girl, that every week drew her perceptibly nearer and nearer to the grave.  His blood had in fact long been boiling in his veins with an indignation which he could scarcely stifle.  He entertained, however, a strong reverence for religion, and had Jane, after a reasonable period, recovered, he intended to leave Osborne to be punished only by his own remorse.  There was no prospect, however, of her being restored to reason, and now his determination was finally taken.  Nay, so deeply resolved had he been on this as an ultimate step in the event of her not recovering, that soon after Mr. Osborne’s return from London, he waited on that gentleman, and declared his indignation at the treachery of his son to be so deep and implacable that he requested of him as a personal favor, to suspend all communication with the unhappy girl’s family, lest he might be tempted even by the sight of any person connected with so base a man, to go and pistol him on whatever spot he might be able to find him.  This, which was rather harsh to the amiable gentleman, excited in his breast more of sorrow than resentment.  But it happened fortunately enough for both parties that a day or two before this angry communication, Dr. M’Cormick had waited upon the latter, and gave it as his opinion that any intercourse between the two families would be highly dangerous to Jane’s state of mind, by exciting associations that might bring back to her memory the conduct of his son.  The consequence was, that they saw each other only by accident, although Mr. Osborne often sent to inquire privately after Jane’s health.

William having now understood that Osborne and his wife resided in Paris, engaged a friend to accompany him thither, for the purpose of demanding satisfaction for the injuries inflicted on his sister.  All the necessary arrangements were accordingly made; the very day for their departure was appointed, and a letter addressed to Agnes actually written, to relieve the family from the alarm occasioned by his disappearance, when a communication from Osborne to his father, at once satisfied the indignant young man that his enemy was no longer an object for human resentment.

This requires but brief explanation.  Osborne, possessing as he did, ambition, talent, and enthusiasm in a high degree, was yet deficient in that firmness of purpose which is essential to distinction in public or private life.  His wife was undoubtedly both beautiful and accomplished, and it is undeniable that his marriage with her opened to him brilliant prospects as a public man.  Notwithstanding her beauty, however, their union took place not to gratify his love, but his ambition.  Jane Sinclair, in point of fact, had never been displaced from his affection, for as she was in his eye the most beautiful, so was she in the moments of self-examination, the best beloved.  This, however, availed the unhappy girl but little, with a man in whose character ambition was the predominant impulse.  To find himself beloved by a young and