A CONTRE-TEMPS. 123

bursting into tears. ‘* Tell me,” she said, addressing
Reynolds, “ were you not born with the name of
Edwards, whatever you may now be called?”

*‘ This is the daughter of poor Mrs. Edwards,”
whispered Joanna to her sister, who, though blind,
took the most lively interest in what went forward.

Reynolds made no reply—a strange light burst in
upon his mind also, anda reality of happiness filled
his heart—but at that moment he could not have
expressed it.

‘“‘ Oh, I have made some great, some frightful mis-
take!” again exclaimed the poor girl, looking round
her.

Joanna ran, and taking her hand, said with a look
of infinite kindness, ‘‘ No, my dear, you have made
no great mistake after all; you are right in one
respect—you are among kind friends; we were friends
of your mothers—friends of your aunt’s—we will be
friends also to you.”

These words were meant to be consolatory. Mari-
anne felt that they -vere spoken in the very spirit of
kindness, but the presence of the young man troubled
her beyond words ; she feared to ask who he was,
and how it was possible that this mistake could have
been made between them ; she dared not lift up her
eyes to him. He too was bewildered in his turn—
this, then, was not his sister, but Williams's ; she had
mistaken him for Williams. The truth filled-him
with rapture ; his heart from the first had told him
that he wished in her something dearer than a sister.
He almost shrunk back at the thought of the fami-
liarity which he had used towards her. He saw how
she felt too ; they stood in a very painful and embar-
rassing relationship to each other. He rose, and not