CONSISTING OF TALES, ROMANCES, ANECDOTES,

AND POETRY.

THE GAMESTER'S LAST STAKE. (A STORY OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.)

BY MISS CAMILLA TOULMIN.

Two young men stood in the court-yard of St. James's. It was in the days of the first George, when, without there being exactly a sumptuary law, ruffles, flowing locks, and swords in every day costume, with other articles of dress worn with a difference," outwardly defined the classes of society more accurately than it is done at present. But besides such outward marks, there was something in the bearing of Colonel Berriton and Sir Charles Harcourt which would have inclined the passer-by to declare that they were gentlemen; perhaps, if he observed that they were lounging familiarly within the precincts of the palace, he would have surmised that they were courtiers; and perhaps he would not have been very far wrong. Colonel Berriton, the elder of the two, was a commanding looking person, apparently something more than thirty, though his countenance was precisely of that cast over which time has the least power. His features were not regular, and yet it would have been difficult to find fault with any one of them, so agreeably did they harmonize, so admirably was the general expression combined of benevolence, firmness, and intelligence. Sir Charles Harcourt, though on a smaller scale, had a form as symmetrically moulded and features more perfectly chiselled, over which he had the remarkable power of throwing almost any expression he desired. On the present occasion he permitted the exultation he really felt to be visible; for he had that day been declared the successful rival of Berriton.

bation is long for one of your thoughtless habits; nay"-seeing that the other was about to interrupt him-"I do not believe that even you can be false to such a matchless creature— false I mean in the common acceptation of the word; but some true friend may open her eyes to one sad propensity, and though she has a woman's heart, which that handsome face and smooth tongue have won, if I read her character aright she has a strong mind and firm principles, which could control--and oh! how great the victory!-her young, her first affections." Harcourt's hand for a moment rested on the hilt of his sword.

"Draw if you will," continued Berriton, "but hear me."

"No," murmured Harcourt, "with all my faults, I cannot draw upon the man whose discretion has twice saved my fortune, and whose arm, though in an idle quarrel, has once spared my life."

"As the son of my father's dearest friend," rejoined Berriton, with some emotion, "I have endeavoured to befriend you; but I must learn to think of you as the husband of Louise Merrivale; and though I can school myself to reflect on her as the wife of another, I feel that it would be a sorer trial to find that other proved quite unworthy."

"As you fear I shall do ?" "I would fain hope not. But I know that the love of play has brought you to the brink of a fearful vortex, and will be candid. I warn you that Louise shall not lose a friend because she has rejected a lover; until she is a wife I watch over her as a brother."

A flush rose to the brow of Sir Charles Harcourt, but it passed away, and after a moment he replied, in a tone in which scorn and anger were mingled,

Be it so. Strong in the love of Louise Merrivale, I defy alike your friendship and your candour."

Colonel Berriton had spoken truth. Louise did not find, as is usually the case, that in rejecting a lover she lost a friend; and it was a fortunate accident for her, since the orphan heiress stood far more in need of the one than B 2