Clarence and you both here?"

"I said so when Mr. Clarence came," said Phoebe. "_I_ came to take care
of my grandmother, who is ill; and it was a very lucky thing for me that
I had met Miss May at your ball, Mr. Copperhead."

"By Jove, wasn't it!" said Clarence, roused to some dull sense of what
was going on. "We owe all the fun we have had here to that, so we do.
Odd, when one thinks of it; and thought so little of it then, didn't we?
It's a very queer world."

"So you've been having fun here?" said his father. "I thought you came
here to work; that's how we old fellows get taken in. Work! with young
ladies dangling about, and putting things into your head! I ought to
have known better, don't you think so, Miss Ursula? _You_ could have
taught me a thing or two."

"I?" said Ursula, startled. "I don't know what I could teach any one. I
think Mr. Clarence Copperhead has kept to his hours very steadily. Papa
is rather severe; he never would take any excuse from any of us when we
were working with him."

"He is not so severe now, I'll be bound," said Mr. Copperhead. "Lets you
have your fun a little, as Clarence tells me; don't you, May? Girls will
be girls, and boys, boys, whatever we do; and I am sure, Miss Phoebe, you
have been very entertaining, as you always were."

"I have done my best," said Phoebe, looking him in the face. "I should
have had a dull life but for the Parsonage, and I have tried to be
grateful. I have accompanied your son on the violin a great many
evenings, and I hope our friends have liked it. Mr. Clarence is a
promising player, though I should like him to trust less to his ear; but
we always pulled through."

"Thanks to you," said Clarence, in the middle of his cutlet

He did not quite see why she should flourish this music in his father's
face; but still he was loyal in a dull fashion, and he was obstinate,
and did not mean to be "sat upon," to use his own words. As for Phoebe,
her quick mind caught at once the best line of policy. She determined to
deliver Ursula, and she determined at the same time to let her future
father-in-law (if he was to be her father-in-law) see what sort of a
person he had to deal with. As soon as she made up her mind, her
agitation disappeared. It was only the uncertainty that had cowed her;
now she saw what to do.

"So!" said Mr. Copperhead, "musical evenings! I hope you have not
turned poor Clar's head among you, young ladies. It's not a very strong
head; an