OXONIAN.--"Ah! I understand. The poor little girl is fond of the old man,--a relation, grandfather perhaps? and he has taken her from her home; and though not actually insane, he is still--" MRS. CRANE.--"An unsafe guide for a female child, delicately reared. I reared her; of good prospects, too. O sir, let us save the child! Look--" She drew from a sidepocket in her stiff iron-gray apron a folded paper; she placed it in the Oxonian's hand; he glanced over and returned it. "I see, ma'am. I cannot hesitate after this. It is a good many miles off where I met the persons whom I have no doubt that you seek; and two or three days ago my father received a letter from a very worthy, excellent man, with whom he is often brought into communication upon benevolent objects,--a Mr. Hartopp, the Mayor of Gatesboro', in which, among other matters, the Mayor mentioned briefly that the Literary Institute of that town had been much delighted by the performance of a very remarkable man with one eye, about whom there seemed some mystery, with a little girl and a learned dog; and I can't help thinking that the man, the girl, and the dog, must be those whom I saw and you seek." MRS. CRANE.--"At Gatesboro'? is that far?" OXONIAN.--"Some way; but you can get a cross train from this village. I hope that the old man will not be separated from the little girl; they seemed very fond of each other." MRS. CRANE.--"No doubt of it; very fond: it would be cruel to separate them. A comfortable home for both. I don't know, sir, if I dare offer to a gentleman of your evident rank the reward,--but for the poor of your parish." OXONIAN.--"Oh, ma'am, our poor want for nothing: my father is rich. But if you would oblige me by a line after you have found these interesting persons; I am going to a distant part of the country to-morrow,--to Montfort Court, in -------shire." MRS. CRANE.--"To Lord Montfort, the head of the noble family of Vipont?" OXONIAN.--"Yes; do you know any of the family, ma'am? If you could refer me to one of them, I should feel more satisfied as to--" MRS. CRANE (hastily).--"Indeed, sir, every one must know that great family by name and repute. I know no more. So you are going to Lord Montfort's! The Marchioness, they say, is very beautiful." OXONIAN.--"And good as beautiful. I have the honour to be connected both with her and Lord Montfort; they are cousins, and my grandfather was a Vipont. I should have told you my name,--Morley; George Vipont Morley." Mrs. Crane made a profound courtesy, and, with an unmistakable smile of satisfaction, said, as if half in soliloquy, "So it is to one of that noble family--to a Vipont--that the dear child will owe her restoration to my embrace! Bless you, sir!"