d you think of such a thing?"

"No matter," said Bucklaw; "I respect Miss Ashton for her sentiments,
and I only wish I had been her messenger myself."

"And pray how long, Miss Ashton," said her mother, ironically, "are
we to wait the return of your Pacolet--your fairy messenger--since our
humble couriers of flesh and blood could not be trusted in this matter?"

"I have numbered weeks, days, hours, and minutes," said Miss Ashton;
"within another week I shall have an answer, unless he is dead. Till
that time, sir," she said, addressing Bucklaw, "let me be thus far
beholden to you, that you will beg my mother to forbear me upon this
subject."

"I will make it my particular entreaty to Lady Ashton," said Bucklaw.
"By my honour, madam, I respect your feelings; and, although the
prosecution of this affair be rendered dearer to me than ever, yet, as
I am a gentleman, I would renounce it, were it so urged as to give you a
moment's pain."

"Mr. Hayston, I think, cannot comprehend that," said Lady Ashton,
looking pale with anger, "when the daughter's happiness lies in the
bosom of the mother. Let me ask you, Miss Ashton, in what terms your
last letter was couched?"

"Exactly in the same, madam," answered Lucy, "which you dictated on a
former occasion."

"When eight days have elapsed, then," said her mother, resuming her tone
of tenderness, "we shall hope, my dearest love, that you will end this
suspense."

"Miss Ashton must not be hurried, madam," said Bucklaw, whose bluntness
of feeling did not by any means arise from want of good-nature;
"messengers may be stopped or delayed. I have known a day's journey
broke by the casting of a foreshoe. Stay, let me see my calendar: the
twentieth day from this is St. Jude's, and the day before I must be at
Caverton Edge, to see the match between the Laird of Kittlegirth's black
mare and Johnston the meal-monger's four-year-old-colt; but I can ride
all night, or Craigie can bring me word how the match goes; and I hope,
in the mean time, as I shall not myself distress Miss Ashton with any
further importunity, that your ladyship yourself, and Sir William, and
Colonel Douglas will have the goodness to allow her uninterrupted time
for making up her mind."

"Sir," said Miss Ashton, "you are generous."

"As for that, madam," answered Bucklaw, "I only pretend to be a plain,
good-humoured young fellow, as I said before, who will willingly make you
happy if you will permit him, and show