ld cease to "rar and
chawge," but she had continued, at intervals, to indulge in that most
unsuitable exercise; and now that it appeared that she had reared and
charged again, her old servant was much depressed. She had gone away
from the house, and, for all he knew, she might stay away for days or
weeks, as she had done before, and Uncle Isham was never so much "on
the careen" as when he found himself forced to believe that his old
mistress was still a woman who could do a thing like that.

Letty had no objections to answering questions, but much to her
disappointment, Lawrence asked her none. He had had enough of
catechising negroes. But he requested her to ask Mrs Null if she would
be kind enough to step out, for a few minutes, and speak to him. When,
very shortly thereafter, that lady appeared, Lawrence was seated at
his open door ready to receive her.

"How are you?" she said. "And how is your ankle to-day? You have had
nobody to attend to it."

"It has hurt me a good deal," he answered. "I think I must have given
it a wrench this morning, but I put on it some of the lotion Mrs
Keswick left with me, and it feels better."

"It is too bad," said Mrs Null, "that you have to attend to it
yourself."

"Not at all," said Lawrence. "Now that I know how, I can do it,
perfectly well, and I don't care a snap about my ankle, except that it
interferes with more important affairs. Why do you suppose Miss March
went away without speaking to me, or taking leave of me in any way?"

"I thought that would trouble you," said she, "and, to speak honestly,
I don't think it was right. But Roberta was in a very agitated
condition, when she left here, and I don't believe she ever thought of
taking leave of you, or any one, except me. She and I are very good
friends, but she don't confide much in me. But one thing I am pretty
sure of, and that is that she is dreadfully angry with my cousin
Junius, and I am very sorry for that."

"How did he anger her?" asked Lawrence, wishing to find out how much
this young woman knew. "I haven't the least idea," said Miss Annie.
"All I know is, she had quite a long talk with him, in the parlor, and
after that she came flying up-stairs, just as indignant as she could
be. She didn't say much, but I could see how her soul raged within
her." And now the young lady stopped speaking, and looked straight
into Lawrence's face. "It isn't possible," she said, "that you have
been sending my cousin to propose