of these things, but this is a peculiar case, and,
therefore, I assure you, and request you to believe me, that if Miss
March shall now positively refuse me, I shall feel convinced that her
affections are already occupied, and that I have no right to press my
suit any longer."

"Would you like to begin now?" said Annie. "She is coming down stairs."

"You are entirely too matter-of-fact," said Lawrence, smiling in spite
of himself, and, in a moment, Roberta entered the room.

If the young lady in the high-backed rocking-chair had any idea of
giving Mr Croft and Miss March an opportunity of expressing their
sentiments toward each other, she took no immediate steps to do so; for
she gently rocked herself; she talked about the novel she had been
reading; she blamed Miss March for staying so long in her room on such a
beautiful afternoon; and she was the primary cause of a conversation
among the three upon the differences between New York weather and that
of Virginia; and this continued until old Mrs Keswick joined the party,
and changed the conversation to the consideration of the fact that a
fertilizer agent, a pill man, or a blackmailer would find out a person's
whereabouts, even if he were attending the funeral of his grandmother on
a desert island.

The next morning, about an hour after breakfast, Lawrence was walking up
and down on the grass in front of the house, smoking a cigar, and
troubling his mind. He had had no opportunity on the previous evening to
be alone with Miss March, for the little party sat together in the
parlor until they separated for bed; and so, of course, nothing was yet
settled. He was overstaying the time he had expected to spend here, and
he felt nervous about it. He had hoped to see Miss March after
breakfast, but she seemed to have withdrawn herself entirely from
observation. Perhaps she considered that she had sufficiently rejected
him on the previous morning, and that she now intended, except when she
was sure of the company of the others, to remain in her room until he
should go away. But he had no such opinion in regard to their interview
on Pine Top Hill. He believed that he had been punished, not rejected,
and that when he should be able to explain everything to her, he would
be forgiven. That, at least, was his earnest hope, and hope makes us
believe almost anything.

But, although there were so many difficulties in his way, Lawrence had a
friend in that household who still remain