n in youth the underling
of her family, as her elder brother had been the tyrant; and it was
perhaps a fitting sequel, that at this period of her life she should
have become, to some small extent, a pensioner on his bounty, as well as
a peacemaker in his household.

"You have been in the front parlor some time?" echoed her niece,
surprised. "Then you must have heard--"

"I heard quite enough," was the answer, as Aunt Martha possessed
herself of both the young girl's hands, and finally drew down the
nut-brown head so that it rested upon her bosom. "I heard a few of your
words--enough to tell me what are your feelings toward the man whom they
wish to make your husband. I heard your father's fierce resolution, and
I made my own."

"And what was that?" asked the young girl, rising from her recumbent
position, and showing something of the surprise she felt at hearing her
gentle and pliant aunt speak of forming resolutions. She had cause to be
more surprised in a moment.

"What was my resolution?" echoed Aunt Martha. "A strange one, perhaps,
but one quite as immovable as my big brother's!"

"Yes, yes--tell me, Aunt, _dear_ Aunt!" pleaded Emily, feeling that
there was some shadow of hope in such words from such a source.

"My resolution?" said the placid woman, placid now no longer, but
starting to her feet, speaking with rapid energy, and seeming, for the
moment, half a foot taller than usual--"My resolution is that you shall
never marry the man whom I have heard you say that you loathe and
detest--not if sacrificing myself can save you--not if I can prevent the
wrong, by even taking his life!"

"Aunt! Aunt I what are you saying!" broke out the young girl, surprised,
and even horrified. "Do not say so, Aunt, for heaven's sake! I _do_
dislike Col. Bancker; I cannot marry him without misery; but his life!
You do not know what words you use."

"Do I not?" said the aunt, and there was a bitterness in her tone which
her niece had never before heard there, and which perhaps no one else
had heard there for many a long year. "Do I not? His life--pshaw! what
is his life, or the life of any man, compared to some other lives that
are sacrificed without punishment or even the knowledge of any crime
being committed!"

"Aunt, dear Aunt, it is for me that you are saying this, and you know
that I thank you; but you are excited, you are not yourself--"

"I _am_ myself--perhaps for the first time in years!" said the widow,
the ton