two
notes bearing her signature. The contents of these notes he covered
with his hand, exposing to view only her name. She had twice written,
requesting him to purchase some new piece of music, and it was these
messages which he was now showing, insinuating that Agnes thought
favorably of him, but was opposed by her father. The consequence of
this was, that the next time Agnes' brother met Penoyer in the street,
he gave him a sound caning, ordering him, under pain of a worse
flogging, never again to mention his sister's name. This he was
probably more willing to do, as he had already conceived a great
liking for Carrie, who was silly enough to be pleased with and suffer
his attentions.

"I wonder, though, that Carrie allowed him to visit her," said Agnes;
"but then I believe she is under some obligations to him, and dare not
refuse when he asked permission to come."

If Agnes knew what these obligations were she did not tell, and
grandmother, who, during the narration had knit with unwonted speed,
making her needles rattle again, said, "It's plain to me that Caroline
let him come to make folks think she had got a city beau."

"Quite likely," returned Agnes; "Carrie is a sad flirt, but I think,
at least, that she should not interfere with other people's rights."

Here my eye followed hers to Emma, who, I thought, was looking a
little paler. Just then Carrie and Ashmore came in, and the latter
throwing himself upon the sofa by the side of Emma, took her hand
caressingly, saying, "How are you to-night, my dear?"

"Quite well," was her quiet reply, and soon after, under pretense of
moving from the window, she took a seat across the room. That night
Mr. Ashmore accompanied Carrie and Agnes home, and it was at a much
later hour than usual that old Rover first growled and then whined as
he recognized our visitor.

The next morning Emma was suffering from a severe headache, which
prevented her from appearing at breakfast. Mr. Ashmore seemed somewhat
disturbed, and made many anxious inquiries about her. At dinner-time
she was well enough to come, and the extreme kindness of Mr. Ashmore's
manner called a deep glow to her cheek. After dinner, however, he
departed for a walk, taking his accustomed road toward Captain
Howard's.

When I returned from school he was still absent, and as Emma was quite
well, she asked me to accompany her to my favorite resort, the old
rock beneath the grapevine. We were soon there, and for a l