nge.

"_I'm_ not going to have anything to do with the place, Rose,"
said Mr. Haye -- "further than to get it off my hands. I don't
want to live there any more than you do. All I want to do is
to pay myself."

"Father," said Elizabeth looking up quietly, "_I'll_ buy it of
you."

"_You!_" said Mr. Haye, -- while Rose went off into a succession
of soft laughs.

"Do you care who does it, so that you get the money?"

"No, -- but what will you do with it?"

"Find a way, in time, of conveying it back to its right
owners," said Rose. "Don't you see, Mr. Haye?"

Elizabeth favoured her with a look which effectually spiked
that little gun, for the time, and turned her attention again
to her father.

"Do you care who buys it of you, so that you get the money?"

"Why, no -- but you don't want such a piece of property,
Lizzie."

"I want just such a piece of property."

"But my child, you can't manage it. It would be an absurd
spending of _your_ money. There's a farm of two or three hundred
acres -- more, -- besides woodland. What could you do with it?"

"Trust me to take care of my own. May I have it, father?"

"Mr. Haye! --" Rose put in, pouting and whimpering, -- "I wish
you'd tell Lizzie she's not to look at me so! --"

"Will you sell it to me?" pursued Elizabeth.

"If you'll promise it shall not go back to the original owners
in any such way as Rose hinted."

"Are those your terms of sale?" said Elizabeth. "Because,
though I may not choose to submit myself to them, I can find
you another purchaser."

"What do you want of a great piece of land like that?"

"Nothing; I want the land itself."

"You can't do anything with it."

"It don't signify, if it all grows up to nettles!" said
Elizabeth. "Will you take the money of me and let me take the
land of you?"

"Hum --" said Mr. Haye, -- "I think you have enlightened me too
much this morning. No -- I'll find a more disinterested
purchaser; and let it teach you to take care of your eyes as
well as your tongue."

Rose bridled. Mr. Haye got up leisurely from the breakfast-
table and was proceeding slowly to the door, when his path was
crossed by his daughter. She stood still before him.

He might well tell her to take care of her eyes. They glowed
in their sockets as she confronted him, while her cheek was as
blanched as a fire at the heart could leave it. Mr. Haye was
absolutely startled and stood as still as she.

"Father," she said, "take care how yo