bent down, and, seizing the skirt in both hands,
tore it away, leaving a large fragment trailing from the boot-heel.

"'More haste, less speed.' Patience is better than petulance, my young
friend."

His grave, reproving voice, rendered her defiant; and, with a forced,
unnatural laugh, she bowed, and hurried away, saying, as she looked
over her shoulder,--

"And spurs than persuasion? You mistake my nature."

Dr. Grey had been riding, all the morning, across a broken stretch of
country, where the roads were exceedingly insecure, and, as he removed
the troublesome spur and laid it on the mantelpiece, he folded up the
strip of muslin and put it into his pocket.

"I am waiting for you," cried Muriel, from the hall door.

He sighed, and went to his buggy; but the cloud did not melt from his
brow, for, as he drove off, he noticed Salome's gleaming eyes peering
from the window of her room; and pity and pain mingled in the emotions
with which he recalled his sister's warning words.

"Muriel, here is your letter, and, better still, Gerard will be with
us to-morrow. Diplomatic affairs brought him temporarily to
Washington, and he will spend next week with us. I cordially
congratulate you, my dear child, and hastened home to bring you the
good news, which I felt assured you would prefer to receive without
witnesses."

Muriel's blushing face was bent over her letter; but she put her hand
on her guardian's, and pressed it vigorously.

"A thousand thanks for all your goodness! Gerard writes that it was
through your influence he was enabled to visit Washington; and,
indeed, dear Dr. Grey, we are both very grateful for your kind
interest in our happiness. Even poor papa could not be more
considerate."

"For several days past I have observed that you were unusually
depressed, and that Miss Dexter looked constrained. Are you not
pleasantly situated in my sister's house. Do not hesitate to speak
frankly."

Muriel's eyes filled with tears, and she answered, evasively,--

"Miss Jane is very kind and affectionate."

"Which means that Salome is not."

"Dr. Grey, why does she dislike me so seriously? I have tried to be
friendly and cordial towards her; but she constantly repels me. I
really admire her very much; but I am afraid she positively hates
me."

"No, that is impossible; but she is a very peculiar, and, I am sorry
to be forced to say, an unamiable girl, and is governed by every idle
caprice. I hope that you will no