high health and spirits. He walked in the garden till the hour of breakfast, and then attended the Baron.     

       “Good morrow, Edmund!” said he; “how have you rested in your new apartment?”      

       “Extremely well, my lord,” answered he.     

       “I am glad to hear it,” said the Baron; “but I did not know your accommodations were so bad, as Joseph tells me they are.”      

       “‘Tis of no consequence,” said Edmund; “if they were much worse, I could dispense with them for three nights.”      

       “Very well,” said the Baron; “you are a brave lad; I am satisfied with you, and will excuse the other two nights.”      

       “But, my lord, I will not be excused; no one shall have reason to suspect my courage; I am determined to go through the remaining nights upon many accounts.”      

       “That shall be as you please,” said my Lord. “I think of you as you deserve; so well, that I shall ask your advice by and by in some affairs of consequence.”      

       “My life and services are yours, my lord; command them freely.”      

       “Let Oswald be called in,” said my Lord; “he shall be one of our consultation.” He came; the servants were dismissed; and the Baron spoke as follows:     

       “Edmund, when first I took you into my family, it was at the request of my sons and kinsmen; I bear witness to your good behaviour, you have not deserved to lose their esteem; but, nevertheless, I have observed for some years past, that all but my son William have set their faces against you; I see their meanness, and I perceive their motives: but they are, and must be, my relations; and I would rather govern them by love, than fear. I love and esteem your virtues: I cannot give you up to gratify their humours. My son William has lost the affections of the rest, for that he bears to you; but he has increased my regard for him; I think myself bound in honour to him and you to provide for you; I cannot do it, as I wished, under my own roof. If you stay here, I see nothing but confusion in my family; yet I cannot put you out of it disgracefully. I want to think of some way to prefer you, that you may leave this house with honour; and I desire both of you to 

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