sister. And for you, too," she added, "who
loved her so dearly."

Pauline drew away from her suddenly, with a
startled look, and began to talk rapidly. " Yes,
I know," she said; " a sad story. A sensation
incident they would call it now," she added, with
a smile, but a very mournful smile.

They were at Alfred-place, and had the unfailing
tea. " We shall have a quiet talk together,"
said Miss Manuel; " you on that sofa, I
on this. The mob won't be here for an hour to
come. This will be delightful. Talking of poor
Romaine, there is something to be said for him
now. He is scarcely an accountable being. You
would hardly guess that he is in a very wild
state of mind."

Mrs. Fermor looked curious.

"Yes," said Pauline, " I could tell you a long
history about that. There was a girl he fancied,
and who, he tells me, fancied him. As you know,
that is good authority; but no matter. These
rough savages, as you can fancy, when they do
love, love like a hurricane—like a storm. Well,
she has just married—a good match, too."

Really interested, and not without a little
compunction, Mrs. Fermor waited for more.
Women delight in these little dramas.

"So, after all," said Miss Manuel, " we should
not be very hard on him. You can understand
what a struggle is going on. He wants to be good,
and to do the right thing, and we should help him,
if we can. He thinks the newly married pair
are to be away for the winter, in Rome; but the
worst is, I know that they are to be ,here. Their
plans have been changed. So I say we must help
him, and be indulgent. Don't you think so?"

At this moment the tall figure which they
were to help, came swinging in. "I knew we
should have you," said Miss Manuel, half scornfully."
You may sit down, however."

Mr. Romaine dropped impulsively into his
low chair. " I told you I was coming," he said.
"When I get into the habit of a thing, I must
go on, even if I am not in the humour. So—I
had to come."

"Polite," said Miss Manuel. " Tea?"

"No," he answered, bluntly; " I don't care for
that. Once I have a sharp thing said to me," he
said, fixing his eyes directly on Mrs. Fermor,
"it puts me out for everything, even for that
sort of wash."

Mrs. Fermor coloured at this allusion, which
she understood perfectly.

"I never meant, I am sure," she said, casting
down her eyes. " I thought you—"

"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Mr. Romaine, as if
he was in the hunting-field. "There's human
nature! We apply everything to ourselves. Alas!
we ourselves are always the first object in our
thoughts."

Another sort of colour was hurrying to Mrs.
Fermor's cheeks at this fresh outrage, when he
added, slowly:

"Not but that, in the present case, you were
right. I was alluding to you."

Again, in fresh confusion, Mrs. Fermor, vexed
with him, with the situation, with everybody, but
mostly with herself, hurriedly rose to go. He
lifted himself hastily.

"Going home?" he said, "thinking me, of
course, a Honololu islander. Well, I can't help
it; I can't change my spots. But I can do this—
beg pardon. Forgive. I don't mean all I say or
do."

Mrs. Fermor looked up at him with more
confidence, and a smile. She was hopelessly
mortified at these ups and downs, but gave him
her hand. Pauline came out with her, and kissed
her. "You are a wonderful creature," she said;
"you amaze me. I could not dare to go on in
that way. I must see you again soon. You
have promised me, mind."

As the young wife passed out, Miss Manuel,
staying on the stairs and looking after her,
dropped her hand on the banister, and stamped
her foot with what seemed a sudden pain. " Poor
innocent!" she said, "is she beginning to like
me? How like to—- " Then she turned
sharply round, and walked back into the drawing-
room.

"There," she said, half contemptuously, "you
have found a sensible woman at last, on whom
all your fine tragedy is lost! Now, is your mind
at rest? What can repay you for the lost
time?"

He began to pace the room, impatiently biting
his moustache. He looked at her angrily. " So
she defies me through you? Take care. That
is not to be done to me."

THE U. S. SANITARY COMMISSION.

WE have already given* some account of the
Sanitary Commission which has saved to so
large an extent the waste of disease and sickness
in the United States army; but a fresh,
full, and authentic record of its " Works and
Purposes," published for its benefit, being now
before us, we may draw therefrom a little further
information. For in this matter, though
the Americans learnt their lesson from an
Englishwoman from—Miss Nightingale—they
have applied her teaching on a scale, and with
an energy, that makes their practice an example
for the future in all European wars. It is
something, too, to find in any way "the cause
of humanity identified with the strength of
armies." It was on the thirteenth of June, in
the year 'sixty-one, that the Sanitary Commission,
having its origin as we have already
described, came into existence by the efficacy of
the President's signature to the official warrant
for its organisation as " A Commission of
Inquiry and Advice, in respect of the Sanitary
Interests of the United States Forces." It
was to "direct its inquiries to the principles
and practices connected with the inspection of
recruits and enlisted men; the sanitary condition
of the volunteers; to the means of

* Vol. xi. p. 328.