon in
sobs and choking words; until the long-headed
deacon called upon Mr. Craig to be their
spokesman. He went forward before them all,
and standing for a minute or two speechless
beside Mr. Ambery, while everybody was looking
to him to confess their sorrow, he could do
nothing else but stoop down, and press his lips
reverently and tenderly upon the old man's
wrinkled forehead.

I saw that when he lifted up his head his
eyes met Rebecca's, and a glow and a flush,
strange to both those grave faces, flashed across
them for a moment. He lingered till all the
church had departed, even to the deacons; and
the last sound of footsteps had died out of the
house. But as Rebecca, shrinking and nervous,
was creeping away stealthily from his presence,
he placed himself in her way, and took both
her hands in his.

"Rebecca," he said, speaking before her
father and me, " do you love me?"

"Yes," she answered, hanging down her
head.

"I am a poor man," he said, " and we may
have to wait long."

"We will wait," she whispered, as Catherine
her mother might have done many years to this
aged, bedridden man, who then stood before
her as her lover. Mr. Craig laid his lips upon
hers, with as much reverence and tenderness,
but with more passion, maybe, as when he had
kissed her father beforehand; but I, knowing
the mother's sorrowful, shortened life of toil
and care, turned aside heart-sore for the two
young creatures before me.

But their lot in life was to be easier than
Mr. Ambery's and Catherine's. When Mr. Corbett's
will was opened, though it made no mention
of the paper which owned to one of his crimes of
dishonesty and oppression, it contained a codicil,
which left a thousand pounds apiece to the
minister's three daughters, and it revoked the
condition that Harry Thompson should inherit
his wealth only if he gave up his marriage with
Katie.

Before many months were past, Rebecca
became the young minister's wife; and Katie
only waited for a year or two more of discretion.
Joshua Lamb professes to charge me with
breaking my word, but my bargain with him
was plainly enough that he himself should find
out the trickery about the deed of release. At
times I feel a little heart-sinking, lest he should
bring an action against me for breach of promise
of marriage; but he has nothing to show save
those two little notes I wrote to him; and I
feel there would be very little hope of happiness
in marriage, if I had to be upon my guard all
my life long.

In Number 280, for September the 3rd, will be commenced
             A New Serial Romance, entitled
                     NEVER FORGOTTEN.
       BY THE AUTHOR OF " BELLA DONNA."

          NEW WORK BY MR. DICKENS,
In Monthly Parts, uniform with the Original Editions of
              "Pickwick," " Copperfield," &c.
         Now publishing, PART IV., price Is., of
                OUR MUTUAL FRIEND.
                BY CHARLES DICKENS.
            IN TWENTY MONTHLY PARTS.
         With Illustrations by MARCUS STONE.
    London: CHAPMAN and HALL, 193, Piccadilly.

On the 15th of August will be published, bound in green
                             cloth, price 6s. 6d.,
                    THE ELEVENTH VOLUME.