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AN AHERIGAN GIRL. She walked very fast, aft«r ahn left the hoQM. Hbe wtntfd to reach Oldclough before one whit of bar aoger uoolad down, tboDgh, Bomebow, she felt ijaite Bare that, even when her Biit;er died out, her ooara^e would uot take lli|{ht with it. Mr. I)ui|ald Binuie had not proved to be a very {aaoin- •tioK peraoD. He was aa aorid, diotatorial old maD ; he cootradicled LaHy Theobald flatly every five minates, and ballied bis man-MrvaDt ; bat it was oot againat bim Laoia waa aroaied. She felt that Lady Theobald wa4 qaite capable of Bugt^estiotj to him that I''raDoi8 Barold woald beagood match for her, and if Bbe had done bo, it was scarcely hia faalt if he bad accepted the idea. She noderBtcod now why ahe had been allowed to viait Ootavla, and why diveta other things bad happened. She bad been sent to walk with Franoia Barold ; ha bad been almoat reproached when he had not called ; perbapa her ladyship bad been good enough to eu;;geat to him that it waa hia daty to farther her plans. Bhe was •â-  capable of that as of anything else which woald aasiHl her to gain her point. The girl's cheeks grew hotter and hotter, her eyoa brighter at every atep, beoaase every atep buuitbt some new tboaght ; her bands trembled, apd her heart beat. " I shall never be afraid of her again," she said, aa ahe turned the corner ioto the road. " Never ! never ! " At that very moment a gentleman stepped oat of the wood at her right, and itopped before her. Bhe started back, with a cry. "Mr. Barmistone ! " she said; "Mr. Barmistonu ! " Bhe wondered if be had beard ber last words; she fancicil he bad. Uertook bold of her shaking little band, and looked down at her excited face. " I am glad I waited for yoa," he laid in the ijaietest possible tone. " Something U the matter." Bhe knew their was no nse in trying to oonctal the truth, and ahe was not in the mood to make the tffort. Bbe scarcely knew herself. Bhe gave <]aite a fierce little langh. "lam angry! ' she said. "Yoa have never seen me augry before. 1 am on my way to myâ€" to Lady 1 hf obald." De held bur band as calmly as before. Ue understood a great deal more than she ooald have imagined. " What are yoa goiog to say to ber 7 " he asked. fjbe laughed again. " I am Koing lo ask ber what she means. I am going to tell her she baa made a • mistake. I am going to prove to her that I am not such a coward, after all. I am going to tell her that I dare disobey herâ€" that is what 1 am going to say to ber," aheconcladed, decisively. He held her band rather closer. "Let as take a HtroU in the oopoe and talk it over," he said. " It is dulicioaaly cool there. ' " I don't want to be cool," she said. Bat he drew ber gently with him, and a few steps took them into the sbadeof the yonng oakatnd pines, an<l there paused. "Bbe has made you very angry," be •aid. And then, almost before she know what â- bo was doing, aha waa pouring forth the whole of her atoryâ€" even more of it than 3be bad told Ootavia. Bhe had not at all intended to do it, but she did it, nuvertbe- leas. " I am to marry Mr. Francis Itarold, it he will take me," she aaid, with a bitter little Huiile, â€" " Ur. Franoix Barold, who is BO much in love with me -as you know. liis mother appruvea of the match, uad sent him lioro to make love to me â€" which he has done, aa you have seen. I bnvo no money of my own, bat if I make a marriage which pleases him, Diigald Binnie will pro- bably leave me bisâ€" whioh it Is thought will be an inducement to my cousin- -who needs one. If I marry him, or rather ha marrieB me. Lady Theobald thinks Mr. Binnie will be pleased. It does not even matter whether Francis is pleased ur notâ€" - and, of I onree, I am out of the <|U>Htion â€" bat it is hoped that it will please Mr. Binnie. The two Indies have talked it over, and decided the matter. I dare say they have ctTered me to rrancis, who has very likely refused me, though perhaps he may be persuaded to relent in time if I am very humble, and he is shown the advan- tage of having Mr. Uinnie's money added to his ownâ€" but 1 have no doubt I ahall have to be very humble indeed. That iu what I learned from I^ady