ything prepared for rest,
but the lady was absent.

"Well, well," muttered the old gentleman, drawing Mabel's easy-chair to
the hearth, and warming his hands by the pleasant fire, "she cannot be
gone far, and, at any rate, my hopeful step-son will find himself too
late for an interview to-night; so I will quietly await her here. What a
dreamy place it is, though; I did not think that she possessed so much
of the philosophy of life; but the strangeness reminds me that I have
been rather too negligent of late. No matter, she will only be the more
ready to welcome me; for, with all her romance and journalizing, the
woman loves me: I was sure of that, even while pushing the hard bargain
with her cavalier. Faith," he continued, rubbing his velvety palms
together, and leaning toward the fire, "I am glad she did not happen to
be present! A little warmth and calm thought will do everything towards
preparing me for the interview."

With these thoughts running through his mind, the old man--for he was
old, spite of appearances--began to feel the effects of a long ride in
the cold. The bland warmth of the fire overcame him with luxurious
drowsiness, and he would have dropped to sleep in his chair, but that it
afforded no easy rest for his head, which fell forward, whenever he sank
into a doze, with a jerk that awoke him very unpleasantly.

"I wonder Mrs. Harrington does not select more comfortable chairs for
her room," he muttered, looking around uneasily for something more
commodious to rest in. "I will call at King's to-morrow, and order one
of his latest inventions--a Voltaire or Sleepy Hollow; no wonder she
wanders off for better accommodation. The fire is down in my library, so
I must wait for her here. Let me see if there is anything more promising
in the next room."

He went into the sleeping chamber as he spoke, and threw himself upon a
couch near the window; but it was so remote from the fire that he soon
grew cold, and started up again. Removing Mabel's night robe from the
bed, he flung himself upon it, gathering the counterpane over him, and
burying his head in the frilled pillows.

"She cannot come in without waking me, that is certain," he murmured,
dreamily; "so this is the best place to wait in. I did not think the
cold could have chilled me through all those furs. Ah! this is
comfortable; I can wait for madam with patience now, with, wi"----

Spite of his anxiety, the old gentleman dropped off to sleep here,