A letter from Mrs.Haughton generally somewhat fretted and irritated Lionel's high-strung nerves, and he had instinctively put off the task of reading the one he held, till satisfied hunger and cool-breathing shadows, and rest from the dusty road, had lent their soothing aid to his undeveloped philosophy.
He broke the seal slowly; another letter was enclosed within.

At the first few words his countenance changed; he uttered a slight exclamation, read on eagerly; then, before concluding his mother's epistle, hastily tore open that which it had contained, ran his eye over its contents, and, dropping both letters on the turf below, rested his face on his hand in agitated thought.

Thus ran his mother's letter: MY DEAR BOY,--How could you! Do it slyly!! Unknown to your own mother!! I could not believe it of you!!!! Take advantage of my confidence in showing you the letters of your father's cousin, to write to himself--clandestinely!--you, who I thought had such an open character, and who ought to appreciate mine.

Every one who knows me says I am a woman in ten thousand,--not for beauty and talent (though I have had my admirers for them too), but for GOODNESS I As a wife and mother, I may say I have been exemplary.

I had sore trials with the dear captain--and IMMENSE temptations.