Theobald, Inst eight, and it is what I am going to talk to her about. Is it nnongh to make one angry, do yoa thinkâ€" is it unoogh?" Ue did uot tell her whether he thonght it enough or not, Ilcr looked at her with sttady eyes. "Laoia," be said, "I wish yoa would let me go and talk to I.ikdy Theobald." " You I" she said, with a little start. " Vea," ho answored. '• I^et me go to her. Ii«t me tell her that, instead of marrying Francis Barold, yoa will marry me. If yoa will aay yoa to that, I think 1 can promise that yoa need never be afraid of her any more. The fierce color died out of her cheeks, and the tears runhed to her eyes. Bhu raised her face with a pathetic look. " Oh," ahe whiepcrod, " yon must bo very •orry for me. I think yoa have been sorry for ins from the llrat." " 1 am ilesperately in love with you," ho answered, in his quietest way. "I have been desperately in love with yoa from the first. May I go?" Hho looked at him, for Ji moment, inored- nloualy. Then she faltered : " Yob." Bhe Ktill looked np nt him, and then, in â- plte of her happiness, or perhapH hocaaao of it, she snddonly began to cry softly, and forgot eho had been angry at all, as he took ber into bis strong, kind arms. OUAl'Xi;U XXIV. IIIK OAllliKNlARrV. The morning of the garden-party arose bright and clear, and Hlowbridge awakonrd in a great K.ate of cxnitoment. Miaa Chiokle, having worked until midnight, that all her orders might be completed, waa so overpowered by imr labors as to biive to take hei tea and tou-it in bed. At Oldolough, varied sentimenta pro- vailnd. Lady Theobald's manner was chielly dlalingnishod by implacable rigidity. Bbe bud ohoaun, as an appropriate festal oostame, a f (iBeral-b1aokpnoir« antiq<t*, en- livened by niasriiva frin|{Mi and ornaioeuts of j.tâ€" ber jeJielry bislng chains and manaoltaof the latter, which rattled aasbe moved, with a ajund somewhat (uggestiva of bouea. Mr. Dogald Binnie, who biul received an invitation, has as yet amiably forborne to say whether he would ac3«pt it or not. Ue had been out when Mr. Barmistone called, (. d had not sten him. When Lady Theobald descended to break- fast, she found him growling over bis news- paper, and ht) glanced up at her with a polite scowl. " Going to a funeral ?" he demanded. " I accompany my granddaughter to this -this entertainment, ' her ladyship respon- ded. " It is scarcely a joyous occasion, to my mind." " No need to dress yoordelf like that, if it isn't, " rjacalated Mr. Binnie. " Why don't you atay at home, if yoo don't want to go ? Man's all right, isn't he ? Once knew a man of the name of Burmiatone, myself. One of the few decent fellows I've met. If I was sore this waj the eume man, I'd go myaelf. When 1 find a fellow who'a neither knave nor fool, I stick to him. Believe I'll send to find oat. Where's Lucia?" What hia opinion of Lucia was, it was difficult to discover. Be had an agreeable habit of staring at her over the top of hia paper, and over his dinner. The only time be had made any comment apon ber, waa the first time be saw her in the dresa (be bad copied from Oolavia'a. "Nice gown that," be blnrted oat. " Didn't gel it here, I'll wager." " It is an old dreSR I remodeled," answered Lucia, eomewLat alarmed. " I made it my- self." " Doesn't look like it," be said, groflly. Lucia bad touohed up another drees, and was very happy in the prospect of wearing it at the garden-^arty. "Don't call on grandmamma antil after Wednesday," she had said to Mr. Burmi- tone. " Perhaps she wouldn't let me go. Bbe will be very angry, I am sore." " And you are not afraid ? " " No," she answered, " I am not afraid at all. I »li\ll not be afraid again." In fact, she had perfectly confounded ber ladyship Dy her demeanor. Bbe bore ber fiercest glance without qnaiiing in the least, or niakin({ any effort to evade it ; under lier mciti scathing comments she was composed andunmovtd. On the first oocauicn of my lady's referring lo her plana for her future, she received a blow which fairly stunned her. The girl rose from her chair, and looked herstraightiuthpfaue, antlinobingly, and with a suggestion of hautrur not easy to confront. " I beg yon will act apeak to me of that again. ' she baid. " I