"I hoped you would not leave me for long, for it is not very often we enjoy an evening so entirely alone as to-night." "Leave you, dear old dad! Why, of course not!" She laughed gaily, as though nothing had occurred to disturb her peace of mind.

"We were just about to look at those seals Professor Moyes sent you to-day, weren't we?
Here they are;" and she placed them before the helpless and afflicted man, endeavouring to remain undisturbed, and taking a chair at his side, as was her habit when they sat together.
"Yes," he said cheerfully.

"Let us see what they are." The first of the yellow sulphur-casts which he examined bore the full-length figure of an abbot, with mitre and crosier, in the act of giving his blessing.

Behind him were three circular towers with pointed roofs surmounted by crosses, while around, in bold early Gothic letters, ran the inscription + S.BENEDITI.

ABBATIS.