orward to such a connection as yours is. When I first
heard of it, I said at once, 'Leandy, you can't never mean it; she won't
look at you; it's no use your asking her,' I said. And I quite scolded
myself for ever bringing them together!"

Mrs. Collum seemed inclined to follow suit, but she restrained herself.
"Ah! well," she observed, "my daughter has chosen to take her own way,
without consulting my prejudices. All I hope is, that she may never
repent it!"

"Very handsomely said, ma'am," chimed in Miss Tweddle; "and, if I know
my nephew, repent it she never will!"

Leander was looking rather miserable; but Matilda put out her hand to
him behind his aunt's back, and their eyes and hands met, and he was
happy again.

"You must be wanting your dinner, Mrs. Collum," his aunt proceeded; "and
we are only waiting for another lady and gentleman to make up the party.
I don't know what's made them so behindhand, I'm sure. He's a very
pleasant young man, and punctual to the second when he lodged with me. I
happened to run across him up by Chancery Lane the other evening, and he
said to me, in his funny way, 'I've been and gone and done it, Miss
Tweddle, since I saw you. I'm a happy man; and I'm thinking of bringing
my young lady soon to introduce to you.' So I asked them to come and
take a bit of dinner with me to-day, and I told him two o'clock sharp,
I'm sure. Ah, there they are at last! That's Mr. Jauncy's knock, among a
thousand."

Leander started. "Aunt!" he cried, "you haven't asked Jauncy here
to-day?"

"Yes, I did, Leandy. I knew you used to be friends when you were
together here, and I thought how nice it would be for both your young
ladies to make each other's acquaintance; but I didn't tell _him_
anything. I meant it for a surprise."

And she bustled out to receive her guests, leaving Leander speechless.
What if the new-comers were to make some incautious reference to that
pleasure-party on Saturday week? Could he drop them a warning hint?

"Don't you like this Mr. Jauncy, Leander?" whispered Matilda, who had
observed his ghastly expression.

"I like him well enough," he returned, with an effort; "but I'd rather
we had no third parties, I must say."

Here Mr. Jauncy came in alone, Miss Tweddle having retired to assist the
lady to take off her bonnet.

Leander went to meet him. "James," he said in an agitated whisper, "have
you brought Bella?"

Jauncy nodded. "We were talking of you as we came along," h