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When Betty came into the room a few minutes later to pull off her father's boots she found hi, "Read that, child"

Betty stood by theand read, only giving one start, andbetween her teeth, "Insolent wo the words aloud, for she knew her father would treat them as treason He always had a certain tender deference for his cousin Urania,akin to compunction, as if his loyalty to his betrothed had been disloyalty to his family Thus, he exceeded the rest of his sex in blindness to the defects that had been so evident to his wife and daughter; and whatever provocation ht ainst her from any one else He looked wistfully at Betty and said, "My little Aura! It is a kindly thought Her son must have writ of the child But I had liefer she had asked ht of my old eyes"

"The question is," said Betty, in clear, incisive tones, "whether we surrender Aurelia or your situation?"

"Nay, nay, Betty, you always do my cousin less than justice She means well by the child and by us all Come, come say what is in your mind," he add testily

"Am I at liberty to express myself, sir?"

"Of course you are I had rather hear the whole discharge of your battery than see you looking constrained and satirical"

"Then, sir,baronet has shown himself s on his return to reater lengths, and therefore wishes to have her at her disposal"

"She proposes to take her into her own fa her out of his way"

"I am sure of that"

"You are prejudiced, like your poor dear mother--the best of women, if only she could ever have done justice to her Ladyship! Don't you see, child, Aurelia would not be gone before his return, supposing he should come this way"

"His visit was to be for six weeks Did you not see the postscript?"

"No, the letter was enough for one while"

"Here it is: 'I shall send Dove in the Space of about a Fortnight or three Weeks to bring to Town the young Coach Horses you mentioned His Wife is to return with hihter must be ready to come up with them'"