will not listen." And turning about, she walked outof the room. "This,' ber ladyship had cuid, in sepulchral tones, when she recovered her breath-" this is one of the results of Miss Octavia Bassett. ' And nothing more bad been said on the subject since. No one iuKlowbrioge was in more brilliant spirits than Ootavia herself on the morning of the frte. Before breakfast. Miss Uuliuda was Blartled by the arrival of auotber tele- gram, which ran aa follows : Artivcd to day, lar Uuisia. He with )ou to- morrow eveniiig. Friend with ine, MaBTIN BlH.ETT. On reading this communiration, Mine Belinda burst iuto tloods of ttara- " Dear, diar Martini" she wept. "To think that wo Hhuald meet a;ain I Why didn't he lot us know he was on the way ? I Hbould bu/e been so anxioos that I should not liavu niept at all." •Well." remarked Ootavia," { suppose that would have been an advantage." Kuddenly, ehe appruachid Mias Belinda, kiusea her, and disap(ieared out of the room, as if by magic, uot returning for a ijuarter of an hou', lo.iking rather soft, and moist, and brilliant about the eyee, wbou she did return. Octavia waa a marked figure upon the grounds at that garden-party. " Another droua, my dear," remarked Mrs. liurnham. " And what a oharniiug color she liaH, 1 declare I Bhe is nsually paler. Perhaps we owe this lo Lord Lana. downe." " Her dress ia becominK, at all events," privately remarked iVlisa L)dia Barnham, whoae tatte tad not been consulted about ber own. " It la she who is becoming," said her sister. " It ie uot the dress so much, though her clothes always have a look, Rome way. She's prettier than ever to-day, and is en- joying herself'" tibe waa enjoying herself, Mr. Franoi* Barold observed it rather gloomily m ha stood apart. Hhe wan enjoying herself ho mnoh that she did nut aeem to notice that he had avoided her, instead of going ap to claim ber attention. Half a doMU meu were standing about hor and making them- nelvea agreeable ; and she was apparently i|aite i<|ual to tho emerKenoies of the occasion. The young men from Uroadoaks had at once attached tbeiuselves to her train. " I fay, Barold," they had said to him, "why didn't you tell ua about this? Jolly good follow yoa are, to come mooning here for a couple of months and keep it all to yourself.' And then had oome Lord Lansdowne, who, in crossing the lawn to shake hands with hia host, had bean observed to keep hia eye fixed upon one particular point. " Burmiatone," be said, after having spokim his first words, " wbo is that tall girl in white?" And in ten minates. Lady Theobald, Mrs. Hiirnham, Mr. Barold, and diveru others too nnmurous to mention, saw him standing at Octavia'a side, eviilently with no intention of leaving it. Not long after tbia, Francis Itarold fonnd hia way to Mish Belinda, who waa very busy and rather nervous. " Your nieon is evidently enjoying her- self," he remarked. "Octavia is most happy to. day," answer- ed MiSB Belinda. " Uir father will reach Hlowbridge this evening. Khe haa been looking forward to his coming with groat anxiety." "Ah I' commented Barold. " Very few people underatand Ootavia," aaid Mias ISelindn. " I'm not sure that I follow all her inoodR myaelf. Bhe is more afTeotionate than people fanoy. Bhe â€" ahe haa very pretty waya. I am very fond of her. Bhe is not as frivolous aa she appears to thoao who duii't know hor well." Harold stood gnawing hia mnstaohc and made no roply. Ho waa not very comfor- table. Ho felt himself ill-used by Fate, and rather wished he had returned to London from Broadoaks, instrad of loitering in i-lowbridge. Us had aniusod himKlf at first, but in tim* he bad been earprised to tind bis amttswient lose Humsthing of its /..'St. He glowered aoross the lawn at the group onder^ certain baeuh-tree, and as he did so, Ootavia turned her faoe a little and faw him. Bhe stood waving her fan slowly and smiling at him iu a (aim way, whioh rumioded bim very maob of tbe time be bad first caught sight of her at Lady Ibeo- bald's bixh tea. He ooodesoended to sannter over the grass to where abe stood. Unoe there, he pro- ceeded to make himself aa disagreeable aa possible, in a silent and lofty way. He felt it only due to himself that he should. He did not approve at all of tbe manner in whioh Lansdowne kept by her. "It's deuoedly bad form on hia part," he said, mentally. " What does he mean by it?" Octavia, on the oontary,did not aak what he meant by it. Bbe chose to seem rather well entertained, and did not notice that she was bsiog frowned down. There waa nortason why she should uot find Lord Lauadowne entertaning ; he waa au agreea- ble young fellow, with an inexbauatibia fund of good spirits, and no nonsense about him. He was fond of all pleasant novelty, and Ootavia was a pleasant novelty. H.