give to the vicinity of certain manufactories so preternatural an appearance, streaming red and wild over the waste. So abandoned by man appeared the spot, that you found it difficult to imagine that it was only from human fires that its bleak and barren desolation was illumined. For miles along the moor you detected no vestige of any habitation; but as you approached the verge nearest to the town, you could just perceive at a litte distance from the main road, by which the common was intersected, small, solitary,

and miserable hovel.

Within this lone abode, at the time in which my story opens, were seated two persons. The one was a man of about fifty years of age, and in a squalid and wretched garb which was yet relieved by an affectation of ill-sorted finery. A silk handkerchief, which boasted the ornament of a large brooch of false stones, was twisted jauntily round a muscular but meagre throat; his tattered breeches were also decorated by buckles, one of pinchbeck, and one of steel. His frame was thin, but broad and sinewy, indicative of considerable strength. His countenance was prematurely marked by deep furrows, and his grizzled hair waved over a low, rugged, and forbidding brow, on which there hung an everlasting frown that no smile from the lips (and the man smiled often) could chase away. It was a face that spoke of long-continued and hardened vice it was one on which the Past had written indelible characters. The brand of the hangman could not have stamped it more plainly, nor have more unequivocally warned the suspicion of honest or timid men.

He was employed in counting some few and paltry coins, which, though an easy matter to ascertain their value, he told and retold, as if the act could increase the amount. "There must be some mistake here, Alice," he said, in a low and muttered tone; "we can't be so low - you know I had two pounds in the drawer but Monday, and now Alice, you must have stolen some of the curse you!"

money

The person thus addressed sate at the opposite side of the smouldering and sullen fire; she now looked quietly up,

her face singularly contrasted that of the man.

and

She seemed about fifteen years of age, and her complexion was

remarkably pure and delicate, even despite the sunburnt tinge which her habits of toil had brought it. Her auburn hair hung in loose and natural curls over her forehead, and its luxuriance was remarkable even in one so young. Her countenance was beautiful, nay even faultless, in its small and childlike features, but the expression pained you it was so vacant. In repose it was

almost the expression of an idiot- but when she spoke, or smiled, or even moved a muscle, the eyes, colour, lips, kindled into a life which proved that the intellect was still there, though but imperfectly awakened

....

"I did not steal any, father," she said, in a quiet voice; “but I should like to have taken some, only I knew you would beat me if I did."

"And what do you want money for?"

"To get food when I'm hungered."
"Nothing else?”

"I don't know."

The girl paused. "Why don't you let me," she said after a while, "why don't you let me go and work with the other girls at the factory? I should make money there for you and me both."

The man smiled such a smile it seemed to bring into sudden play all the revolting characteristics of his countenance. "Child," he said, "you are just fifteen, and a sad fool you are: perhaps if you went to the factory, you would get away from me; and what should I do without you? No, I think, as you are so pretty, you might get more money another way."

The girl did not seem to understand this allusion; but repeated vacantly, "I should like to go to the factory."

"

"Stuff!" said the man, angrily, "I have three minds to Here he was interrupted by a loud knock at the door of the hovel.

The man grew pale. "What can that be?" he muttered. "The hour is late near eleven. Again again! Ask who knocks, Alice."

The girl stood spell-bound a moment at the door; and as she stood, her form, rounded yet slight, her earnest look, her varying colour, her tender youth, and a singular grace of attitude and

gesture, would have inspired an artist with the very ideal of rustic beauty.

After a pause, she placed her lips to a chink in the door, and repeated her father's question.

'Pray pardon me," said a clear, loud, yet courteous voice, "but seeing a light at your window, I have ventured to ask if any one within will conduct me to ****; I will pay the service handsomely."

"Open the door, Alley," said the owner of the hut.

The girl drew a large wooden bolt from the door; and a tall figure crossed the threshold.

The new-comer was in the first bloom of youth, perhaps about eighteen years of age, and his air and appearance surprised both sire and daughter. Alone, on foot, at such an hour, it was impossible for any one to mistake him for other than a gentleman; yet his dress was plain, and somewhat soiled by dust, and he carried a small knapsack on his shoulder. As he entered, he lifted his hat with something of foreign urbanity, and a profusion of fair brown hair fell partially over a high and commanding forehead. His features were handsome, without being eminently so, and his aspect at once bold and prepossessing.

