"It is too late,' he replied, 'for me to find out what is right. I only know that I have no comfort now.' He ceased speaking, and lay with his eyes. closed, till I hoped he was becoming composed, and that he was dozing, if not asleep.—' It wont do,' he cried out at last; I cannot sleep, I feel as if I could never sleep again. It is no use trying; my brain is in a whirl. Suppose, Julian, you go to the doctor, and beg him to send me a composing draught; something, I mean, to make me sleep?' I would go, I said, as soon as I could leave him with some one; nay, I would call a neighbour to sit with him while I was gone.-' Nonsense,' he said, 'I am not in bodily pain, and I shall do well enough. Only, if you love me, Julian, go; if you will obey my last commands, go.' I left the room instantly, and sent a neighbour to the doctors, while I returned as softly as I could, to the door of his room. It was well I did so. Abel, I cannot bear to tell you the state in which I found him. I heard, on listening, that he was out of bed, and moving about the room. Think what it was, Abel, to struggle with a dying man, to struggle with him to save him from self-murder; to struggle with him till the last strength of his body and his limbs was exhausted. You see this scar," and Melford turned the open palm of his hand towards his friend. "It was left, after a dreadful gash which I got that day in the struggle; I mastered him, but not without difficulty, and he lay

on the ground speechless, motionless, and I thought already dead. As I kneeled down, weeping and lamenting over him, he opened his eyes languidly, but when they were wide open, I saw the glare of madness in them. Why did you stop me?' he said. I was about to answer,- Spare me, spare me; don't reason, don't reason,' he said, faintly; ' my brain won't bear it.'

666

'I will not reason, dear father; I will do what I ought to have done before-I will pray.' My conscience, Abel, had once or twice whispered to me to do so, but I had paid no heed to those still whisperings. I will pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, as I used to do when a child.'-' Julian,' he said, rousing himself, and speaking with so firm a voice that I was astonished, I have hated that name, despised it, ridiculed it! He cannot save me.'''My father, my own father,' I said, with as gentle and soothing a voice as I could speak, they say he died for you.' A laugh, the attempt at a laugh, appeared on his lips, and upon my father's face that laugh was horrible. They say! who says so? Priests and liars: I never did believe it-I will not believe it now.' He seemed to be grasping something with his clenched hand, and compressing his lips, his eyes, his brows, as a person does who is forcing himself to keep down a struggle- all was over! The bright sunbeams seemed to flare in mockery upon the wretched sight, upon the lifeless form, and the vacant coun

6

Thank God! I was

tenance, and the horrid razor. permitted to save him from that more dreadful death, but it was my father's struggle with me, the force of my struggling with him, that hastened his death.

"You have heard my secret, Cooper, and you will not wonder that I became changed. I do not mean changed to what was right, but thoughtful and gloomy enough. I can tell you that, at first, I did not agree with you, for, to say the truth, at one time I rather despised you and your opinions. I had always been accustomed to do so, till I overheard Mr. Shawe speaking of you to his brother. He said, (for I think I can remember his words,) ‘there is a man whose character is worth considering. He does not know it, and his enemies might not choose to confess it, but that man is respected, not so much on account of his godliness, but because he is a man of decision. He is a straightforward, manly fellow.' I did study your character, Cooper, and I tell you the truth-I use no flattery, when I declare that I learnt to agree with Mr. Shawe. Henceforth I will have no reserves with you."

Melford kept his word. From that time he had no reserves with his friend. His character, however, seemed changed. He was warm-heatred, animated, and, at times, the force of his feelings almost overpowered him. When conversing with his friends, the tears would often rush into his eyes,

and his deep voice would tremble with emotion. "I am at last beginning," he said one day to Cooper, "to know that the kingdom of God is not only righteousness, but peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. I have had many struggles, many doubts, many sharp temptations, but I remembered your advice; I followed the example of the famous Mr. Baxter, and met them not in a martial posture, but on my knees."

THE END.

FRINTED BY STEWART AND CO., OLD BAILEY.