< had been thinking of paying a visit to America, and be asked innumerable quest- ions Qoncering that country, all of which Ootavia answered. " I know half a dozen fellows wbo have been there," he said. "And they all en- joyed it tremendously." "If you go to Nevada, yoa mast visit the mines at Bloody Uulch," she said. " Where 7" he ejaoalated. " I say, what a name! Don't deride my youth and ignor- ance, Miss Bassett." " You oan call it L'Argentville if you would rather," she replied. " I would rather try the other, thank you," he langhed. " It baa a more hilarious sound. Will they despise me at Bloody Oulcb, Mias Bassett? I never killed a mau in my life." Barold turned and walked away, angry, and more melancholy than he coula have believed. " it IS time I went back to London," he choae to put it. " The place begina to be deuoedly dull." " Mr. Francis Barold seems rather out spirits," said Mrs. Burnbam to Lady Theo- bald, " Lord Lansdowne interferes with his pleasure." " I had not observed it," answered her ladyship. " And it is scarcely likely that Mr. Francis Barold would permit hia pleasure to be interfered with, even by the aonof the Marquis of Lau'Jerdale." But she glared at Barold, aa he paased, and beckoned to bim "When ie Lacia ?" she demanded. " I taw her with Burmiatone, half an hour ago," he anxwered coldly. " Have you any miH.'a><e for my mother ? I ahall return to London to-morrow,â€" leaving here early." bhe turned quite pale. Bhe had not counted upon ibis at all, and it waa ex- tremely inopportune. "What haa happened?" she asked, rigidly. Ue looked slightly surprised. "Nothing whatever," he replied. "I have remained here longer than I intended" She began to move the manacles on her rJKht wrist. f'e made not the smallest profession of reluct anoe to go. Bbe said, at last : " If yoa will find Laoia, yoa will oblige me, " She was almost uncivil to Misa Pilober, who chanced to joiu ber after he was gone. Bhe bad uot the sliKbteut intention of allow- i.ig her plans to be frustrated, and waa only roused tu fresh obstinacy by encountering indlfforenoe on one aide and rebellion on the other. Bhe had not brought up Lncia under her own eye for nothing. Bhe had been disturbed of late, but by no meaud (considered herself bafiled. With the asaisl- auoe of Mr. Dugald Binnie, she could cer- tainly sabdue Luoia. tbouith Mr. Dukald Iliuuie bad been of no great help, so far. Bhu would do her duty untlinchingly. In fact she chose to persuade hereelf that, if I.uuia was brought to a proper frame ot iiiinri, there ooalif be uo real trouble with Francis DarolH. CHAPTER XXV. " HOMKllODY KI.SK." But Barold did not make any very ardent search (ur Lucia. He atopped to watch a game of lawn tennis, in which Ootavia and Lord Lanadowne had joined, and finally forgot Lady Theobald's errand altognther. For some time, Ootavia did nut see him. Bhe waa playing with great apiril, and Lord Lansaowne waa following ber delight- edly. Finally a chance of the game bringing her to him, Hhe turned suddenly and found Harold's eyes fixed upon her. "How louij have you been there ?" abe asked. " Boinetime," he answered. " When you are at liberty, I wish to speak lo you." •â-  Do you? ' she said. Bhe seemed a little unprepared for the repressed energy of his manner, whioh be strove to cjver by a greater amount of coldness than usual. " Well," she said, after thinking a mom- ent, " the game will soon be ended. I am going through the oonaervatories with Lord Lauadowne, iu course of time ; but I dare say he can wait." Bbe went back, and finisbed the game, apparently enjoying it as much a] ever. When it waa