"I am much obliged by your civility," he said, advancing carelessly, and addressing the man, who surveyed him with a scrutinizing eye; "and trust, my good fellow, that you will increase the obligation by accompanying me to ****.

"You can't miss your way well," said the man surlily: "the lights will direct you."

"They have rather misled me, for they seem to surround the whole common, and there is no path across it that I can see; however, if you will put me in the right way, I will not trouble you further."

****

"It is very late," replied the churlish landlord, equivocally. "The better reason why I should be at ***. Come, my good friend, put on your hat, and I'll give you half-a-guinea for your trouble."

The man advanced; then halted; again surveyed his guest, and said, "Are you quite alone, Sir?"

"Quite."

"Probably you are known at ****?”

"Not I. But what matters that to you? I am a stranger in these parts."

"It is full four miles."

"So far, and I am fearfully tired already!" exclaimed the young man, with impatience. As he spoke, he drew out his

watch. "Past eleven, too!"

The watch caught the eye of the cottager; that evil eye sparkled. He passed his hand over his brow. "I am thinking, Sir," he said, in a more civil tone than he had yet assumed, “that if you are so tired, and the hour is so late, you might almost as well

"What?" exclaimed the stranger, half stamping petulantly. "I don't like to mention it; but my poor roof is at your service, and I would go with you to **** at day-break to morrow."

The stranger stared at the cottager, and then at the dingy walls of the hut. He was about, very abruptly, to reject the hospitable proposal, when his eye rested suddenly on the form of Alice, who stood, eager-eyed, and open-mouthed, gazing on the handsome intruder. As she caught his eye, she blushed deeply, and turned aside. The view seemed to change the intentions of the stranger. He hesitated a moment; then muttered between his teeth: and sinking his knapsack on the ground, he cast himself into a chair beside the fire, stretched his limbs, and cried gaily, "So be it, my host: shut up your house again. Bring me a cup of beer, and a crust of bread, and so much for supper! As for bed, this chair will do vastly well."

"Perhaps we can manage better for you than that chair," answered the host. "But our best accommodation must seem bad enough to a gentleman: we are very poor people hard working, but very poor."

"Never mind me," answered the stranger, busying himself in stirring the fire; "I am tolerably well accustomed to greater hardships than sleeping on a chair, in an honest man's house; and though you are poor, I will take it for granted you are honest."

The man grinned; and turning to Alice, bade her spread what their larder would afford. Some crusts of bread, some cold po

tatoes, and some tolerably strong beer, composed all the fare set before the traveller.

Despite his previous boasts, the young man made rather a wry face at these Socratic preparations, while he drew his chair to the board. But his look grew more gay as he caught Alice's eye; and as she lingered by the table, and faltered out some hesitating words of apology, he seized her hand, and squeezing it tenderly "Prettiest of lasses," said he, and while he spoke he gazed on her with undisguised admiration "a man who has travelled on foot all day, through the ugliest country within the three seas, is sufficiently refreshed at night by the sight of so fair a face."

Alice hastily withdrew her hand, and went and seated herself in a corner of the room, whence she continued to look at the stranger with her usual vacant gaze, but with a half smile upon her rosy lips.

Alice's father looked hard at the young people.

"Eat, Sir," said he, with a sort of chuckle, "and no fine words; poor Alice is honest, as you said just now."

"To be sure," answered the traveller, employing with great zeal a set of strong, even, and dazzling teeth at the tough crusts; "to be sure she is. I did not mean to offend you, but the fact is, that I am half a foreigner, and abroad, you know, one may say a civil thing to a pretty girl, without hurting her feelings, or her father's either."

"Half a foreigner! why you talk English as well as I do;" said the host, whose intonation and words were, on the whole, a little above his station.

The stranger smiled. “Thank you for the compliment,” said he. "What I meant was, that I have been a great deal abroad; in fact, I have just returned from Germany. But I am Englishborn."

"And going home?"

"Yes."

"Far from hence?"

"About thirty miles, I believe."

"You are young, Sir, to be alone."

The traveller made no answer, but finished his uninviting re