are all we could
wish; his character irreproachable. He wishes to be married in the
autumn, and if he persists I shall have to give in; I know I shall--you
might as well try to fight with a stone wall."

"Autumn!" echoed Miss Carr in dismay. "Autumn! Oh, my poor Lettice! my
poor, dear child! But we have a month, you say; a great deal may be
done in a month. Ah, well, Austin, we must just hope for the best, and
do everything in our power to prevent an engagement."

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

LETTICE DECIDES.

For the next month, Lettice saw nothing of Arthur Newcome. He had
packed up his traps and gone to spend the weeks of probation in Norway,
where he would be out of the way of temptation, and have his mind
distracted by novel surroundings.

No such change, however, fell to Lettice's share. Mr Bertrand would
not allow the ordinary summer visit to Clearwater to be anticipated. He
had forbidden Lettice to mention the proposed engagement to her sisters
as he was sanguine that a month's reflection would be more than enough
to convince the girl of her mistake, when the less that was known about
the matter the better for all concerned. As Arthur Newcome was out of
town he could see no objection to Lettice remaining where she was, and
Miss Carr agreed the more readily in this decision as she had made a
number of engagements which it would have been difficult to forego.
Both were thinking only of the girl's welfare; but alas! the best-
meaning people make mistakes at times, and this arrangement was the most
unfortunate which could have been made, considering the object which
they had in view. Lettice had nothing to distract her mind from the
past, no novelty of any kind to keep her from dwelling on the gratifying
remembrance of Arthur Newcome's devotion. On the contrary, her life was
less bright than usual, for the Newcomes were naturally displeased at
Mr Bertrand's objections to the engagement, and would not hold any
communication with Miss Carr's household until the matter was decided.
Thus Lettice was deprived of the society of her best friend, and was
forbidden the house in which she had been accustomed to spend her
happiest hours.

Miss Carr did her best to provide interest and amusement, but there was
a constraint between the old lady and her ward, which was as new as it
was painful. Lettice was conscious that she was in disgrace. When her
father fumed and fidgeted about the room, she guessed, without bei