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looked confused and ashamed. Mr. Dalben reproved him calmly, though decidedly, for his offence, and the affair was then dropped.

As soon as dinner was over, Mr. Dalben withdrew to his own apartment, and Henry, escaping from Mrs. Bonville, ran to the bottom of the garden, telling Maurice to follow him as soon as he had finished his dinner.

CHAP. IV.

A Walk with Maurice.

WHEN Maurice had swallowed his dinner with all possible expedition, and finished some little necessary arrangements, he repaired to the place appointed by his young master, expecting, no doubt, that he was about to endure a long lecture respecting his late delinquency. He, however, loved Henry as much as he hated Mrs. Kitty, and he felt that if he must needs be scolded, he would rather it should be by Master Milner than the housekeeper.

When he got to the arbour, he found his young master prepared with two large nosegays, which he had tied up with some packthread, with which his pockets were always duly furnished. And when the poor Irish boy came near to him, "Maurice," he said, "I have a mind this evening to take a walk to your father's grave, and lay a few flowers upon it, as

a token of my remembrance of him. Here, take one of those nosegays."

Instead of taking the flowers which Henry offered, Maurice burst forth in a violent gush of tears, and down he fell on his knees, exclaiming, "Now, if that a'ant just like you, Master Milner; and if I don't do all I can to please you, I shall deserve to die, and be miserable all my life afterwards. I have been a very wicked, bad boy, that I have; and I have plagued the housekeeper till she is mad with me-yes, I have, Master Milner --but may God forgive me—and may God bless you, for you are the very best friend that ever I had in all my life, and that ever I shall have; and I ba'ant worthy of your kindness, that I ba'ant, not a bit." And the poor boy sobbed, and rubbed his eyes with his hands, which he had not washed since he had dined, and perhaps not since he had been grubbing up the rubbish in the barn in search of the weasel, till his poor face was all covered with grime.

Henry Milner could hardly restrain a tear, which started in his eye as he looked upon him; but he did command himself; and begging him to arise and take the flowers in his hand, he led the way towards the place of poor Patrick O'Grady's grave, causing the boy to wash his hands and face at the first running

stream at which they arrived. Maurice continued to sob for some time after they set out. At length, addressing his young mas

ter

"It is the best thing you ever did in your life, Master Milner," he said, "barring your first coming to look after me, when I was left without a friend on this side the water. And I don't know as I had any left on t'other, being that mother and grandmother was dead, and the tatorground seized for rent, afore father came away -this bringing me, in my trouble, to father's grave. For, Master Henry, I have had a sore time of it with Mrs. Kitty since you went. I have been the most miserable cratur breathing, saving that I have had plenty of fittle and drink, and a good bed and clothing; and Thomas and Sally have been uncommon kind to me-but Mrs. Kitty-I have been ready, many is the time, to have run right out of the house, never to have come into it again, and turned sodger, or any thing else—but then, I should have seen you no more, Master Henry; and that was what I could not think of, in no sort."

"And a pretty sort of sodger you would have made, Master Maurice," replied Henry, "who could not stand the fire of a cross old woman's

tongue; for I suppose Mrs. Kitty did not beat

you."

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Nay, nay," replied Maurice, "though I dared her to it more than once-for she was like mad with me and I did plague her, to be sure -there was no odds between us. Shall I tell you what I did, master ?" he added, chuckling at the bare thought of some of his mischievous. tricks; for he had spoken truly he had been quite even with Mrs. Kitty; and if she had threatened to strike him, it was not without

cause.

"Maurice," replied Henry, "do not suppose that I shall take any pleasure in hearing of your mischievous and teasing ways. I am a boy like yourself, and know what it is to be roughly treated by persons who are older and stronger than myself; but if ever I have been tempted to return evil for evil, I know that it has been wrong, and I have hated myself for it. I shall not laugh at any of your tricks, I tell you beforehand; so let me hear nothing about them, if you would wish me to be your friend."

"Don't I wish you to be my friend ?" returned Maurice. "Who have I but you, Master Milner; and if other folk are kind to me, a'ant it for your sake as they are so? for Thomas

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