s afternoon--I
was in a rage. I won't call you a servant again; I won't make you come
to dinner when you don't want to; I won't demand that you meet my
friends if you don't want to."

"That's very kind and handsome of you."

"Wait a minute. Now for my side. Mr. Austin, if you're not a servant
here, neither are you a master. Oh, I know, you disclaim any such idea,
but still--think over this afternoon! You can't stay here as a master. I
daresay you think I want a master. I don't think so. If I do, I suppose
I can marry!"

"For my own part I venture to hope you will marry--soon and very
happily."

"But my father? 'Suspect and fear marriage.' 'You need fear no man
except the man to whom you have given yourself.'"

"Your father's experience was, you know, unhappily not fortunate."

Her face clouded to melancholy. "I don't believe mine would be," she
murmured. Then she raised her voice again and smiled. "Neither servant
nor master--but friend, Mr. Austin?" And she held out her hand to me.

"I accept most heartily, and I'll try to keep the bargain." I put out my
hand to take hers, but, as if on a sudden thought, she drew hers back.

"Wait a moment still. What do you mean by a friend? One who likes me,
has my happiness at heart?"

"Yes."

"Gives me the best advice he can, speaking his mind honestly, without
fear and in friendship?"

"Yes."

A touch of mockery in her eyes warned me neither to take the questions
too seriously nor to make my answers too grave. The mockery crept into
her tone with the next interrogation.

"When I don't take his advice and get into a scrape, says, 'I told you
so. I'm all right--you get out of your scrape in the best way you can?'"

"Call me no friend when I say that," I answered.

"Ah!" she whispered and gave me the hand which she before had withdrawn.
"Now really!" she cried gayly, with a glance at the clock. "You go back
to sleep--I have to get ready for a journey. No, don't come with me.
I'll run up to the house by myself. Good night, my--friend!"

I opened the door for her, answering, "Good night." But she had one more
word for me before she went, turning her face to me, merry with a smile
and twinkling eyes--

"I suppose you haven't got a wife anywhere, have you, Mr. Austin?" She
ran off, not waiting for an answer.

The appearance of Mr. Powers had not cost me my place: but it had
defined my position--to Jenny's complete satisfaction! It had also
elicited from her some i