him have a glimpse of the Harlan
pride," I answered. "I shall depend on you not to allow me to be forced
upon him, Aunt Agnes. I am sure, however, that Aunt Helen means well in
the matter. She may be a little indiscreet, but if you were to talk it
over with her I am sure you would come to a satisfactory agreement. Now,
it strikes me as an excellent idea for you to come and spend a few days
with us at Newport. It would give us both very great pleasure. Please do
think of it seriously."

"Newport? Do you take me for a fashionable do-nothing, child? Why, your
aunt wouldn't let me inside the door! I have only six dresses in the
world. Newport! Tell _me_!"

"What nonsense, Aunt Agnes! I promise you that you shall have the
warmest of welcomes if you will come, and you may, if you prefer, wear
the same dress all the time you are there."

I did not press the matter at the moment, but I recurred to it many
times afterwards; and as soon as I got home I told Aunt Helen of Aunt
Agnes' proposal to invite Mr. Ferroll to her own house, and of her
general enthusiasm in regard to his proposed visit.

"Bravo!" she responded, clapping her hands. "Your aunt shows her sense
for once in her life, though one would have to be blind as a mole not to
see that this is one chance in a thousand."

"What should you say to asking her down here for a few days?"

"Certainly, dear. She doesn't know any one, to be sure, and would
probably dress like an antediluvian. But people wouldn't think any thing
of that, if it was whispered around that she is literary and peculiar. I
think on the whole it would be a good plan to ask her. I can give her a
few ideas as to how a nobleman should be handled."

"Precisely," I answered.

Accordingly, Aunt Helen and I each wrote a most urgent letter of
invitation; and after some further correspondence, my efforts were
rewarded with the presence in my house of my father's sister. For the
first twenty-four hours, despite my cordial welcome, I feared every
moment lest she should announce her intention of going home again. Her
manner was so stiff, and Aunt Helen's so airy, that I was apprehensive
of a catastrophe. But at last by the display of tact, and by carefully
humoring their respective prejudices, I drew them gradually together;
and when at last I was taken apart by each of them successively one
evening, to be told that save for certain unfortunate peculiarities her
rival was an uncommonly sensible woman, I felt