We've_ no right to give her away in marriage, or let
her involve her affections here. But be judicious, Celia."

"It's easy enough to say that!"

"I'll be back in an hour," said Elmore. "I'm going to the Square. We
mustn't lose time."

As he passed out through the breakfast-room, Lily was sitting by the
window with her letter in her lap, and a happy smile on her lips. When
he came back she happened to be seated in the same place; she still had
a letter in her lap, but she was smiling no longer; her face was turned
from him as he entered, and he imagined a wistful droop in that corner
of her mouth which showed on her profile.

But she rose very promptly, and with a heightened color said, "I am
sorry to trouble you to answer another letter for me, Professor Elmore.
I manage my correspondence at home myself, but here it seems to be
different."

"It needn't be different here, Lily," said Elmore kindly. "You can
answer all the letters you receive in just the way you like. We don't
doubt your discretion in the least. We will abide by any decision of
yours, on any point that concerns yourself."

"Thank you," replied the girl; "but in this case I think you had better
write." She kept slipping Ehrhardt's letter up and down between her
thumb and finger against the palm of her left hand, and delayed giving
it to him, as if she wished him to say something first.

"I suppose you and Celia have talked the matter over?"

"Yes."

"And I hope you have determined upon the course you are going to take,
quite uninfluenced?"

"Oh, quite so."

"I feel bound to tell you," said Elmore, "that this gentleman has now
done everything that we could expect of him, and has fully atoned for
any error he committed in making your acquaintance."

"Yes, I understand that. Mrs. Elmore thought he might have written
because he saw he had gone too far, and couldn't think of any other way
out of it."

"That occurred to me, too, though I didn't mention it. But we're bound
to take the letter on its face, and that's open and honorable. Have you
made up your mind?"

"Yes."

"Do you wish for delay? There is no reason for haste."

"There's no reason for delay, either," said the girl. Yet she did not
give up the letter, or show any signs of intending to terminate the
interview. "If I had had more experience, I should know how to act
better; but I must do the best I can, without the experience. I think
that even in a case like this we should try