. Cook--now resigned to her fate--
was sighing and peeling potatoes in the scullery.

"Och! darlint, me heart's heavier than a cart o' coals," said Dan.
"Bucephalus is to be sowld next week, and I'm to quit in a month!"

Susan sighed.

"To be sure, I'd aisy git another place, but in the meantime that'll put
off our weddin', jewel, till I don' know when."

Susan sighed again, and Dan hit his boot somewhat smartly, as if he were
indignant with Fate.

"But it's wus," continued Dan, "for masther an' Miss Gordon than for us,
darlint--there, now, don't toss yer head, mavourneen, ye know we can git
spliced av we like whenever I git a noo sitiwation; but masther can't
well throw up the wan he's got, an' yit it won't kape him an' his wife.
Och! worse luck! Av we could only diskiver a goold mine now, or
somethin' o' that sort."

"Well, I _am_ sorry for them," said Susan, with another sigh; "an' I'm
sure I hope that we'll get over our troubles, all of us, though I don't
see very well how."

"Arrah! now, don't look so blue, me angel," said Dan, rising and putting
his arm round Susan. "Me heart is lighter since I comed here and saw
yer sweet face. Sure there's midcine in the glance o' yer purty blue
eye. Come now, cheer up, an' I'll ventur a prophecy."

"What may that be?" asked Susan with a smile.

"That you and I shall be spliced before two months is out. See if we
won't."

Susan laughed; but Dan stoutly asserted that his prophecies always came
true, and then, saying that he was the bearer of a letter to Miss Peppy,
he bade Susan adieu, and took himself off.

I turn now to Miss Puff, who happened about this time to be on a visit
to us. She was seated one forenoon alone in the dining-room of Bingley
Hall, when a loud ring came to the door-bell; a quick step was heard on
the stair, and next moment the dining-room door burst open, and my son
Gildart rushed into the room.

Gildart was wonderfully changed since the day he had sailed for China.
He had grown tall and stout. Moreover he had whiskers--not very bushy,
perhaps, but, undeniable whiskers.

"Hallo! Puff!" he exclaimed, rushing towards his old friend with the
intention of kissing her; but when Miss Puff rose to receive him, he
felt constrained to check himself.

"Why, how you are grown, and _so_ changed!" he said, shaking her hand
warmly.

Miss Puff was indeed changed, so much so that her old friends who had
not seen her for some time could scarcely