ae

142

THE PANELLED HOUSE.

“Colonel Armyn, Mr. Anderson,” said Aunt
Hermy, in the nervous little manner which, not-
withstanding her threescore years, still clung to
her when she had to perform any such small social
duty.

The Colonel bowed, held out his hand, and said, |

“ Allow me to congratulate you, Mr, Anderson,
with all my heart. You are going to rob us of
the best treasure we have here.”

Edward bowed, shook hands, and said audibly,
“Thank you, you are very kind.” Inwardly, he
said, “I wonder if the old prig wanted her him-
self? He looks as grave as a judge.”

“Introduce me, Nest,” whispered Flora, with a
little nudge; and Nest, not white-faced now at
least, but pink to the roots of her hair, said,
“Mr. Anderson, Miss Armyn,” and then with
some rather invalid excuse about having left her
Prayer Book in church, detached herself from the
group, and left them to make acquaintance with
Edward without her.

“What a beautiful creature Miss Armyn is!”
said Edward, as they walked on. ‘‘ You never
prepared me, Nest.”

“JT never thought she was very beautiful,” said
Nest. “I don’t like her face very much, though
she has splendid hair and complexion. But don’t
you like her father’s face, Edward? He always
reminds me of some medizval crusader on a monu-
ment; there is one in Erconbury Cathedral exactly
like him. TI will show it you some day.”

‘He looks to me like a regular martinet,” said
Edward ; “ but I will take all his virtues on trust
from you.”

Y.
A CONFIDENCE.
The end and the beginning vex

His reason: many things perplex,
With motions, checks, and counterchecks.

He knows a baseness in his blood
At such strange war with something good,
He cannot do the thing he would.

Ah, sure, within him and without,
Could his dark wisdom find it out,
There must be answer to his doubt.
TENNYSON.
Some ten days after Edward Anderson’s first visit
Winny was walking down the lane which led from
the Manor-House, after an embassy to Flora about
the pattern of some collar or bodice which she
ranted for Nest, whose dress the younger sister
always arranged for her as far as she would consent
to it. Winny was getting accustomed to the idea of
Nest’s engagement by this time, and resolutely had
set herself to make the best both of it and of Edward.
But it is hard, and seems, when we are young and

inexperienced, wrong and almost treacherous to try
to make the best of that which happens to those
we dearly love, and think worthy of all honour
and delight in life. We are so terribly ambitious
when we are young, and think that the golden
apples are only our merited share, and still more
the merited share of our friends. When we grow
older we grow wiser, and are thankful if those we
love are moderately happy, and moderately con-
tented. But Winny had not learnt this yet; it is
doubtful if she ever did learn it before she was
made wise with that wisdom which we hope all of
us to gain some day in the far-off future, when that
which is dim shall be made clear.

Winny, then, was walking down the green lane,
her fresh cotton dress flecked with the flakes of
light which found their way between the over-
arching leaves, her mind tolerably at ease, and
pondering no over-mastering problem of life or
sorrow, but the question how to make two yards of
muslin cut into an article of dress which properly
required three. When every woman is a sage,
perhaps such little considerations may lose their
attraction for the female mind; but Winny was
notasage, but a girl of only ordinary intellect, and
the consideration of this point gave her a pleasure
which abstruse mathematics could never have had.
But just as she was saying to herself, half aloud,
“Take out the under-half of the sleeve, and join
the selvedges of the back to the front,” she heard
her own name called in a voice which made her
start, and sent her calculations to the winds. It
was Escott’s voice, and she believed him to be at
Oxford ; but on looking up she perceived the well-
known tall figure striding along the lane, swinging
a little leather bag in his hand.

His face showed that he was not at ease, and, in
consequence, not in his pleasantest mood; but his
features relaxed—as whose would not?—at the sight
of the little eager brown face, with its big bright
eyes, all gladness at seeing him. “Why, Escott!”
was all she said: but she held out her hand, and
he grasped it in both of his.

“Tm glad I saw you, Winny. I’m in awful
tribulation, and I wanted you not to hear of it from
the governor, or any of the friends who wish only
for my good as they say, for I know what that
comes to. I grant the look of things is against
me, but you will believe me when I say I am not
to blame in this.”

“Of course I will, if you say so,” said Winny,
looking up into his face with her true loyal eyes.

“Look here. I will tell you all about it, at
least as far as I can,” said Escott hurriedly, walking
on by her side. “No, not that way, the lane is
not long enough. Come into the field here, and
sit down under the trees; it is nice and cool, and
then I can tell you all about it without interrup-

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