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"That is true," said Alison, "he held out till Edward refused to co would make hiain," thought Ermine, with a throb at her heart

Then she asked, "Did you see whether there was a letter for you at

home?"

"Yes, I looked in, and found only this, which I have only glanced at,

from Bessie"

"From Paris?"

"Yes, they come home immediately after Easter 'Your brother is resolved

I should be presented, and submit to the whole season in style; after

which he says Iwives! Poor Mary's h; and it oes on:

'Is it not very hard to be precluded all this ti the

chieftainess in the halls of my forefathers? I shall have to run down to

your Gowanbrae to refresh et the fragment of a letter from Alick; and I met an

Avoncestrian the other day, who told me that the whole county was in a

state of excitement about the F U etc; that every one believed that

the fascinating landscape-painter was on the high road to winning one of

the joint-heiresses; but that Lady Temple--the most incredible part