lent, when Trevor approached and took her
hand, and unresistingly drew her to him, till she hid her face in his
breast.

Then there was a fine scene. Poor Lady Rea ran up to them, kissed Tiny,
and tried to kiss Trevor, but could not reach, till he bent lower.
After which she broke into a violent fit of sobbing, and plumped herself
down in the nearest chair, Fin tending her for a moment, and then
fetching Sir Hampton to her side, to ask forgiveness.

Next there was a general display of pocket-handkerchiefs. Fin gave a
hysterical hurrah, and kissed everybody in turn, ending by exclaiming,
as she sobbed aloud--

"And now we're all happy!"

In fact there were smiles upon every face but Sir Hampton's, and he,
feebly saying he did not like it, was left alone as the party adjourned
to the drawing-room.

"Lady Rea, I have you to thank for this," said Trevor, affectionately.
"How am I ever to show it?"

"By being very, very, very kind to my darling there," said Lady Rea,
pitifully; "for you're a bad, cruel man to come and win away her love."

Then, of course, there was a great deal more kissing, ending in a burst
of merriment; for Fin dashed, wet-eyed, to the piano, and rattled off,
"Haste to the Wedding," running into Mendelssohn's "Wedding March," till
Tiny went and closed the instrument.

At that moment Edward, the footman, knocked at the door, and entered,
saying to Lady Rea--

"If you please, m'lady, Miss Matilda's took bad, and wants the doctor.
Who shall I send?"

"Gracious, Edward! what is it?" said Lady Rea.

"Please, m'lady, they think it's spasms," said the footman.

Lady Rea ran out, and the doctor was sent for from St Kitt's; but, by
the time he arrived, Aunt Matty's spasms were better.

And so Richard Trevor, master of Penreife, became engaged to Valentina
Rea, of Tolcarne.

Volume 2, Chapter XVI.

VERY DREAMY.

Trevor heard it afterwards from Fin, how that mamma saw Captain Vanleigh
when he called with Sir Felix; Sir Hampton leaving a note, and--so Fin
declared--hiding in the gardener's toolhouse till the visit was over;
and that she had, at the earnest wish of Sir Felix, seen him in the
drawing-room.

"Where he made the most downright booby of himself you ever saw," said
Fin.

And the result was that one morning, after the most elaborate fencing
had been going on between Trevor and his guests, one vieing with the
other in politeness, Pratt met his old schoolfellow on his return from
To