house;
but if you take it up and present it at me, it is fair to ask,
what you mean?"

"It is not an old musket, to begin with," said Winthrop
laughing; "and if it goes off, it will shoot you _through the
heart_."

"You have the advantage of me entirely, this morning!" said
Elizabeth. "I give up. I hope the next time you have the
pleasure of seeing me, I shall be myself."

"I hope so. I intend to keep my identity. Now as that stage-
coach will not come till you get half over the bay --"

And a few minutes thereafter, the little boat was skimming
back for the point of Shahweetah, though not quite so swiftly
as it had come. But Elizabeth was not a mean oarsman; and in
good time she got home, and moored the Merry-go-round in its
place.

She was walking up to the house then, in very happy mood, one
hand depending musingly at either string of her sunbonnet,
when she was met by her cousin.

"Well," said Rose, -- "have you been out in the woods all this
while?"

"No."

"I suppose it's all settled between you and Mr. Landholm?"

Elizabeth stood an instant, with hands depending as aforesaid,
and then with a little inclination of her person, somewhat
stately and more graceful, gave Rose to understand, that she
had no contradiction to make to this insinuation.

"Is it!" said Rose. "Did he come up for that?"

"I suppose you know what he came for better than I do."

"Did you know I wrote a letter to him?"

"I guessed it afterwards. Rose!" -- said Elizabeth suddenly,
"there was nothing but about Karen in it?"

"Nothing in the world!" said Rose quickly. "What should there
be?"

"What did you write for?"

"I was frightened to death, and I wanted to see somebody; and
I knew _you_ wouldn't send for him. Wasn't it good I did! --"

Rose clapped her hands. The colour in Elizabeth's face was
gradually getting brilliant. She passed on.

"And now you' ll live in Mannahatta?"

Elizabeth did not answer.

"And will you send for old Mr. Landholm to come back and take
care of this place again?"

"Hush, Rose! -- Mr. Landholm will do what he pleases."

"_You_ don't please about it, I suppose?"

"Yes I do, Rose, -- not to talk at all on the subject!"

THE END.

PRINTED BY BERNHARD TAUCHNITZ.

Typographical errors silently corrected:

volume 1 chapter 1 : =to give you the best ;= silently corrected
as =to give you the best,=

chapter 1 : =Winthrops eyes= silently corrected as =Winthrop's
eye