THE PANELLED HOUSE. 139

other day! on together, chafling one another, and making a noise, and all that, and I always thought if he liked any body, it was Flora; and there I found him at

my elbow, at that dinner-party at the Rectory, |

actually proposing to me!”

“Did he indeed?” said Nest. fused him, poor fellow ?”

“Oh, yes, of course. But I was so sorry for him, Nest, he seemed to mind so very much. I felt I must be such a wretch to have let him think I cared for him in that way; but I never meant it, indeed.”

“And you don’t care for him? He is so good, and nice, and kind, Winny af

**T know he is. That makes it all the worse,” said Winny, with a little sob. ‘‘ We were in the garden after dinner when he did it, and I began to ery like a great idiot as Tam: and he was so kind to me, and begged me not to distress myself, for it was all his fault and not mine. white and unhappy when he went away—I quite hated myself !”

«“ And would you give him the same answer if he asked you again?”

“ Yes,” said Winny, very decidedly.

“ Why?” said Nest, thankful for the darkness, which made it possible to her to question Winny, as she would not have dared to do in the daylight.

“ Because I don’t like him well enough,” said Winny.

“Ts it because you like any one else better?”

There was no answer.

“Oh, Winny? It is not Escott Armyn?”

“Yes, it is then.” The words came out at last a little defiantly.

Whatever dismay Winny had felt at the news of Nest’s engagement, Nest felt yet more at this ad- mission. She looked upon Escott as the Heydons and her aunts and his own father did: she knew nothing of the better self to which Winny alone held the key. The very idea seemed to her to be profanation.

“ Has he ever said any thing?” proceeded Nest.

“Enough to show me how he thinks of me,”

“ And you re-

said Winny.

“But Winny, do you think he can make you happy? Think of his temper, and how he behaves to his father.”

“You know nothing about it, Nest,” suid Winny, indignantly. ‘His father has not the least idea how to manage him: Escott tries very hard to be good, and his temper is not his fault. And I would sooner be unhappy all my life than marry any body else, for I believe that would drive him to be as bad as you think he is.”

And Winny gave way at last, and burst into a fit of sobbing. Nest put her arms round her, and pressed her closely to her.

You know how we have always gone |

And he looked so |

|

|

| tempered little wife, at all events,” said Mr. Hey-

** You don’t understand, Nest,” she sobbed. ‘It is all very well for you to talk. You are wise, and sensible, and clever, and I am silly and ignorant, and can’t help flirting even when I don’t mean to, as I did with poor old Jack. There is only one little thing I can do that nobody else can, and that

|is to care for Escott, and help him to be good.

And that is what I mean to do, whatever I have to give up for it.”

“But you are not engaged to him?” said the newly-betrothed maiden.

“Of course not. Do you suppose I should have kept it secret if I had been?” said Winny.

“ But how long has it been going on, then?”

“He began talking to me, and telling me about his troubles, that first year, before he went to Oxford. And now it has gone on so long that we both of us feelasifwe belonged to each other. He never said any thing in so many words, that I could have told any one about. I don’t suppose we shall ever be allowed to marry one another,” said Winny. * Colonel Armyn and the aunts would be sure to say that Escott was too good for nothing, and I was too giddy, and if they ever did come round, it would be an awfully long time first. I wish we lived in a world where nobody ever wanted to marry any body else; there is nothing but bother all the way round with it in this!”

Nest, in the bliss of her first love, could not echo this wish: and it was the conclusion of the conversation, for Winny, tired out with talking and erying, suddenly fell asleep, and as the house-clock just then struck three, Nest composed herself to, follow her example.

Aunt Hermy had, of course, sent the news to | the Rectory and the Manor-House that same even- ing. In consequence, Mr. and Mrs. Heydon and Colonel Armyn and Flora arrived the next morning to congratulate Nest.

Mrs. Heydon’s congratulations were character- istic. ‘Well, Nest, so you have come back an engaged young lady? I wish you joy of him, my dear ; that is, if he is good for any thing. It will do you all the good in the world to know something of life by your own experience, and not other | people’s.”

Nest smiled in her dreamy way, and said that she thought perhaps it would.

“Zam sure Mr. Anderson will have a very good-

don. “Katherine, you should not temper your congratulations with improving remarks like that. Now I am going to congratulate you in the old style: ‘May the sun of prosperity illuminate your virtues, and may the shadow of adversity never touch you except to cement your love !’”

«That is the sort of congratulation I like,” said

Winny. ‘shall come to you when I am engaged,