CHAP. II.

Giving an account of Henry Milner's reception at home.

WHEN the carriage containing Lord H————— and Henry entered the well-known green lane—the same in which the widow Dawes lived, where Maurice was first domesticated, (for he now slept at Mr. Dalben's)-a voice was heard issuing, as it were, from the hedge, which was so high as to cast a deep shade on the road-a voice uttering some sort of incomprehensible exclamation, and then footsteps were heard padding along in the line of the carriage, and keeping a little before it till the gate of the house was in view, when the person who had been running sprang out into the lane, ran through the gate, letting it clap to behind him, and disappearing in an instant towards the house.

"Worthy, most worthy, of my friend Maurice," said Lord H. "Who but Maurice

would have failed to have held the gate open till we were through? but then he would have lost the pleasure of being first to tell the news." "Was that Maurice ?" said Henry. "How he is grown."

"His legs are got longer by some inches," replied Lord H, "but I do not see any other change in him. I doubt whether Mrs. Kitty has done much in the way of giving him any information, though she has not spared reproof, as I happened to hear her tell Mr. Dalben, on the contrary, she had given him abundance of this last; and may be, more than has quite agreed with his mental constitution."

By this time the chaise had reached the gate; and because Lord H had brought no servant with him, there was a little demur at opening the gate, for the horses were very impatient to be in the well-known stable, and the coachman feared lest they should attempt to dash through as soon as he had opened the gate, should he venture to alight, before he could get back to his place of command.

"Stop a moment," said Henry; "if I could unfasten the door, I would get out and open the gate."

"And run through and shut it in the horses' faces," said Lord H-, laughing; "but wait one

moment-I hear voices within. Maurice has given the alarm-they will be here in an in

stant."

And truly was it so. The voices which Lord. H— had heard remotely-as one hears the sighing of a distant tempest, or the first burst of a mountain torrent-became louder every moment, till that of Mrs. Kitty's became distinguished above all the rest, in abjurgatory accents, Maurice's late delinquency affording the subject.

"Was ever the like of you, to leave the carriage to wait at the gate, and dear Master Milner in it too-run, I say, run-set open the gate."

By this time Mrs. Kitty came into view, car

rying a candle, which, flaring in the twilight, served only to render the objects around still more indistinct. Sally and Thomas followed in the wake of Mrs. Kitty, and Lion appeared from another quarter, uttering one or two angry yelps, which were instantly hushed as soon as he discovered that the visitors, whether biped or quadruped, had all the honour of being of his acquaintance.

"How are you, Mrs. Kitty-how do you do? Sally, Thomas, are you well?-So, Mr. Maurice-poor old Lion-my good Lion."-These were the various expressions which fell from

the lips of Henry Milner, as he stretched himself out of the window; for as to opening the door in his agitation, this was quite impossible; but before any answer could be given the gate was opened, and the impatient horses being again set into motion, had brought the carriage to the hall-door. There Maurice, by a rapid flight through the offices, was ready within to open it to them, before the alarm could have reached Mr. Dalben, Lady H, and Mrs. Bonville, who were waiting the arrival of their friends in the study.

"What, Maurice again," said Lord H H———, who was always particularly amused by the various manœuvres and exploits of the poor Irish boy, but Henry waited not to speak to Maurice or any other person. The carriage door being open, he sprang upon the steps of the entrance of the hall, and was the next moment in the arms of Mr. Dalben.

These were the only words which passed as Henry remained in his uncle's arms, till Lady H, fearing that excess of feeling should injure Mr. Dalben, called off Henry's attention, by insisting that she was offended at his neglect of herself.

"Come, Master Milner," she said, "let us see how much you are grown, and whether you look as entirely inexperienced as you used to do. I do not see any vast change-a little taller, perhaps a good deal taller;-but in all other respects the same Henry Milner. I do not think Clent Green has made much difference."

"And could you wish that any change should have been made, Lady H-," said a soft smooth voice just at Henry's ear, the sound of which occasioned him to turn round and fix his eyes for the first time on Mrs. Bonville, the widow of whose presence Lord H had apprised him. He could not, indeed, have been so long in the room without having seen some sort of dark figure; notwithstanding which, he had been totally unconscious of her existence until the above-mentioned liquid tones glided gently by his ear.

"Mrs. Bonville, Master Milner," said Lady H—, seeing a sort of astonishment depicted on Henry's expressive countenance-" Mr. Dalben's niece, Mrs. Bonville-"

The lady courtseyed and smiled graciously extending her hand to Henry, whilst Lady H. was performing the ceremony of introduction. Nevertheless, Henry still displayed much embarrassment, and seemed actually unable to get out one word. The truth was, that he was so