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140

Mr. Heydon, to get a pretty speech like that.
am not quite sure, though, how shadows cement
any thing—are you?’ And she looked up with her

THE PANELLED HOUSE.
Ts

“T want Nest to have dummy bridesmaids,”
said Winny. ‘ They would be just as much use as
the others, and save so much trouble: you know

arch, mischievous eyes into his face. No one would her trousseau might be displayed upon them to such
have thought her the same Winny who had sobbed | advantage! And then there would be no difficulty

out her little confessions to Nest the night before.
The Heydons were only just gone when
Colonel Armyn and Flora appeared. Nest sprang

about whether they were to wear pink or blue or
green, you know.”

** Winny is in such spirits,” said Aunt Hermy,

up to meet her old friend, who still possessed an ' “that she can do nothing but talk nonsense.”

unusual charm in her eyes.
““My dear child,” he said, taking both her hands

and holding them in his, “I wish you every blessing |

you can desire. I hope you will be very happy,

and that your life may brighten instead of darken !

as you grow older. You have made me poetical for
the first time in my life, you see,” he added. “ But
we shall miss you very much when we lose you,
Nest.”

“T wish you joy, Nest,” said Flora, with a sort
of pecking kiss which conveyed little real affection.
“When are we to see him ?”

“He is coming down from to-morrow till Mon-
day,” answered Nest. “I hope you will all like
him : but I think yon can’t help it.” She looked
very radiant as she spoke, and Colonel Armyn was
irresistibly reminded of the day when her mother
had told him that she too was betrothed. ;

Flora was not in a good temper this morning.
She was somewhat aggrieved at the fact that Nest,
whom she accused of possessing a white face and a
wooden figure, and no power of shining in society,
should have attained the honour of becoming
engaged before herself. ‘If papa would only let
me have a season in London I would be even with
her,” she said toherself. ‘ As to him, I should think
he was no great catch, or he would not have been
caught by her.”

“You must promise to introduce him to us after
church on Sunday, then,” said Colonel Armyn. “I
shall congratulate him with more heartiness than I
can you, Nest, because I know what he will gain
by taking you, and I can’t tell yet what you will
gain by taking him.”

“JT am afraid I shall gain the most,” said Nest,
smiling : “but I shall leave you to judge of that
yourself. Ihave been pretty quick about my affairs,
have not I, Colonel Armyn ?”

“Not too quick, I hope,” said Colonel Armyn,
gravely, remembering his own hasty marriage.

“At any rate, Hugh, we shall not let her go yet
awhile. Luckily for us her uncle, Walter Williams,
in Australia, is trustee; so he will have to be
written to, and to send an answer before the money
matters can be settled,” said Aunt Hermy.

“T expect the earliest intelligence of the brides-
maids’ dresses,” said Flora. ‘Mind you let me
know, Winny. I suppose you will have the
arranging of them.”

“It’s the proper thing, isn’t it?” said Winny,
demurely. ‘It is all nonsense, you know.” She
could have cried at the slightest provocation, and
this was her way of defying her tears.

“Wait till your turn comes,” said Flora, looking
at her. Winny made a little curtsey.

“ By the bye,” said Colonel Armyn, suddenly, “ do
you know if it is true that that house with the
poplars on the Erconbury road is taken? An
acquaintance of mine was thinking of taking it.”

“Yes,” said Winny, who always gathered the
news of the place sooner than any one else, “it is
taken by the Mr. Smith who played in that match
with Escott a long time ago, before he went to
Oxford.”

“Algernon Smith ? I earnestly hope not,” said
Colonel Armyn, looking disturbed.

“Why not?” said Nest, who was exactly the
reverse of Winny, and never knew any thing that
Went on.

“He does not bear a good character,” said
Colonel Armyn.

“A very bad one, you might say, Hugh,” said
Aunt Immy : “Mrs. Dawson came up to the Rec-
tory two or three days ago to ask if there was no
law which would prevent a man of that sort settling
in the neighbourhood of respectable people.”

“JT wish he was not near the place, with all my
heart,” said Colonel Armyn. And so the conver-
sation ended.

The next day Edward Anderson came down to
Lyke. It was somewhat of an ordeal both for him
and for Nest. Even if a man is yery much in love,
it is trying to be walked out as it were for inspec -
tion, and to feel his mental paces tried as if he
were a horse. Nest was not afraid that Aunt
Hermy would not do all she could to smooth down
the inevitable awkwardnesses of the visit ; for
although Aunt Hermy was something like her niece
in haziness of perception, her kind heart made her
naturally pleasant and sympathetic in manner.
But she was a little doubtful how Edward might
take Aunt Immy’s blunt outspokenness: and she
was a good deal consoled to find Aunt Immy much
quieter than usual, and not at all in one of her
combative moods.

Edward had been nearly as curious to see Nest’s
belongings as they had been to see him. The quiet
of the Panelled House was a curious change after