uspect you of having done or said, or even thought anything that is
wrong. I feel quite confident that I have no cause to do so."

"Oh, thank you, papa."

"But I want to know whether Mr. Graham has ever spoken to you--as a
lover."

"Never, papa."

"Because under the circumstances of his present stay here, his doing
so would, I think, have been ungenerous."

"He never has, papa, in any way--not a single word."

"And you have no reason to regard him in that light."

"No, papa." But in the speaking of these last two words there was a
slight hesitation,--the least possible shade of doubt conveyed, which
made itself immediately intelligible to the practised ear of the
judge.

"Tell me all, my darling;--everything that there is in your heart, so
that we may help each other if that may be possible."

"He has never said anything to me, papa."

"Because your mamma thinks that you are more anxious about him than
you would be about an ordinary visitor."

"Does she?"

"Has any one else spoken to you about Mr. Graham?"

"Augustus did, papa; and Isabella, some time ago."

"Then I suppose they thought the same."

"Yes; I suppose they did."

"And now, dear, is there anything else you would like to say to me
about it?"

"No, papa, I don't think there is."

"But remember this always;--that my only wishes respecting you, and
your mother's wishes also, are to see you happy and good."

"I am very happy, papa."

"And very good also to the best of my belief." And then he kissed
her, and they went back again into the large drawing-room.

Many of my readers, and especially those who are old and wise,--if I
chance to have any such,--will be inclined to think that the judge
behaved foolishly in thus cross-questioning his daughter on a matter,
which, if it were expedient that it should die away, would die away
the more easily the less it were talked about. But the judge was
an odd man in many of the theories of his life. One of them, with
reference to his children, was very odd, and altogether opposed to
the usual practice of the world. It was this,--that they should be
allowed, as far as was practicable, to do what they liked. Now the
general opinion of the world is certainly quite the reverse--namely
this, that children, as long as they are under the control of their
parents, should be hindered and prevented in those things to which
they are most inclined. Of course the world in general, in carrying
out this practice