or other articles which he had obtained for
her. The fact was, that he had got into the good graces of Miss Deborah
Crank, Mr Crank's maiden sister, who resided with him to look after
Miss Lucy and keep his house in order. I met the Captain there at two
or three evening parties to which the Bracewells and I were invited, and
on each occasion he was evidently paying court to the young lady. When
not with her, he was making himself agreeable to Miss Deborah.

Harry appeared to be in no way jealous or unhappy, which he would have
been had he thought that Captain Roderick had the slightest chance of
success.

"We understand each other," he said, "and she has assured me that she
does not like him, though she cannot be rude to him while her father and
aunt invite him to the house."

I did not like to make Harry unhappy by saying that I was not quite so
certain about the matter as he was; at the same time I longed to be able
to warn Miss Lucy of the character of the roan. What surprised me was
that Mr Trunnion should not have spoken to Mr Crank, or that the
latter should not have thought it strange that Captain Roderick never
came to the counting-house.

Probably Mr Trunnion was influenced by fraternal feelings in not
warning his partner of his suspicions regarding his brother's character.
I did not, however, long entertain fears of Miss Lucy's affection for
Harry, from a circumstance which he told me. It was a holiday, and he
had arranged to accompany her and her aunt on a visit to some friends in
the country. The coach was at the door waiting for Miss Deborah, who
was upstairs, not yet having finished her toilet, while Lucy, who had
finished dressing, was seated in the drawing-room with Harry by her
side. Suddenly the door opened, the young people expecting to see Miss
Deborah enter. What, therefore, was their surprise when Captain
Roderick talked into the room. He stood for a moment gazing fiercely at
Harry.

"What business have you here?" he exclaimed in a voice hoarse with
passion.

Harry wisely did not answer him; but Lucy, looking up and holding
Harry's hand, said quietly--

"Mr Bracewell has come to escort my aunt and me into the country, and I
have good reason for the annoyance I feel at the question you have put
to him. My father is from home and will not return for some time, so I
cannot invite you to wait for him."

Captain Roderick was not a man to be abashed even by the way Miss Lucy
had addr