n was arising. Roberta was
fond of city life, of society, of travel, and if she had really made up
her mind that her union with Junius was no longer to be thought of, the
advent of a man like Croft, who had been making her acquaintance all
summer, and who had now returned to Virginia, no doubt for the sole
purpose of seeing her again was, to say the least, exceedingly ominous.
One thing only could correct this deplorable state of affairs. The
absurd bar to the union of Junius and Roberta should be removed, and
they should be allowed to enter upon the happiness that was their right.

Above all, the estate of Midbranch should not be suffered to go into the
possession of an outsider, who might be good enough, but who was of no
earthly moment or interest to the Brandons. He would go himself, and see
the widow Keswick, and talk her out of her nonsense. It was a long time
since he had met the old wild cat, as he termed her, and his
recollection of the last interview was not pleasant, but he was not
afraid of her, and he hoped that the common sense of what he would say
would bring her to reason.

Mr Brandon made up his mind during the night; and when he came down to
breakfast he was very glad to find that Junius had already gone out for
a walk. The distance to the widow Keswick's house was about fifteen
miles, a pleasant day's ride for the old gentleman, and as he did not
expect to return until the next day, he felt obliged to inform Roberta
of his destination, although, of course, he said nothing about the
object of his visit. He told his niece that he was obliged to see the
widow Keswick on business, to which remark she listened without reply.

Soon after breakfast he mounted his good horse, Albemarle, and early in
the afternoon he arrived at the widow Keswick's gate. He had looked for
a stormy reception, in which the thunder-bolts of rage should burst
around him, and he was surprised, therefore, to be received with the
frigidity of the North Pole.

"I never expected," she said, without any previous courtesy, "to see one
of your people under my roof, and it is not very long ago since I would
have gone away from it the moment any one of you came near it."

"I am happy, madam," said Mr Brandon, in his most courteous manner,
"that that day is past."

"My staying won't do you any good," said the old lady, whose purple
sun-bonnet seemed to heave with the uprisal of her hair, "except,
perhaps, to get you a better meal than t