I am sure. Yes.'

Dolly hesitated for a little while, and somewhat emboldened by his
manner, said at last, 'Well then, sir. It was a letter.'

'From Mr Edward Chester, of course. And you are the bearer of the
answer?'

Dolly hesitated again, and not being able to decide upon any other
course of action, burst into tears.

'You alarm yourself without cause,' said Mr Haredale. 'Why are you so
foolish? Surely you can answer me. You know that I have but to put the
question to Emma and learn the truth directly. Have you the answer with
you?'

Dolly had what is popularly called a spirit of her own, and being now
fairly at bay, made the best of it.

'Yes, sir,' she rejoined, trembling and frightened as she was. 'Yes,
sir, I have. You may kill me if you please, sir, but I won't give it up.
I'm very sorry,--but I won't. There, sir.'

'I commend your firmness and your plain-speaking,' said Mr Haredale.
'Rest assured that I have as little desire to take your letter as your
life. You are a very discreet messenger and a good girl.'

Not feeling quite certain, as she afterwards said, whether he might not
be 'coming over her' with these compliments, Dolly kept as far from him
as she could, cried again, and resolved to defend her pocket (for the
letter was there) to the last extremity.

'I have some design,' said Mr Haredale after a short silence, during
which a smile, as he regarded her, had struggled through the gloom and
melancholy that was natural to his face, 'of providing a companion for
my niece; for her life is a very lonely one. Would you like the office?
You are the oldest friend she has, and the best entitled to it.'

'I don't know, sir,' answered Dolly, not sure but he was bantering her;
'I can't say. I don't know what they might wish at home. I couldn't give
an opinion, sir.'

'If your friends had no objection, would you have any?' said Mr
Haredale. 'Come. There's a plain question; and easy to answer.'

'None at all that I know of sir,' replied Dolly. 'I should be very glad
to be near Miss Emma of course, and always am.'

'That's well,' said Mr Haredale. 'That is all I had to say. You are
anxious to go. Don't let me detain you.'

Dolly didn't let him, nor did she wait for him to try, for the words
had no sooner passed his lips than she was out of the room, out of the
house, and in the fields again.

The first thing to be done, of course, when she came to herself and
considered what a flurry she had been i