"Promise then!"

"Yes--yes--anything; oh, get away!"

She struggled from him, and Tom had just time to resume his seat and
look as decorously grave as perfect happiness could permit, when the
door opened, and Mrs. Harrington entered, with her usual flutter.

CHAPTER XLVIII.

THE PET MESSENGER.

"Elsie, Elsie!" the widow cried out, "Mr. Rhodes and the fascinating
Jemima are driving up the avenue; the old maid is rushing on destruction
again without the slightest warning."

"It's delightful!" said Elsie. "I shall tell her how rich Tom Fuller is,
and that he wants a wife."

"Don't set the old dragon at me," said Tom.

"Yes, I will! Mary, you must flirt desperately with the dear old man;
between her desire to watch you and be agreeable to Tom, the spinster
will be driven to the verge of distraction."

"I'll go and find Elizabeth," said the widow, "and appear after the old
maid gets nicely settled."

Mrs. Harrington darted away, and just made her escape as Dolf opened the
hall-door to admit the guests.

The father and daughter were ushered into the room where Elsie and Tom
sat, looking demure and harmless as two kittens.

"Here we are again, you see," said the stout man; "no one can resist
your fascinations, Miss Elsie."

"Pa would stop," said Miss Jemima, "though I told him it was a shame to
come so often."

The truth was, the spinster's appetite had warned her that it was quite
luncheon time, and recollecting the bounteous repasts always spread at
Piney Cove, she had graciously assented to her parent's proposal that
they should call.

"I am delighted to see you," said Elsie, shaking hands as if they were
her dearest friends; "my brother and sister will be down in a moment;
you must stay to luncheon, of course."

"No, oh, no," said Miss Jemima, glancing at Tom through her scant
eyelashes. "We couldn't think of it!"

"But you must, you shall!" said Elsie. "Let me present Mr. Fuller."

The spinster curtseyed and looked grimly propitious. Tom was nearly out
of his wits; while Mr. Rhodes talked to him he saw Elsie whisper to Miss
Jemima, and felt perfectly certain that she had given the threatened
information about his being a rich bachelor in search of a wife.

"And when did you see your charming friend, Mrs. Harrington, last?"
asked Mr. Rhodes.

"The oddest thing!" said Elsie. "Why, she is here now; hadn't you a
suspicion of it, Mr. Rhodes?"

Miss Jemima's face changed so suddenly, that To