!"

Full of them, yes; and feeding his honest soul upon them, in place of
the real bread of affection.

The visit was long and pleasant, and at its close Mell accompanied her
guests to the very door of their carriage. There Mrs. Rutland again
touched the girl's soft cheek with her high-bred lips. Her foot was
upon the stepping-stone, when with a sudden thought, she turned once
more.

"Mellville, we are to be very gay next week, a house full of company;
but I suspect we shall be honored with very little of Rube's society
unless we first secure yours. Will you come, then, and make us a
little visit?"

"You are kind," answered she, coloring beautifully with intensity of
gratification. "Most kind! I will come with exceeding pleasure."

These were perhaps the first unstudied words she had uttered in Mrs.
Rutland's presence. There was no doubt about her wanting to go to the
Bigge House. She had been wanting to go there a long time. A veritable
flood-tide of joy filled her being at this speedy consummation of her
dearest hopes, but it was not of this she thought at that moment, nor
of Mrs. Rutland, nor of Rube. "I will see Jerome," was what Mell
thought.

"Sweetest of mothers!" said Rube inside the vehicle.

"Luckiest of men!" returned his mother. "I am returning home as did
the Queen of Sheba; the half was not told!"

Rube now felt solid, unquestionably solid, in his own mind.

Mell, standing yet in the gateway, looked after them; gladly received
they had been, like many another guest; gladly, too, dismissed.

"The chain tightens," cogitated the future mistress of the Bigge
House, "and if I should want to break it!"

But why should she want to break it, unless--

"There's no use counting upon that," Mell frankly admitted to herself,
"and no man's difficulties must be allowed to interfere with my
future. And Rube is _so_ eligible! A good fellow, too; a most
excellent fellow! There's a something, however. What is it?"

We will tell you, Mell--Rube is not Jerome.

Going back into the house she found her father and mother peeping
through the blinds.

"Lord, Lord!" exclaimed old Jacob. "You'se jess er gittin' up, Mell! I
knowed ye could do it, darter; but I mus' say, I never lookt fer yer
ter git es high es the Bigge House."

Mrs. Creecy inquired about Mrs. Rutland. Was she nice? pleasant?

"Very. No one could be nicer or pleasanter. She asked for you--both of
you."

"She did? Then why didn't you tell us?"