business to wound your dignity. I have many hundreds out at six per
centum."

"Excuse me: that would be dishonest," said Kate; "I have no money to
repay you with."

"But you have expectations."

"Nay, not I."

"I beg your pardon."

"Methinks I should know, Sir. What expectations have I? and from whom?"

Houseman fidgeted on his seat, and then, with some hesitation,
replied,--

"Well, from two that I know of."

"You are jesting, methinks, good Mr. Houseman," said she, reproachfully.

"Nay, dear Mistress Kate, I wish you too well to jest on such a theme."

The lawyer then fidgeted again on his seat in silence,--sign of an
inward struggle,--during which Kate's eye watched him with some
curiosity. At last his wavering balance inclined towards revealing
something or other.

"Mistress Kate," said he, "my wife and I are both your faithful friends
and humble admirers. We often say you would grace a coronet, and wish
you were as rich as you are good and beautiful."

Kate turned her lovely head away, and gave him her hand. That
incongruous movement, so full of womanly grace and feeling, and the soft
pressure of her white hand, completed her victory, and the remains of
Houseman's reserve melted away.

"Yes, my dear young lady," said he, warmly, "I have good news for you;
only mind, not a living soul must ever know it from your lips. Why, I am
going to do for you what I never did in my life before,--going to tell
you something that passed yesterday in my office. But then I know you;
you are a young lady out of a thousand; I can trust you to be discreet
and silent,--can I not?"

"As the grave."

"Well, then, my young mistress,--in truth it was like a play, though the
scene was but a lawyer's office"--

"Was it?" cried Kate. "Then you set me all of a flutter; you must sup
here, and sleep here. Nay, nay," said she, her eyes sparkling with
animation, "I'll take no denial. My father dines abroad: we shall have
the house to ourselves."

Her interest was keenly excited: but she was a true woman, and must
coquette with her very curiosity; so she ran off to see with her own
eyes that sheets were aired, and a roasting fire lighted in the blue
bed-room for her guest.

While she was away, a servant brought in Griffith Gaunt's letter, and a
sheet of paper had to be borrowed to answer it.

The answer was hardly written and sent out to Griffith's servant, when
supper and the fair hostess came in almost together.

Aft