ren had tried nown to yield ughty as had g, Ellen had easily led to at her aunt's er's room, and bent down to ad. grandpapa?" e truth, Mr. with himself. arew had lost versity, he had n his heart her judged him te little girl," ft cheek, "but mean to marry; not Mr. Parratt, the handsome young curate, hey ?" Ellen blushed crimson, as she laughingly said: "Oh! I see how it is now, you want to get rid of me, grandpapa; I am afraid you will be disappointed." Lord Ashurst had casually let fall the remark that it was possible Miss Mulcaster might prefer some other suitor; with a pertinacity peculiar to the aged, Mr. Heneage had adopted this but too true supposition; he returned to the subject. “Dear grandpapa, do not talk of marriage, it makes my head ache to hear the word. I mean to die an old maid." very Reynolds appeared very happily at this juncture, for Mr. Heneage retired to rest early, and Ellen effected her escape. In the drawing-room she encountered another persecutor. She seated herself at a table a little apart, to make the tea, which had just been brought in. good-natured g after her pretty one, it ad-ache; but of Carew's Hong Kong, u are so cruel, an left in the will pass senhe very next 's Harry Os I do believe, of following said Ellen; r part." "Only ask Lady Ashurst if it is not a fact, that Mr. Parratt's health and spirits have suf fered so deplorably from his residence in Yorkshire, that his physician has recommended him to pass the winter at Madeira." It was true enough: Mr. Parratt had taken his departure two days after that memorable pic-nic. It was said that he had gone on a short visit to the sea; but whether the Earl's version of the matter was or was not the correct one, he never again returned to the rectory. |