e Peter? Or for the matter of that, to accept him?
Either course seems equally unpardonable at times to motherly
jealousy, and Lady Mary was half vexed and half amused to find herself
not exempt from this weakness.

"Impudent little red-headed thing!" she said to herself, though she
loved Sarah dearly, and admired her red hair with all her heart.

"She told me a few of the reasons why she--she didn't want to marry
me," said Peter.

Lady Mary's dismay was rather too apparent. "Surely that doesn't sound
very hopeful."

Peter moved impatiently. "Oh, mother, it is always so difficult to
make you understand."

"Is it, indeed?" she said, with a faint, pained smile. "I do my best,
my darling."

"Never mind; I suppose women are always rather slow of comprehension,"
said the young lord of creation--"that is, except Sarah. _She_ always
understands. God bless her!"

"God bless her, indeed!" said Lady Mary, gently, and the tears started
to her blue eyes, "if she is going to marry my boy."

Peter repented his crossness. "Forgive me, mother. I know you mean to
be kind," he said. "You will help me, won't you?"

"With all my heart," she said, anxiously; "only tell me how."

"You see, I can't help feeling," said Peter, bashfully, "that she
wouldn't have told me why she _couldn't_ marry me, if she hadn't
thought she might bring herself to do it in the end, if I got over the
difficulties she mentioned. I've been--hopeful, ever since she refused
that ass of an Avonwick, in spite of Lady Tintern. It wants some
courage to defy Lady Tintern, I can tell you, though she's such a
little object to look at. By George! I'd almost rather walk up to a
loaded gun than face that woman's tongue. Of course, even if _my_
share of the difficulties were removed, there'd still be Lady Tintern
against us. But if Sarah can defy Lady Tintern in one thing, she might
in another. She's afraid of nobody."

"Sarah certainly does not lack courage," said Lady Mary, smiling.

"I never saw anybody like her," said Peter, whose love possessed him,
mind, body, and soul. "Why, I've heard her keep a whole roomful of
people laughing, and every one of them as dull as ditch-water till she
came in. And to see her hold her own against men at games--she's more
strength in one of her pretty, white wrists," said Peter, looking with
an air of disparagement at his mother's slender, delicate hand, "than
you have in your whole body, I do believe."

"She is splendidly st