ll Pablo that he looked well in his new clothes?"

"Yes, but Pablo is not Mr Armitage, Clara. That is very different."

"Well, it may be, but still you might answer a question, if put to you,
Patience; and I ask again, does not Edward look much better in the dress
he has on than in that he generally has worn?"

"I think it a becoming dress, Clara, since you will have an answer."

"Fine feathers make fine birds, Clara," said Edward, laughing: "and so
that is all we can say about it."

Edward then changed the conversation. Soon afterwards dinner was
announced, and Clara again observed to Edward--"Why do you always call
Patience, Mistress Heatherstone? Ought he not to call her Patience,
sir?" said Clara, appealing to the Intendant.

"That must depend upon his own feelings, my dear Clara," replied Mr
Heatherstone. "It is my intention to waive ceremony as much as
possible. Edward Armitage has come to live with us as one of the
family, and he will find himself treated by me as one of us. I shall,
therefore, in future address him as Edward, and he has my full
permission, and I may say it is my wish, that he should be on the same
familiar terms with us all. When Edward feels inclined to address my
daughter as he does you, by her name of baptism, he will, I daresay, now
that he has heard my opinion, do so; and reserve `Mistress Heatherstone'
for the time when they have a quarrel."

"Then I hope he will never again address me that way," observed
Patience; "for I am under too great obligations to him to bear even the
idea of being on had terms with him."

"Do you hear that, Edward?" said Clara.

"Yes, I do, Clara; and after such a remark, you may be sure that I shall
never address her in that way again."

In a few days Edward became quite at home. In the forenoon Mr
Heatherstone dictated one or two letters to him, which he wrote; and
after that his time was at his own disposal, and was chiefly passed in
the company of Patience and Clara. With the first he had now become on
the most intimate and brotherly footing; and when they addressed each
other, Patience and Edward were the only appellations made use of. Once
Mr Heatherstone asked Edward whether he would not like to go out with
Oswald to kill a deer, which he did; but the venison was hardly yet in
season. There was a fine horse in the stable at Edward's order, and he
often rode out with Patience and Clara; indeed his time passed so
agreeably that he could