over, Barold made his way to hor. He had resented her remaining oblivious of hia presence when he stood near her, and ho had rosontod her enjoyment of hur aur- roundiugs, and now, as he led her away, leaving Lord Lansdowne rather disoou- Bulate, he resented the faot that she did not aeem iiervoua, or at all impressed by his silenoe. " What do yon want to say to me ? " she asked. " Lot us go and sit down on one of the arbors. I believe I am a little tired â€" not that I mind it, though, I've been having a lovely time." Then nha began to talk about Lord Lans- downe. " I like him over so much," ahe said. "Do you think he will really go to America? t wish he wouldâ€" but if he does, I hope it won't be for a year or ao â€" I mean, until we go back from Europe. Btill, it's rather uncertain when we atiaU go back. Did 1 tell you I bad perMuaded Auql Ilellnda to travel with ua? She's horrlMJ frightened, bnt I mean to make her go. nno'll get over being frightened after a little while." Buddenly she tamed and looked at him. " Why don't yoo say eonnetbiBg?" she demanded. " What s the matter ? " " It is not neoessary for me to say any- thing." Bb« laughed. " Do you mean beoauae I am aaying everything myself ? Well, I sappoae I am. I am â€" awfully happy to-day, and can't help talking. It seems to make the time go." Her faoe bad lighted up ooriousiy. There was a delighted excitement in ber eyes, puzzling bim. " Are yoa so fond of yoor father as all that? " She laughed againâ€" a clear, exultant lautih. " Yes," she answered, " of course I am as fond of bim as ail that. It s quite natural, isn't it?" " I haven't observed the same degree of enthusiasm in all tbe young ladies of my acquaintance," he returned, dryly. He thonght such rapture disproportionate to the cause, and regarded it grudKingly. They turned into an arbor, and Octavia sat down and leaned forward on the rustic table. Then she turned ber face up to look at tbe vines covering tbe root. " It looks rather spidery, doesn't it ? " she remarked. "I hope it isn't; don't you?" The light fell bewitcbingly on ber round little chin and white throat ; and a tar of BunliKht struck on her upturned eyes, and tbe blonde rings on ber forehead. " There is nothing I bate more than spiders," she said, with a little shiver, " on- les<!,'' seriously, "it's caterpillars â€" cater- pillars I loathe I " Then she lowered ber gaze, and gave ber batâ€" a large, white Rubens, all soft curliog feathers and aatic bowsâ€" a charming tip over her eyes. " The brim is broad," she said. " If any- thing drops, I hope it will drop on it, in- stead of on me. Now, what did you want to say ? " He had not sat down, but stood leaning against the rubtto wood-work. He looked pale, and waa evidently trying to be cooler than usual. " I btought you here to aak yoa a quest- ion." "Well," ahe remarked, " I hope it's an important one. You look serious enough." " It is imp ortantâ€" rather," he responded, with atone of sarcasm. "You will probably go away soon 7 " " I hat iau't exactly a question," abe com- mented. " And it's noi as important to you as to me." He paused a moment, annoyed because be found it difhcull to go on ; annoyed beoauae she waited with auch uniiiaturbed serenity. Bat at length be managed to begin again. " I do not think you are expeoting tbe iiueation I am going to ask, ' he said. " I â€" do not ttink I expected to ask it myself^ nutil to-day. I co not know why â€" why I aboald ask it ao awkwardly, and feelâ€" at aucb a disadvantage. I brought you here to ask youâ€" to marry me." He V)*,* scarcely spoken four words before all ber air) manner had taU-jn I'.ght, and she bad settled herself down to listen. He had notioed this, and bad felt it ijuite natoral. When he etoppod, she was look- ing straight iuto his faoe. Ber eyes were singularly larga and bright and clear. " You did not expect to ask me to marry you," she said. " Why didn't you '.' " Ii was not at all what he had expected. He did not understand her manner at all. â- â-  Iâ€" must oonfeas," ha said, stitlly, " that I felt at first that there wereâ€" ob- .itacles in the way ot my doing so." " What were the obstacles?" He llushed and drew himself up. " I have been