a noble
way with him to rich and poor--aye, aye, I know the name. No need to alter
all my neat M.B.'s, done in turkey-red cotton. Well, well! every one's turn
comes sometime, but mine's rather long a-coming."

The faithful old servant came up to Maggie, and put her hand caressingly on
her shoulder. Maggie threw her arms round her neck, and kissed the brown,
withered face.

"God bless thee, bairn," said Nancy, solemnly. It brought the low music of
peace back into the still recesses of Maggie's heart. She began to look out
for her lover; half-hidden behind the muslin window curtain, which waved
gently to and fro in the afternoon breezes. She heard a firm, buoyant step,
and had only time to catch one glimpse of his face, before moving away. But
that one glance made her think that the hours which had elapsed since she
saw him had not been serene to him any more than to her.

When he entered the parlor, his face was glad and bright. He went up in a
frank, rejoicing way to Mrs. Browne; who was evidently rather puzzled
how to receive him--whether as Maggie's betrothed, or as the son of the
greatest man of her acquaintance.

"I am sure, sir," said she, "we are all very much obliged to you for the
honor you have done our family!"

He looked rather perplexed as to the nature of the honor which he had
conferred without knowing it; but as the light dawned upon him, he made
answer in a frank, merry way, which was yet full of respect for his future
mother-in-law:

"And I am sure I am truly grateful for the honor one of your family has
done me."

When Nancy brought in tea she was dressed in her fine-weather Sunday gown;
the first time it had ever been worn out of church, and the walk to and
fro.

After tea, Frank asked Maggie if she would walk out with him; and
accordingly they climbed the Fell-Lane and went out upon the moors, which
seemed vast and boundless as their love.

"Have you told your father?" asked Maggie; a dim anxiety lurking in her
heart.

"Yes," said Frank. He did not go on; and she feared to ask, although she
longed to know, how Mr. Buxton had received the intelligence.

"What did he say?" at length she inquired.

"Oh! it was evidently a new idea to him that I was attached to you; and he
does not take up a new idea speedily. He has had some notion, it seems,
that Erminia and I were to make a match of it; but she and I agreed, when
we talked it over, that we should never have fallen in love with each oth