Charles St Clair rose early the morning after Alixe's parliamentary entertainment, and after pacing the drawing room backwards and forwards for some minutes, he grew impatient at the laziness of his adopted sister, who was seldom absent from the breakfast table at her usual home. At length, he sent up a message and received for answer that Alixe had such a violent headache in consequence of the heat the night before, that she could not come down yet. He ate his solitary breakfast, read his newspaper and then wisely began to meditate on his sister's affairs. After revolving in his mind a thousand romantic plans for serving her, his brain became so confused and heated that he decided a cool ride in the park at this early hour would do him all the good in the world. He ordered his horse and employed himself, after galloping for about half an hour with unabated activity, in settling how he could effect his great end of making Everard sensible of the glowing impropriety of appearing at least to make love to one woman while solemnly engaged to another. Charles stifled his anger and contempt, which these reflections never failed to raise, and at length persuaded himself that it was his duty, however little it might be his inclination, to endeavour to win the confidence and friendship of the object of his meditations. Surely, if he was so fond of Dunstan and allowed him to exercise so great an influence over him, when he was after all a shallow friend and a bad man, he might easily be won to like and esteem one who never professed more than he felt, or allowed himself to feel unjustly or any occasion, as far as the light of reason allowed him to judge. Having settled these points in his own mind, he turned his horse's head to Grosvenor Place with the intention of congratulating Everard on his success the night before. He was admitted without delay, and tho’ he thought he heard Everard repri-manding his servants for letting anyone up, yet he proceeded with tolerable good humour. The door was flung open and Everard, who appeared to be following his visitor's habit of perambulating the apartment, made a dead stop. They shook hands and sat down.