however, she never caught one tone of Nathanael's.

At last, feeling rather humiliated at being thus obliged to flutter up
and down the stairs of her own abode, and crave admittance into her own
drawing-room, Mrs. Harper ventured to knock softly, and enter.

Frederick Harper was sitting on the sofa, his head crushed down upon
his hands. Nathanael stood at a little distance, by the fireplace. The
attitude of the elder brother indicated deep humiliation, that of the
younger was freezing in its sternness. Agatha had never seen such an
expression on Nathanael face before.

"What did you want?" he said abruptly, thinking it was the servant who
entered.

She could not imagine what made him start so, nor what made the two
brothers look at her so guiltily. The fact left a very uncomfortable
impression on her mind.

"I only came"--she began.

"No matter, dear." Her husband walked up to her, speaking in a low
voice, studiously made kind, she thought "Go away now--we are engaged,
you see."

"But dinner," she added. "Will not your brother stay and dine with us?"

Major Harper turned with an imploring look to his brother's wife.

"No," said Mr. Harper emphatically; held the door open for Agatha to
retire, and closed it after her. Never in all her life had she been
treated so unceremoniously.

The newly-married wife returned to her room, her cheeks burning with no
trifling displeasure. She began to feel the tightening pressure of that
chain with which her life was now eternally bound.

But, after five minutes of silent reflection, she was too sensible to
nourish serious indignation at being sent out of the room like a mere
child. There must have been some good reason, which Mr. Harper would
surely explain when his brother left. The whole conversation was
probably some personal affair of the Major's, with which she had nothing
to do. Yet why did her brother-in-law regard her so imploringly? It was,
after all, rather extraordinary. So, genuine female curiosity getting
the better of her, never did Blue Beard's Fatima watch with greater
anxiety for "anybody coming" than did Agatha Harper watch at her window
for somebody going--viz., Major Harper. She was too proud to listen,
or to keep any other watch, and sat with her chamber-door resolutely
closed.

At length her vigil came to an end. She saw her late guardian passing
down the street--not hastily or in humiliation, but with his usual
measured step and satisfied air. Na