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Elfride began to cry at this very unpropitious aspect of affairs 'O papa, papa, forgive me and him! We care soto ask you is, if you will allow of an engageood as you We are not in a hurry, dear papa; we don't want in the least to aged, because I love his were a little touched by this appeal, and he was annoyed that such should be the case 'Certainly not!' he replied He pronounced the inhibition lengthily and sonorously, so that the 'not' sounded like 'n-o-o-o-t!'

'No, no, no; don't say it!'

'Foh! A fine story It is not enough that I have been deluded and disgraced by having hie peasants,--but now I am to make him my son-in-law! Heavens above us, are you mad, Elfride?'

'You have seen his letters come to me ever since his first visit, papa, and you knew they were a sort of--love-letters; and since he has been here you have let hiuessed, you , and you didn't stop hi, and you kneould come to that, papa'

The vicar parried this common-sense thrust 'I know--since you press ht arise between you; I own I did not take much trouble to prevent it; but I have not particularly countenanced it; and, Elfride, how can you expect that I should now? It is i'

'But he is the same man, papa; the same in every particular; and how can he be less fit forneither, he is another man'

'You inquired nothing about him?'

'I went by Hewby's introduction He should have toldman himself; of course he should I consider it ato come into a man's house like a treacherous I-don't-knohat'

'But he was afraid to tell you, and so should I have been He lovedof his friends on his first visit, I don't see why he should have done so at all He came here on business: it was no affair of ours who his parents were And then he knew that if he told you he would never be asked here, and would perhaps never see ain And he wanted to see , by any irl he loves? All is fair in love I have heard you say so yourself, papa; and you yourself would have done just as he has--so would any man'