172 A BOTHER, AND — A BRIDE. 



fastest. " Miss Mary Merton was at home," said the 

 tall footman, with a serai-conscious smile. " Would not 

 Colonel Fairfax walk up stairs ? Mr. and Mrs. 

 Charles had gone to Yauxhall," he believed; "but the 

 admiral would be back from the United Service in 

 half an hour; he had been obliged to attend a ballot." 



" How very opportune," thought unsuspicious and 

 transparent Percy Fairfax, as he walked into the 

 shadowy, half-lighted drawing-room, and found her 

 alone, trying to cheat herself into the belief that she 

 was reading something ; very pale, very tremulous, 

 with the trace of a tear or two on her cheek, yet 

 lovelier than ever. 



'' And was that your reason, Mary ?" he said, after 

 he had thanked her for saying, "Yes, sir," and "I 

 will," as he could not thank her in the Park, because 

 she was on horseback, and there were so many persons 

 near ; " and was that your reason ?" 



"A silly, but a woman s reason." 



"A beautiful, because a woman's reason. But why 

 not give me a clue ? that was — " 



" Silly, Mary," she interrupted him, half smiles, 

 half tears. 



" Was it not ?" 



" You might have guessed it." 



" Impossible. You had told me that your father 

 had disinherited Charles, and threatened to make you 

 his heiress ; but that you would die sooner than rob 

 him of his rights. Could you think me so base as to 

 covet my friend's rights to my friend's loss ?" 



"No ; 0, I was a little fool."' 



" Why did you not speak out, dearest ? why did 

 you distrust me, Mary?" 



" I did not distrust you ; but I am a woman — and, 

 And — I thought you might have guessed ; and Percy 

 — don't be angry, Percy, please. I knew you would 

 let me do what I wished ; but I was afraid.'' 



