The pleased affectionate smile was gone.

"I object to nothing but its being for her good," he said gravely.

"But now, does not it make her very happy, and suit her excellently?"

"May be so, but that is not the reason you introduced it."

"You have a shocking habit of driving one up into corners, Alick, but it

shall be purely, purely for my own selfish delight," and she clasped her

hands in so droll an affectation of remorse, that the muscles round his

eyes quivered with diversion, though the hair on his lip veiled what the

corners of his mouth were about; "if only," she proceeded, "you won't

let it banish you. You must come over to take care of this wicked little

sister, or who knows what may be the consequences."

"I kept away partly because I was busy, and partly because I believe

you are such a little ape as always to behave worse when you have the

semblance of a keeper;" he said, with his arm fondly on her shoulder as

they walked.

"And in the mean time fell out the adventure of the distinguished

essayist."

"I am afraid," he returned, "that was a gratuitous piece of mischief,

particularly annoying to so serious and thoughtful a person as Miss

Rachel Curtis."

"Jealousy?" exclaimed Bessie in an ecstatic tone. "You see what you

lost by not trusting me, to behave myself under the provocation of your

presence."

"What! the pleasure of boxing your ears for a coward?"

"Of seizing the happy opening! I am very much afraid for you now,

Alick," she proceeded with mock gravity. "What hope can a poor Captain

of Highlanders, even if he does happen to be a wounded hero or two, have

against a distinguished essayist and landscape painter; if it were a

common case indeed, but where Wisdom herself is concerned--"

"Military frivolity cannot hope," returned Alick, with a shake of his

head, and a calm matter-of-fact acquiescent tone.

"Ah, poor Alick," pursued his sister, "you always were a discreet youth;

but to be connected with such a union of learning, social science, and

homeaopathy, soared beyond my utmost ambition. I suppose the wedding

tour--supposing the happy event to take place--will be through a series

of model schools and hospitals, ending in Hanwell."

"No," said Alick, equally coolly, "to the Dutch reformatory, and the

Swiss cretin asylum."

She was exceedingly tickled at his readiness, and proceeded in a

pretended sentimental tone, "I am glad you have revealed the secrets of

your breast. I saw there was a powerful attraction and that you were

no longer your own, but my views were humbler. I thought the profound

respect with which you breathed the name of Avonmouth, was due to the

revival of the old predilection for our sweet little--"




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