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"My dear, indeed I did not mean to distress you You know, I dare say--I

reat deal of

him I only want you to take care--appearances are appearances, and if

it was said you had all these young officers always co about--"

"I don't think they will co It is all out of respect to my father and Sir

Stephen," said Fanny, meekly as ever "Indeed, I would not for the

world do anything you did not like, dear aunt; but there can't be any

objection toMrs Hammond and the children to spend the day

to-morrow"

Mrs Curtis did not like it; she had an idea that all ar, but she could not say there was any objection,

so she went on to the head of poor Fanny's offending "This young man,

my dear, he seems to make himself very intimate"

"Alick Keith? Oh aunt!" said Fanny, more surprised than by all the

rest; "don't you know about hireatest

friends always; I used to play with him every day till I came to you

And then just as I married, poor Mrs Keith died, and we had dear little

Bessie with us till her father could send her home And when poor Alick