very unfurl unaio in my mode of expressing myself," he said. "I told yoa I was conauioos ot my own awk- wardness " '* Yes," she laid, <iaielly, " you have bten unfortuate. That is a good way of puttiug it." Then ebe lot her eyea reat on the table a few seobirls, and thought u little. "After all," she said, " I have the con- solation of knowing that yoa mast have been very much iu love with me. If you had not been very much in love with me, you wonld never have asked lue lo marry yuu. You would have considered tbe ob- stacles. " " 1 am very much in love with you," he said, vehemently, hia feelings getting tbe better of hia pride, for once. " However badly I may have expressed myself, I am very mnoh in love wiib you. I have been wretched fur days." " Waa it because you foil obliged to ask me to marry you ? " ahe inquired. The delicate touch ot spirit iu her tone and words tired his to fresh admiration, strange lo say. It aug(;('sted to him possi- bilitSB he bad not suspected bithetto. He drew nearer to ber. " Don't be too severe on me," he said â€" (juite humbly, considering all things. And be stretched out bis hand, aa if to take hers. Bnt she drew it back, smiling ever so faintly. " Do you think I don't know what the obstaolea are? " ahe said. " I will tell you." " My affection waa strong enough to Hweep them away," be said," or I should not be here." Bhe smiled slightly again. " I k.iow all about them, as well aa yon do," she aaid. " I rather laughed at them, at first, but I dou't now. I suppose I'm ' impressed by their serionaness.' as Aunt Belinda says. I Buppose they are pretty seriousâ€" to you." "Nothing would be ho serious to me as that you should let them interfere with my happiness,' he answered, thrown back upon himself, and bewildereti by her logical manner. " Let us forget them. I waa a fool to apeak aa I did. Won't yoa anawer my qneatiou ? " She paused a second, and then answered. " You didn't exi^eot to ask me to marry you," she said. " And I didn't expect you to ." " Bnt nowâ€" - ," he brokein, impatiently. " Now â€" I wish yoa hadn't done it." "You wish ." " You don't want me," ahe said. " You want somebody meekerâ€" somebody who would reapeet you very much, anii obey yon. I'm not used to obeying people." " Do you niL-an alfo that yon would not respect me ? " t*e iiKioiced, bitterly, " Oh," «hB replied, " irou haven t respect- ed nia much I " " bixoasame " he began,'.in his loftiest manner. " You didn't respect me enough to think mo worth marrying," she staid. "1 waa uot the kind of girl yoa woald ha«| ohoaen of yonr own will." â-  < "Yoa are treating me unfairly !" he cried. " You are going to give me a great deal, 1 Boppc S3â€" looking at it in ynnr n-ay," she weoKJu ; " but if I wasn't exactly wbat yoo wanted, I had sonwthing to give, tao. I'm young enough to haveagcol many years 10 live, and I should have to live them with J on, if I married joa. Thatst scmething, you know." He rcae frrm his scat, pale with wratb and wounded leeling. " Does this mean that yoa refose me," he demanded, â€" "that jour answer is to? " Bbe lose, loo â€" roi exultant, nor cotf used, neither pale nor fii.shed. He lad never seen her prettier, more charming, or more natural. " It would have been ' no,' even if thereT' hadn't been any oVstaole," sbeaiswered. "Then," he faid,"Iieei say no more, I sie that I haveâ€" huniiiiated m)8e;f in vain, and it is rather bitter, I must con- fess " " It wasn't my fault," she remarked. He B'epped tack, wiih a baughty wave of tbe band, s;gciifyirg ttat she should pass out ot the arbor before hni. She did so, bat just as she reached the entrauie, she turned, and stcoi for a sec- ond, framed in by the swinging vines and their bltss:nis. " Theie s another reason why it should be 'no,' â- ' sue said. "I suppose I may as well tell yoa ol it. I'm engaged to some- body ebe." CHAPTER XXVI. "JACK." They first person tbey saw, when fiey reaobed the ta«n, was Mr. Dugald Binnie, wbo bad deigned to present himse f, and s^as talking to Mr. Bnrmidtone, Lucia, and Miss Belinda. " I'll go to them," said Ootavia. "Aunt Belinda will wonder .vhere I have teea." But, before tfcey reached tbe group, they were intercepted by Lord