o him for blushing, but the moment he returns I shall
find some way to let him know how happy I have been, how broken-hearted
I am, and that papa has reasons against _him_, and they are your reasons
for him, and that you are both afraid to let _me_ know these _curious_
reasons--me, the poor girl whose heart is being made a foot-ball of in
this house. Oh! oh! oh!"

"Don't cry, Miss Mary," said Nurse Easton, tenderly; "and pray don't
excite yourself so. Why, I never saw you like this before."

"Had I ever the same reason? You have only known the happy, thoughtless
child. They have made a woman of me now, and my peace is gone. I _must_
not defy my father, and I _will_ not break poor Walter's heart--the
truest heart that ever beat. Not tell dear Mr. Hope? I'll tell him
everything, if I'm cut in pieces for it." And her beautiful eyes flashed
lightning through her tears.

"Hum!" said Mrs. Easton, under her breath, and looking down at her own
feet.

"And pray what does 'hum' mean?" asked Mary, fixing her eyes with
prodigious keenness on the woman's face.

"Well, I don't suppose 'hum' means anything," said Mrs. Easton, still
looking down.

"Doesn't it?" said Mary. "With such a face as _that_ it means a volume.
And I'll make it my business to read that volume."

"Hum!"

"And Mr. Hope shall help me."

CHAPTER IX.

LOVERS PARTED.

Walter, little dreaming the blow his own love had received, made Percy
write Julia an apology, and an invitation to visit his new house if he
was forgiven. Julia said she could not forgive him, and would not go.
Walter said, "Put on your bonnet, and take a little drive with me."

"Oh, with pleasure," said Julia, slyly.

So then Walter drove her to the new house, without a word of remonstrance
on her part, and Fitzroy met her radiant, and Walter slipped away round a
corner, and when he came back the quarrel had dissolved. He had brought a
hamper with all the necessaries of life--table-cloth, napkins, knives,
forks, spoons, cold pie, salad, and champagne. They lunched beside the
brook on the lawn. The lovers drank his health, and Julia appointed him
solemnly to the post of "peace-maker," "for," said she, "you have shown
great talent that way, and I foresee we shall want one, for we shall be
always quarrelling; sha'n't we, Percy?"

"N--o; n--never again."

"Then you mustn't be jealous."

"I'm not. I d--despise j--jealousy. I'm above it."

"Oh, indeed," said Julia, dryly.

"C