CHAPTER II.-GARDINER'S TRUE CHARACTER

EXHIBITED.

HERBERT GARDINER was the son of a retired merchant, who had gained in trade a very large property. Herbert, his only child, had received all the advantages of education that wealth can give; although it cannot be said that he had improved those advantages in any remarkable degree. He was bright enough, as regards intellect; but a high motive for study was wanting. His father's wealth and social standing left him but little to strive for.

Old Mr Gardiner had started in life without friends or capital, and had, by honest industry and steady perseverance, worked his way up, until he stood side by side with the most successful. He had a just estimate of the virtues by which he had risen in society, and often strove to impress his son with a deep regard for them. But his precepts did not take very deep root in the ground of the young man's mind.

As soon as he came home from college, he was placed in a mercantile house. He did not, however, take much interest in the business, although, more to meet the requirements of his father than anything else, he attended to his duty sedulously enough to prevent his employers from becoming so much dissatisfied with him as to dimiss him. After he became of age, his father proposed that he should go into business with some one who had less capital, but a more thorough knowledge of trade than ho possessed. Such a person was not hard to find. A young man, whose only capital was business capacity,

honesty, and energy of character, soon presented himself. With him a co-partnership was formed, and a capital of five thousand pounds was placed in the hands of the new firm.

Satisfied with the part he had done-or, the part that had been done for him, viz. furnishing capital-Gardiner did not see that there were very strong claims on him for personal application. He attended at the office daily, and took a certain part in the general operations that were going on, but did not burden his mind with any details, nor trouble himself with any care as to the ultimate result of their operations. He had confidence in his partner, who, glad to get capital to work with, prosecuted the business with vigour and success, for mutual benefit. As for Gardiner, he took his pleasure in his own way. His most favourite companions were not of the safest kind, nor was his own moral character, likely to be elevated by associating with them.

He was about twenty-three years of age when he first met Anna Lee, and became charmed with her beauty. His marked attentions, and the evident pleasure he felt in her society, did not escape the notice of Anna, nor fail to make an impression upon her. And more than this, she was not insensible to the fact, that he moved in a higher circle than any to which her position in society would admit her. He was the son of a retired merchant of great wealth, she the daughter of a man in moderate circumstances, who had to struggle hard to support and educate a large family. It was not long before the thought of Herbert would quicken her pulse, and the sight of him make the blood warmer on her cheek.

His true character, however, was little known to her, and could she have seen him amid the favourite sharers of his coarse pleasures, and the dissipation in which many of his evenings were spent, she would have dismissed him at once and for ever from her mind. It suited his present purpose, however, to assume a virtuous cha

racter.

CHAPTER III.-THE BEAUTY AND POWER OF GOODNESS,

ANNA remained sitting in a slightly pensive mood, in the parlour below, after her father left her. The manner of Gardiner had disturbed her feelings. It opened up to her eyes a new view of his character. It presented him to her from a new point of vision. She had denied herself a desired pleasure for the sake of a sick parent, and he had not approved the act-nay, had clearly disapproved it.

"Have I done right or wrong?" she asked herself. Then reviewing her conduct, and weighing all the reasons that had decided her course of action, she murmured, "Right," and rose to her feet. The tea-bell rang at the moment, and she ascended to the dining-room, to meet her father and mother, with a cheerful, happy face.

"I'll pour out the tea,” she said, as her mother came in leaning upon her father's arm. "Take you my

place."

"No, dear. I can wait on the table well enough," returned Mrs Lee.

But I can do it better. So sit down in my place." "Yes, dear, you had better," said Mr Lee. "Even

the slight exertion of pouring out the tea may disturb your nervous system too much, and bring back that dreadful pain in your head. Let Anna wait on the table this evening."

Mrs Lee objected no farther, and Anna did the honours of the table.

John was very quiet, and had a thoughtful look. The fact was, remembering that Anna had urged him to eat his supper and go to bed when the other children did, because she wished to go out, and seeing that, although called for, she had yet remained at home, he felt that he had been unkind to one who was always kind to him, and who, on account of his perverseness and ill-nature, had been deprived of an expected enjoyment. Had Anna permitted herself to get angry with John, and been led to speak to him from such irritation, he would have remained indifferent. But the gentle forbearance and selfdenial of his elder sister touched the boy, and awakened his better feelings. After tea he called her aside, and told her he wanted to go to bed, and that he was sorry he had not done as she wished him to do before. gave him with a kiss, when the boy threw his arms round her neck and burst into tears.

She for

"You are so good, and I am so bad," he sobbed. "O sister, I wish I could be so good as you are."

With kind words Anna soothed her brother's mind, and urged him, in future, to try and love all around him, and to be obedient to the wishes of those who sought to do him good. He promised never to disregard what she should say to him, and to strive to conquer his bad temper.

She kissed the penitent boy again, and he went up to his chamber, with subdued feelings, but strong resolutions, to do right in future.

"What a dear good girl our Anna is," said Mr Lee, after Anna, on leaving the tea-table, had been drawn out of the room by John.

"She is a blessing to our house," returned Mrs Lee, earnestly. "What should I do without her? For my sake, she has denied herself the pleasure of going to Mrs Leslie's to-night, although she had made every preparation, and had promised herself, I know, much enjoyment. I urged her not to think of me; but she was firm, and presented her reasons in such a way, that I could not strongly oppose her."

"She has acted from a sense of right, and I am glad that she has done so."

"I cannot but say the same, although my feelings have pled strongly for her; and I have felt sad to think that my indisposition was the cause of her disappoint ment."

"To me," returned the husband and father, "this little incident, trifling as it may seem, has given a deeper satisfaction than anything that has occurred for a long time. I see in it the true safe-guard for our child, in this the most critical period of her life. If a self-denying preference of duty to pleasure supply the main spring of her actions through life, she will be safer against the world's alluring snares, than by any care which we can bestow. In this I trust we may trace the evidences of that true principle of vital Christianity, which can alone