. Quick will have a room for him. You had
better tell Emily, and let her come to me for a moment before she
sees her cousin." This was all said in George's hearing. And then Sir
Harry went, leaving his cousin in the hands of Lady Elizabeth.

"I am glad to see you back again, George," she said, with a
melancholy voice.

Cousin George smiled, and said, that "it would be all right."

"I am sure I hope so, for my girl's sake. But there must be a great
change, George."

"No end of a change," said Cousin George, who was not in the least
afraid of Lady Elizabeth.

Many things of moment had to be done in the house that day before
dinner. In the first place there was a long interview between the
father and daughter. For a few minutes, perhaps, he was really happy
when she was kneeling with her arms upon his knees, thanking him for
what he had done, while tears of joy were streaming down her cheeks.
He would not bring himself to say a word of caution to her. Would it
not be to paint the snow white to caution her as to her conduct?

"I have done as you bade me in everything," he said. "I have proposed
to him that he should go to Scarrowby. It may be that it will be your
home for a while, dear."

She thanked him and kissed him again and again. She would be so
good. She would do all she could to deserve his kindness. And as for
George,--"Pray, Papa, don't think that I suppose that it can be all
done quite at once." Nevertheless it was in that direction that her
thoughts erred. It did seem to her that the hard part of the work was
already done, and that now the pleasant paths of virtue were to be
trod with happy and persistent feet.

"You had better see him in your mother's presence, dearest, before
dinner; and then the awkwardness will be less afterwards."

She kissed him again, and ran from his room up to her mother's
apartment, taking some back stairs well known to herself, lest she
should by chance meet her lover after some undue and unprepared
fashion. And there she could sit down and think of it all! She
would be very discreet. He should be made to understand at once
that the purgation must be thorough, the reform complete. She would
acknowledge her love to him,--her great and abiding love; but of
lover's tenderness there could be but little,--almost none,--till the
fire had done its work, and the gold should have been separated from
the dross. She had had her way so far, and they should find that she
had deserved i