ose
relating to his brother, was impenetrable.

But this was rousing in her, day by day, a strong spirit of opposition.
Had not the presence of his sisters restrained her, for her external
wifely pride grew as much as her inward antagonism--she would have again
boldly put forward her claim to read the letter. As it was, she had
self-control enough to sit silent, but her mouth assumed that peculiar
expression which at times revealed a few little mysteries of her
nature--showing that beneath the quietude and simplicity of the girl lay
the strong, desperate will of a resolute woman.

After breakfast, when Mr. Harper, with some slight apology, had gone to
his letters again, she rose, intending to stroll about and explore
the lawn. She had never been used to ask any one's permission for her
out-goings and in-comings, so was departing quite naturally, when Mary
stopped her.

"I hope you will not mind it, but we always stay in the house until my
father comes down-stairs. He likes to see us before he begins the day."

Agatha submitted--with a good grace, of course; though she thought
the rule absolute was painfully prevalent in the Harper family. But as
half-an-hour went by, and the morning air, so fresh and cool, tempted
her sorely, she tried to set aside this formal domestic regulation.

Mary looked quite frightened at her overt rebellion.--"My dear Mrs.
Harper--indeed we never do it. Do we, Nathanael?" said she, appealingly.

He listened to the discussion a moment.--"My dear wife, since my father
would not like it, you will not go, I know."

The tone was gentle, but Agatha would as soon have thought of
overleaping a stone wall as of opposing a desire thus expressed. She
sat quietly down again--or would have done so, but that she saw Eulalie
smile meaningly at her sister. Intercepting the young wife, the smile
changed into affected condolence.

"Nathanael will have his way, you see. If you only knew what he was as
a little boy," and the Beauty shrugged her shoulders pathetically.
"Really, as Harrie says, most men would never get wives at all, did
their lady loves know them only half as well as their sisters do."

"Nay," said the good-natured Mary, "but Harrie also says that men, like
wine, improve with age, especially if they are kept cool and not
too much shaken up. She has no doubt that even her Duke was a very
disagreeable boy. So, Mrs. Harper, let me assure you"------

"There is no need; I am quite satisfied,"