e took it up and weighed it
lightly in his hand. "I have never seen you wear it. I thought at first
that you had got it on last night: but my eyes deceived me. My sight is
not so good as it used to be. Really, Miss Heron, you make me ashamed of
my trumpery gifts: pray take them away, and let me give you something
prettier on your next birthday for old acquaintance sake."

"No, indeed!" said Kitty.

"And why not? Because I don't treat you precisely as I did when you were
twelve? You really would not like it if I did. No, I shall be seriously
offended if you do not take these things away and say no more about
them. It would be perfectly impossible for me to take them back; and I
think you will see--afterwards--that you should not have asked me to do
so."

The accents of that calmly inflexible voice were terrible to Kitty. He
turned to the window and looked out, but, becoming impatient of the
silence, walked back to her again, and saw that her face had grown
white, and was quivering as if she had received a blow. Her eyes were
fixed upon the sofa, and her fingers held the chain which he had quietly
placed within them; but it was evident that she was doing battle with
herself to prevent the tears from falling. Rupert felt some remorse: and
then hardened himself by a remembrance of the glances that had been
exchanged between her and Hugo in that very room the night before.

"I am old enough to be your father, you know," he began, gravely. This
statement was not quite true, but it was true enough for conversational
purposes. "I have sent you presents on your birthday since you were a
very little girl, and I hope I may always do so. There is no need for
you to reject them, because I think it well to remember that you are not
a child any longer, but a young lady who has 'come out,' and wears long
frocks, and does her hair very elaborately," he said, casting a smiling
glance at Kitty's carefully-frizzled head. "I certainly do not wish to
cease to be friends with--all of you; and I hope you will not drive me
away from a house where I have been accustomed to forget the cares of
the world a little, and find pleasant companionship and relaxation."

"Oh, Mr. Vivian!" said Kitty, in a loud whisper. The suggestion that she
had power to drive him away seemed almost impious. She felt completely
crushed.

"Don't think any more about it," said Rupert, kindly, if
condescendingly. "I never wished to be less of a friend to you than I
w