ust about to enter when she heard voices.
Inadvertently she paused.

It was Mr. Jacomb's voice. Then her mother said--

'I married happily myself, and I have never tried to influence my
daughters----'

Nan shrank back, like a guilty thing. She had only listened to
discover whether it was some one she knew who had called; but these few
words of her mother's made her heart jump. She stole away noiselessly
to her own room. She sat down, anxious and agitated, fearing she
scarcely knew what.

She was not long left in suspense. Her mother came into the room and
shut the door.

'I thought I heard you come in, Nan,' she said; 'and it's lucky you
have, for Mr. Jacomb is here.'

'But I don't want to see Mr. Jacomb, mamma,' she said, breathlessly.

'He wants to see you,' her mother said, quietly; 'and I suppose you
know what it is about.'

'I--I suppose so--yes, I can guess----. Oh, mother, dear!' cried Nan,
going and clinging to her mother. 'Do me this great kindness! I can't
see him. I don't want to see him. Mother, you will go and speak to
him for me!'

'Well, that is extraordinary,' said Lady Beresford, who, however, had
far too great a respect for her nerves to become excited over this
matter or anything else. 'That's a strange request. I have just told
him I would not interfere. Of course I don't consider it a good match;
you might do a great deal better from a worldly point of view. But you
have always been peculiar, Nan. If you think it would be for your
happiness to become a poor clergyman's wife, I will not oppose it. At
the same time, I have always thought you might do better----'

'Oh, mother, don't you understand?' Nan broke in. 'It's to ask him to
go away! I'm so sorry. If he had spoken before, I would have told him
before----'

'You mean you refuse him, and I am to take the message,' said her
mother, staring at her. 'That is all?'

The girl was silent.

'I must say, Nan, you have been acting very strangely. You have lead
us all to believe that you were going to marry him. Why did you let
the man come about the house?'

'Don't speak like that to me, mother,' said Nan, with her under lip
beginning to quiver. 'I--I tried to think of it. I knew he wanted me
to be his wife; I thought it might be right; I thought I could do
something that way; and--and I tried to persuade myself. But I can't
marry him, mother--I can't--I don't wish to marry any one--I never will
marry----'

'