r
courage. But she had been determined. She found a great difficulty in
saying the words, but she said them. The thing was so preposterous
that all the ladies in the room looked aghast at the proposition. "I
really think that Augusta has got something else to do," said Aunt
Emmeline. "Oh, very well," said Ayala, and then they were all silent.
Augusta, who was employed on a silk purse, sat still and did not say
a word.

Had a great secret, or rather a great piece of news which pervaded
the family, been previously communicated to Ayala, she would not
probably have made so insane a suggestion. Augusta was engaged to
be married to the Honourable Septimus Traffick, the member for Port
Glasgow. A young lady who is already half a bride is not supposed
to run up and down stairs as readily as a mere girl. For running up
and down stairs at the bijou Ayala had been proverbial. They were a
family who ran up and down with the greatest alacrity. "Oh, papa, my
basket is out on the seat"--for there had been a seat in the two-foot
garden behind the house. Papa would go down in two jumps and come up
with three skips, and there was the basket, only because his girl
liked him to do something for her. But for him Ayala would run about
as though she were a tricksy Ariel. Had the important matrimonial
news been conveyed to Ariel, with a true girl's spirit she would have
felt that during the present period Augusta was entitled to special
exemption from all ordering. Had she herself been engaged she would
have run more and quicker than ever,--would have been excited thereto
by the peculiar vitality of her new prospects; but to even Augusta
she would be subservient, because of her appreciation of bridal
importance. She, however, had not been told till that afternoon.

"You should not have asked Augusta to go up stairs," said Aunt
Emmeline, in a tone of mitigated reproach.

"Oh! I didn't know," said Ayala.

"You had meant to say that because she had sent you you were to send
her. There is a difference, you know."

"I didn't know," said Ayala, beginning to think that she would fight
her battle if told of such differences as she believed to exist.

"I had meant to tell you before, but I may as well tell you now,
Augusta is engaged to be married to the Honourable Mr. Septimus
Traffick. He is second son of Lord Boardotrade, and is in the House."

"Dear me!" said Ayala, acknowledging at once within her heart that
the difference alleged was on