im with sweet smiles
and eloquent eyes for what appeared to her to be his disinterested
kindness.

After a while, however, Ezra's attentions became so marked that it was
impossible for her to misunderstand them any longer. Not only did he
neglect his usual work in order to hang round her from morning to night,
but he paid her many clumsy compliments and gave other similar
indications of the state of his affections. As soon as this astounding
fact had been fairly realized by the girl, she at once changed her
manner and became formal and distant. Ezra, nothing daunted, redoubled
his tender words and glances, and once would have kissed her hand had
she not rapidly withdrawn it. On this Kate shut herself up in her room,
and rarely came out save when the other was away in the City. She was
determined that there should be no possibility of any misunderstanding
as to her feelings in the matter.

John Girdlestone had been watching these little skirmishes closely and
with keen interest. When Kate took to immuring herself in her room he
felt that it was time for him to interfere.

"You must go about a little more, and have more fresh air," he said to
her one day, when they were alone after breakfast. "You will lose your
roses if you don't."

"I am sure I don't care whether I lose them or not," answered his ward
listlessly.

"You may not, but there are others who do," remarked the merchant.
"I believe it would break Ezra's heart."

Kate flushed up at this sudden turn of the conversation. "I don't see
what reason your son has to care about it," she said.

"Care about it! Are you so blind that you don't see that he loves the
very ground you walk on. He has grown quite pale and ill these last few
days because he has not seen you, and he imagines that he may have
offended you."

"For goodness' sake!" cried Kate earnestly, "persuade him to think of
some one else. It will only be painful both to him and to me if he
keeps on this way. It cannot possibly lead to anything."

"And why not? Why should--"

"Oh, don't let us argue about it," she cried passionately. "The very
idea is horrible. It won't bear talking about."

"But why, my dear, why? You are really too impulsive. Ezra has his
faults, but what man has not? He has been a little wild in his youth,
but he is settling down now into an excellent man of business. I assure
you that, young as he is, there are few names more respected on
'Change. The way i