Lacsiowue ; and Barold bad tbe pleasure bf surrendering his charge, and watching ber, with some rather sharp fangs, as she was borne off to the coQServa'ocies. " Wbat is tbe matter with Mr. Barold ?" exclaimed Miss Pilcher. " Pray, look at him " "He has been talking' to Miss Octavia BaBseit, iu uce of the aroois," put in Mies Lydia Bnrnhani. "Emily and I passed them a few minutes ago, and tbey were so abtorbed that tbey did not see ua. There it no knowing what baa happened." " Lydia ! " exclaimed Mrs. Barnham, in Btern reproof of suoh fiippancy. But, the next moment, she exchanged a glance with Miis Pilcber- " Do you think " she suggested. "Is it possib'e ." " It really looks wij like it," Eaid Misa Pilcber ; " though it is scarcely to be cred- ited. Bee bow pale and angry ne luoKs." Mrs, Barnham glanced towards bim, and then a slight smile Uluminaied hercotmten- ance. â- â-  How furious," abe remarked, cheerfully, " how forion- Lady Theobald will be." Naturally, it waa not very long before the attention of unmerous other lauioj was di- iiuted to Mr. Francis Barold. It was ob- served that he took no share in the festivities, that he did net regain bis natu- lal air cf enviable indifference to hia sur- roundingsâ€"that he did net approach Ootavia Bastutt uotd all wds over and she was on the point of going home. Wbat be said to ber then, no one heard. "I am going .u I onaon to-morrow. Good bye." "Uood-bye," she arswored, holding oat her hand to him. Then she sdded, quiokly, iu an uodor-tune " Yuu oughtn't tu think badly of me. You won't after a while." As tbey drove bomeward, she was rather silent, and Alits Belinda remarked it. " I am afraid you are tired, Ojtavia," she said. " It is a pity that Martin aboald come, and find you tired." â- â-  Oh, I'm not tired. I \v« 8 onlyâ€" think- ing. It has been a qiu-crda) ! " " A queer day, my dear ! " ejacalated Miss Belinda. " I tbuught it a cbaiming day." " So it haa been," raid Octavia â€" whioh Mistl'elinda thought rather inconsistent. Both of them grew rather restless at, they neared the house. "To think," said Miss Belinda, " of my seeing poor Maitm again." "Buppoje," said Octavia, nervously, as thoy drew up, " suppose tbuy are hereâ€" ai- re ady I" "'They I" exclaimed Miss Belinda. " Who ." Bnt she got no furtbe^r. A cry burst from Octaviaâ€" a qnotr, scft little cry. " Tbey are here I " abe said ; " they are ! Jaokâ€" Jaokl" And she waa out cf the carriage, and Miss Belinda, following her closely, was horrified to toe her caught at once in the embrace cf a tall, bronztd young man, who, a moment after, drew her into the liltle parlor, and shut the door. Mr. Martin Bassett, who was big. and aaiiburned, and proepcrous looking, atood iu tbe passage, smiling triumphantly. " Mâ€"Mâ€" Martin ! "gasped Mias Belinda. " Whatâ€" oh, what does this mean?" Martin Bassett led ber to a seat, and smiled more triumphantly atill, " Never mind. Balinda," hi said " Do n' be fi'ighteoed. It's Jack Uelasys, and he's the flneei fellow iu the West. And she hasn't seen him for two years." " Martin," Miss Beliuda fluttered, " it is not proper â€" it really isn't." " Yea, it ia," answered Mr. Bassett ; "for he's going to marry ber, before we go abroaii." It waa an eventful day for all parties conoered. At its cluau. Lady Theobald found herself in an atteily bewilderd and thun(ier8trtick oondition, Aa to Mr. Dugald Binnie, more than to any one else, her de- moralization was due. That gentleman got into the carriage in rather a better hamor than usual. " 8am ' mill I used to know," he remark- ed. '' OU I 10 see him. I knew him as soon as I si-t i-ys on him." " f>o you ollude to Mr. Burmistone ?" " Y s. II k.l a 1 )og talk with him. He's ootuiug to see you, to-morrow. Told him he mit>ht uomu iiiyseif. Appears he's taken a faou^ to Ijiii i<«. Wants to talk it over. Suits me exajily, and suppuss it suits her. Looks as if it does. Glad she haan't taken a fanny to acme haw haw fellow, like that fool, Barold. Girls generally do. Bormi- atone'a worth ten of him." Lucia,' who bad been looking steadily oat of the carriage-window, turned, with an amay.ed expression. Lady Theobald bad received a shook vihtch made all her man-