Evelyn Noel was the eldest of the four sons of the gentleman who had come to live at the village of Bushey, and to whom the reader has been already introduced.

Mr. Noel's habits were retired and quiet. His means appeared to be ample. He rather avoided society than otherwise, and the slightly taciturn and melancholy expression of his countenance and manner, gave not an unnatural impression to the inhabitants of the village, that he was suffering from some great sorrow or bereavement. Such, however, was not the case. His occupations appeared to be partly literary and partly domestic; his one absorbing interest and delight was the education and development of the character of his boys. The garden which surrounded his house, the fields which sloped away from it, fringed and shadowed by their elms and hawthorns, the lane by which the traveller approached his gate, were all objects of interest and pleasure to him, in proportion as they had been mixed up with the education of his children. Every form around him was associative, and was mingled with some trait of character which belonged to them.

How many an object of nature is inseparably connected with the development of the spiritual life-how many even natural lessons in the world around us will be remembered as having been opportunities lost or used in our probation for Eternity!

Mr. Noel's four sons had been educated hitherto at home. He had tried the plan because he dreaded the effect of school life, private or public. In the former he believed vice reigned in all its meanness: in the latter, if it were more generous it was too little checked and curbed.

Evelyn was going to Oxford. Edward and Arthur were still at home, while Reginald had already begun

his preparation for professional life. Mr. Noel's plan had answered, he had had no failure; all had grown up in the fear of GOD, and unvarying attachment to the old paths of religion. Slightly reserved, cheerful, energetic, and singularly fond of all those physical exercises which we may almost call necessary to the free advance of youthful character, the four brothers strongly resembled each other. There were, however, marked shades of difference. If Evelyn was the type and hero of the family in every manly virtue and intellectual pursuit, he may have appeared to possess less of the affectionate, trusting love which marked Edward's character, and made him so peculiarly dear and winning to all who knew him; while Arthur's happy and merry laugh and popular and agreeable manners made him the especial favourite of all the lighthearted in the neighbourhood, and gave sometimes a passing anxiety to his father and mother, lest his free spirit might lead him some day into error. But all yet was happy, most happy for what happiness is greater than that of a family, every member of which loves our LORD and SAVIOUR, and has been kept by His grace from falling from GOD! The chain of baptismal grace was as yet unbroken; no link had been dropped. They were cheerful because they "feared no evil tidings;" "their hearts stood fast believing in the LORD." Death would only take them to Him; and bereavements and loss but drew them nearer to the fulness of His Love.

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They lived in close and continued use of every means of grace, whether of frequent Communion or daily public Prayer, because their life was fitted for the right use of them; and the ordinary conduct of each day was a preparation for such means as the Church appointed.

Between Evelyn (and of Evelyn alone of the four rothers I have in this narrative to speak) and Eustace

a close friendship had sprung up. The latter looked at Evelyn as his example and guide, and there was scarcely a thought of his heart, which he had not conveyed to him. When a child, Evelyn who was two or three years older, had exercised a powerful influence over him, and had done just that which Eustace's mother longed for, confirmed by good example and personal friendship the principles she had instilled with so many prayers and so much care.

The conversation before recorded, relative to the future life of Raymond and Eustace, soon had its practical result. The two boys were to go to school together. Mr. Cleffain insisted on it.

The interval between the accident and the departure there is no need now to dwell on. It has served for the present to introduce my characters, and their relations to each other.

CHAPTER III.

GOING TO SCHOOL, AND EARLY TESTS.

Ir was after the summer holidays. There had been busy preparations at Mr. Beaumont's and the cottage. All was at length ready. The two companions were to go together in Mr. Cleffain's carriage for their start in life. He was an odd man, but he was master of his own wealth, and would have for its heir whom he would.

When the two boys reached the station nearest the school, their paths of life diverged at once, and the great probation had begun.

It will be as well to go back a few minutes before the

arrival at the station. Each was in a first-class carriage; for Mr. Beaumont's footman, to whom the task of taking the tickets had been given, had by mistake taken them both for first-class, though Eustace had intended differently. Every shilling was of consequence to his mother.

Raymond and Eustace sat alone in the carriage before it left the station. Raymond's dress was exact; to the shirt-pin he was the miniature man of fashion, no colour too strong, no portion of his dress marked as peculiar, yet the general whole admirable, giving the idea that it had been adjusted without the least effort, and had almost fallen around the well-covered limbs as easily as the atmosphere which surrounded them; whereas, to a nearer observer the pains taken must have been in no small degree laborious. An hour of Raymond's leisure at his late rising, had probably been assigned to attaining the result, which was so entirely satisfactory. Eustace's dress was simple enough; his dark trousers and jacket, the black and white checked waistcoat were new, but cheap; indeed his beaming, intelligent eye, his manly and well-made form, his good-humoured smile, set off to advantage anything he wore.

The tête-à-tête of our friends was soon disturbed by the arrival of two youths, bound for the same destination. Raymond eyed them as they entered the carriage. They had neither the stamp of birth, intellect, nor fashion; so he decided that he could afford to go on talking to Eustace; at least he was better than they, and Raymond could lose no caste so far, by continuing his conversation with his friend.

"It's jolly going together from the same place, old fellow, isn't it? you and I shall always be chums, you know. I say, old fellow, I know you're not likely to be flush of tin; but recollect, always come to me if you

need any. I have plenty, and that's nothing between friends."

"Thank you, Raymond, I think I have enough as far as I know, but should I want it I won't forget it.”

"No don't, because I always liked you, and we were always friends, you know. What a fellow that was went by the window. I wonder if that's Ossory; I declare I think it is. I wish he had come in here; my father knows his father."

"Shall I put the window down and you can see, here's plenty of room in the carriage ?"

"Oh, no, no, by no means," said Raymond, "I shall see him down there. Do look at those two fellows, now, they're just what I call perfect. Look there at that fellow, who has got that brute of a puppy by a chain well-bred beast though, I'll be sworn! he's been slanging that cabman. I wonder if that's Brock; his father lives near my father. I say-"

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But the train was off, and again Raymond was in full conversation with Eustace; and so very amusingly, easily, and gaily did he talk the whole way down, that he completely awestruck the two luckless fellows in the carriage, who sat opposite each other without venturing a word to Raymond or Eustace, or even to each other. They spent the time of their journey in continually bringing their hats forward, so as to throw their eyes into deep shadow, and in wondering who these two fellows were, who were winning such golden opinions by the mere fact of the use of their tongues, and feeling at their ease. The train reached the station. Up to that moment Raymond was the best friend of Eustace conceivable; nothing could be better. In the first place, he was at heart a good-natured fellow, and naturally liked everybody; secondly, he had a very great regard for Eustace;