husband of my poor child would be _too, too_ much happiness, happiness
wholly, utterly undeserved. But, oh, Edward, can Mr. Hamilton, can Lord
Delmont consent to your union with one, whose only brother is a
disgraced, dishonoured outcast, whose father is a selfish, irritable
misanthrope?"

"Can the misconduct of Cecil cast in the eyes of the just and good one
shadow on the fair fame of his sister? No, my dear sir; it is you who
have looked somewhat unkindly and unjustly on the world, as when you
mingle again with your friends, in company with your children, you will
not fail, with your usual candour, to acknowledge. A selfish, irritable
misanthrope," he added, archly smiling. "You cannot terrify me, Mr.
Grahame. I know the charge is false, and I dread it not."

"Ask me not to join the world again," said Grahame, hoarsely; "in all
else, the duties of my children shall be as laws, but that"--

"Well, well, we will not urge it now, my dear sir," replied the young
sailor, cheerfully; then added, with the eager agitation of affection,
"But Lilla, my Lilla. Oh, may I hope that she will in truth be mine? Oh,
have I, can I have been too presumptuous in the thought I have not loved
in vain?"

"Away with you, and seek the answer from her own lips," said Mr.
Grahame, with more of his former manner than he had yet evinced, for he
now entertained not one doubt as to Edward being the chosen one on whom
his daughter's young affections had been so firmly fixed. "Go to her, my
boy; she will not fly a second time, so like a startled hare, from your
approach; tell her, had she told her father Edward Fortescue was the
worthy object of her love, he would not thus have thrown a damp upon her
young heart, he would not have condemned him as being incapable of
loving her for herself alone. Tell her, too, the name of Philip
Clapperton shall offend her no more. Away with you, my boy."

Edward awaited not a second bidding. In a very few minutes the whole
garden had been searched, and Miss Grahame inquired for all over the
house, then he bounded through the lane, and scarcely five minutes after
he had quitted Mr. Grahame, he stood by the side of Lilla; the
consciousness that she had confessed her love, that he might have
overheard it, was still paramount in her modest bosom, and she would
have avoided him, but quickly was her design prevented. Rapidly, almost
incoherently, was the conversation of the last half hour repeated, and
with all the e