ised when I ordered
the ladies to get out, and walk with me, while the coachman drove on
slowly in advance.

Then I hurriedly told of my father's arrival, and explained more fully
than I had yet ventured to do his misconceptions and prejudices as to
Eve. "Now, I want you all," said I, "to help me to remove these
prejudices and misconceptions as quickly as possible by falling in with
my little plans."

Hereupon I explained that my father was to be introduced as an old
friend and namesake, while Eve was to be presented to him as a visitor
at the cottage named Miss Waboose. I had feared that old Mrs Liston
would not enter into my plan, but found that, on the contrary, having a
strong sense of humour, she quite enjoyed the notion of it. So did Aunt
Temple, but Eve herself felt doubtful of her ability to act out her
part. I had no doubt on that point, for she had undertaken it, and well
did I know that whatever Eve undertook she could, and would, accomplish.

It might be tedious to recount in detail the scenes that followed. The
dear old man was charmed with Miss Waboose--as I had fully expected--and
Miss Waboose was more than charmed with the dear old man! So that when
we bade the ladies good-night, he kissed her fair forehead with quite
fatherly tenderness.

When I conducted the old man to his room I was struck, and made quite
anxious, by the disconsolate expression of his face, and asked earnestly
what was wrong.

"Wrong!" he exclaimed, almost petulantly. "Everything's wrong. More
particularly, _you_ are wrong. Oh, George, I _can't_ get over it. To
think that you are tied hard and fast--_irrevocably_--to--a red-Indian--
a painted savage--a Hottentot. It is too--too bad!"

He kicked off one of his shoes so viciously at this point, that it went
straight into, and smashed, a looking-glass; but he didn't seem to care
a straw for that. He did not even condescend to notice it.

"And to think, too," he continued, "that you might have had that
adorable young lady, Miss Waboose, who--in spite of her heathenish
name--is the most charming, artless, modest young creature I ever saw.
Oh! Punch, Punch, what a consummate idiot you have been."

It was impossible to help laughing at my poor father's comical
expression of chagrin, as he sat on the edge of his bed, slapped his
hands down on both knees and looked up in my face.

"Excuse me, daddy, but what ground have you for supposing that Miss
Waboose would accept m