nd from Midbranch, but the address was written by Junius, not by Miss
March. There was another in the same hand-writing for Annie. As
the old lady looked at the address on her letter, and then on its
post-mark, she was evidently disappointed and displeased, but she said
nothing, and went away with it to her room. Annie's letter was in
answer to the one she had sent to Washington, which had been promptly
forwarded to Midbranch where Junius had been for some days. It began
by expressing much surprise at the information his cousin had given
him in regard to her assumption of a married title, and although she
had assured him she had very good reasons, he could not admit that it
was right and proper for her to deceive his aunt and himself in this
way. If it were indeed necessary that other persons should suppose
that she were a married woman, her nearest relatives, at least, should
have been told the truth.

At this passage, Annie, who was reading the letter aloud, and Lawrence
who was listening, both laughed. But they made no remarks, and the
reading proceeded.

Junius next alluded to the news of his cousin's engagement to Mr
Croft. His guarded remarks on this subject showed the kindness of his
heart. He did not allude to the suddenness of the engagement, nor to
the very peculiar events that had so recently preceded it; but reading
between the lines, both Annie and Lawrence thought that the writer had
probably given these points a good deal of consideration. In a general
way, however, it was impossible for him to see any objection to such
a match for his cousin, and this was the impression he endeavored to
give in a very kindly way, in his congratulations. But, even here,
there seemed to be indications of a hope, on the part of the writer,
that Mr Croft would not see fit to make another short tack in his
course of love.

Like the polite gentleman he was, Mr Keswick allowed his own affairs
to come in at the end of the letter. Here he informed his cousin that
his engagement with Miss March had been renewed, and that they were to
be married shortly after Christmas. As it must have been very plain to
those who were present when Miss March left his aunt's house, that she
left in anger with him, he felt impelled to say that he had explained
to her the course of action to which she had taken exception, and
although she had not admitted that that course had been a justifiable
one, she had forgiven him. He wished also to say at t