"Nine o'clock," said Winston, at length, consulting his watch, and

pushing back his chair. "The carriage will be at the door in fifteen

minutes, Mr. Chilton. The road is heavy this morning, and the stage

passes the village at ten."

"I shall be ready," responded Frederic. "I am sorry your carriage

and coachman must be exposed to the rain."

"That is nothing. They are used to it. I never alter my plan of

travel on account of the weather, how ever severe the storm. This

warm rain can hurt nobody."

"It is pouring hard," remarked Mrs. Button, solicitously. "And that

stage is wretchedly uncomfortable in the best weather. I wish you

could be persuaded to stay with us until it clears off, Mr. Chilton,

and"--making a bold push--"I am sure my nephew concurs in my

desire."

"Mr. Chilton should require no verbal assurance of my hospitable

feelings toward him and my other guests," said Mr. Aylett,

frigidly--smooth as ice-cream. "If I forbear to press him to prolong

his stay, it is in reflection of the golden law laid down for the

direction of hosts--'Welcome the coming, speed the parting guest.'"

"You are both very kind, but I must go," Frederic replied, concisely

and civilly, following Mabel into the parlor, whither the other

visitors were fabled to have repaired. As he had guessed, his

betrothed was the only person there; the quartette having dispersed

with kindly tact, for which he gave them due credit.

"Don't think hardly of me, dear," he began, seating himself beside

her on the sofa.

"Allow me to offer you a few of the finest cigars I have enjoyed for

many years," said Mr. Aylett, entering in season to check Frederic's

movement to encircle Mabel's drooping form with his arm. "You smoke,

I believe? You may have an opportunity of indulging in this solace

in an empty stage. At least, there is little probability that you

will be denied the luxury by the presence of lady passengers. I

procured those in Havana, last winter. In case you should like them

well enough to order some for yourself, I will give you the address

of the merchant from whom I purchased them."

He wrote a line upon a card, as he might sign a beggar's

petition--with a supercilious parade of benevolence--and passed it

to the other, who accepted it with a phrase of acknowledgment

neither hearty nor grateful. Then the master of the house paced the

floor with a slow, regular step, his hands behind him; his

countenance placidly ruminative, his thoughts apparently engaged

with anything rather than the pain upon the corner-sofa, whose

leave-taking he had mercilessly marred. Frederic dumb and furious;

Mabel equally dumb and amazed to alarm, knowing as she did that her

brother's actions were never purposeless, sat still, their hands

clasped stealthily amid the folds of Mabel's dress; their eyes

saying the dear and passionate things forbidden to their tongues.

Neither would feign indifference, or attempt a lame dialogue upon

other topics than those that filled their minds. Mr. Aylett was not

one to pay outward heed to hints when he chose to ignore them. He

kept up his walk until the carriage was driven around to the front

door, informed the parting guest that it awaited his commands,

likewise that he would need all the time that remained to him if he

hoped to catch the stage; without leaving the room, called to a

servant to bring down Mr. Chilton's baggage, and did not lose sight

of his sister's lover until the last farewell was said, and Frederic

bestowed inside the vehicle. There was nothing offensively officious

or malicious in all this. Having declared as an incontrovertible

dogma, that a ward could form no engagement without the formal

sanction of her legal guardian, he saw fit to put the seal upon the

decision at this, their adieu, in a manner they were not likely to

forget. An hour's harangue would not have imbued them with the sense

of his authority, his determination to exercise it, and their

impotency to resist it, as did this practical lesson.




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