nned when I told her. I thought her grief was only natural,
and I was surprised at the sudden change in her. She faded before our
eyes. We could not cheer her. But she made no effort to resist. She did
not refuse to see her suitor; she did not say that she loved any one
else. I think she had a mortal fear of her father, and, dear soul! she
could not do any thing that required resolution.

"One day your grandfather said at dinner, 'To-morrow, Miss Mary, your new
friend will be here.'

"All night she lay awake, trembling and tearful; and at morning she
rose like a spectre. The stranger arrived. Mary kept her room until
dinner-time. Then we both went down to see the new-comer. He was in the
library with your grandfather, and was engaged in telling him some very
amusing story when we came in, for your grandfather was laughing
heartily. They both rose upon seeing us.

"'Colonel Wayne, my daughter,' said your grandfather, waving his hand
toward her. He bowed--she sank, spectre-like, into a chair.

"'Mrs. Simcoe, Colonel Wayne.'

"Our eyes met. It was my lover. He was too much amazed to bow. But in a
moment he recovered himself, smiled courteously, and seated himself; for
he saw at once what place I filled in the household. I said nothing. I
remember that I sank into a chair and looked at him. He was older, but
the same charm still hovered about his person. His voice had the same
secret music, and his movement that careless grace which seemed to spring
from the consciousness of power. I was conscious of only two things--that
I loved him, and that he was unworthy the love of any woman.

"During dinner he made two or three observations to me. But I bowed and
said nothing. I think I was morally stunned, and the whole scene seemed
to me to be unreal. After a few days he made a formal offer of his hand
to Mary Burt. Poor child! Poor child! She trembled, hesitated, fluttered,
delayed. 'You must; you shall!' were the terrible words she heard from
her parent. She dreaded to tell the truth, lest he should force a summary
marriage. Hope, my child, you could have resisted--so could I; she could
not. 'Only, dear father,' she said, 'I am so young. Let me not be married
for a year.' Her father laughed and assented, and I think she instantly
wrote to her lover in India.

"People came driving out to congratulate. 'Such a reasonable connection!'
every body said; 'a military man of fine old family. It is really
delightful to have a union