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“Nearly half-past four, I declare! I’m afraid Mr. C—-is out now; but as it is so late, I will defer calling until I go home; it is just in my way. If I see him, I can drop in upon Mrs. Ellison after tea.”

On his way home, Paul fell in with a friend whose conversation was very agreeable. He did not forget Lucy, but he thought a visit to Mr. C—-would accomplish just as much after supper as before. So the call was deferred without a twinge of conscience.

The first words of Mrs. Burgess, on her husband’s entrance, were, “Well, dear, what did Mr. C—-say?”

“I haven’t been able to see him yet, but I am going round after supper,” Paul replied, quickly.

“Indeed! I am sorry. Did you call?”

“No; it occurred to me that C—-dined at three o’clock, so I put it off until four.”

“And didn’t go then?”

“No; I was going to”–

“Yes, that is just like you, Paul!” spoke up his wife with some spirit, for she felt really provoked with her husband; “you are always going to do!”

“There, there,” returned Paul, “don’t say a word more. A few hours, one way or the other, can make no great difference. I will go round after tea and have the matter settled. I shall be much more likely to find C—-in a state to talk about the matter than I would through the day.”

As soon as tea was over, urged on by his wife, Paul put on his hat and started for the residence of Mr. C—-. Unfortunately, that gentleman had gone out, and Paul turned away from his door much disappointed.

“I will call the first thing in the morning,” he consoled himself by saying. “I will be sure to find him in then.”

I am sorry to say that Paul was just going to do what he had promised Lucy he would do immediately, at least half-a-dozen times on the next day, but still failed in accomplishing his intended visit to Mr. C—-. Mrs. Burgess scolded vigorously every time he came home, and he joined her in condemning himself, but still the thing had not been done when Paul laid his head that night rather uneasily upon his pillow.

When Lucy returned and related to her mother how kindly Mr. Burgess had received her, promising to call upon Mr. C—-and secure the situation, if possible, the widow’s heart felt warm with a grateful emotion. Light broke in upon her mind, that had been for a long time under a cloud.

“He was always a kind-hearted man,” she said, “and ever ready to do a good deed. If he should be so fortunate as to obtain this place for you, we shall do very well; if not, heaven only knows what is to become of us.”

“Do not give way to desponding thoughts, mother,” returned Lucy; “all will yet be well. The vacancy has just occurred, and mine, I feel sure, will be the first application. Mr. Burgess’s interest with Mr. C—-, if he can be satisfied of my qualifications, must secure me the place.”

“We ought to hear from him to-day,” said Mrs. Ellison.

“Yes, I should think so. Mr. Burgess, of course, understands the necessity that always exists in a case of this kind for immediate application.”

“Oh, yes, he’ll do it all right. I feel perfectly willing to trust the matter in his hands.”

As the reader has very naturally inferred, the circumstances of Mrs. Ellison were of rather a pressing nature. Her family consisted of three children, of whom Lucy was the eldest. Up to the time of her husband’s death, she had been surrounded with every comfort she could desire; but Mr. Ellison’s estate proving bankrupt, his family were left with but a small, and that a very uncertain income. Upon this, by the practice of great economy, they had managed to live. The final settlement of the estate took away this resource, and the widow found herself with only a small sum of money in hand, and all income cut off. This had occurred about a month before the period of Lucy’s introduction to the reader. During this time, their gradually diminishing store, and the anxiety they felt in regard to the future, destroyed all the remains of former pride or regard for appearances, and made both Lucy and her mother willing to do any thing that would yield them an income, provided it were honourable. Nothing offered until nearly all their money was exhausted, and the minds of the mother and eldest daughter were in a state of great uncertainty and distress. Just at this darkest hour, intelligence of the vacancy in Mr. C—-‘s school reached their ears.