d
what she and Duke Dugdale had conversed about; but Harrie shrewdly
suspected he had been talking poor dear Anne to death about the votes
of her Kingcombe tenantry, and the probable chances of Mr. Trenchard and
Free-trade.

CHAPTER XV.

To see the elder Mr. Harper sitting at the head of his own dinner-table
was a real pleasure. He never looked so well at any other time. His
grandiose air was then so mixed with genuine kindliness that it only
enriched his courtesies, like the "body" in mellow old wine. He leaned
graciously back in the arm-chair peculiarly his own, surveying the long
table shone over by soft wax-lights, and circled by smiling faces, most
of them women, as the old gentleman liked best. Even the plain Mary,
taking the foot of the table, looked well and mistress-like in her black
velvet dress: Eulalie and Mrs. Dugdale kept up the good appearance of
the family; while Miss Valery and the young Mrs. Harper took either side
of the host, and were duly honoured by him.

Agatha wore her wedding-dress, of white silk, rich and plain, She looked
very pretty, her girlish _abandon_ of manner softened by a certain
wifely dignity, which grew upon her day by day. She filled her position
well, though often with secret trembling, and shy glances over to her
husband to see if he were satisfied with her--a fact which no one but
herself could doubt.

"Now, my children," said the Squire, when the servants had withdrawn,
and dessert and wines foretold the chatty hour after dinner of which he
was so fond--"now, my children--I may call you all so?" and he smiled at
Anne Valery--"let me tell you how glad I am to see you, and especially
the youngest of you"--here he softly patted Agatha's hand, on the table.
"And since we always drink healths here--a good old fashion that I
should be loth to renounce--let me give you the first toast--Mr. and
Mrs. Nathanael Locke Harper!"

"Hear, hear!" said Mr. Dugdale vaguely from the bottom of the table,
at which indecorum--probably occasioned by a county meeting that was
running in his head--his father-in-law looked extremely severe. But the
severity was soon drowned in the nods and smiles that circled round.
After which Nathanael said briefly but with feeling:

"Father, my brother and sisters, and Anne--my wife and I thank you all"

"What do you think of this our old-fashioned custom?'" said the Squire,
turning to his daughter-in-law. "A remnant of my young days, when every
lady u