'You know,' she said, 'the Charteris mills are my department.'

'Indeed! How am I to understand that statement?'

'Oyou thought Christmas was not susceptible of extensions. Gentlemen's ideas, being so strong, sometimes move slowly.'

'Ladies' thoughts, being so subtle, are sometimes difficult to pursue,' said Dane; but his brow was grave.

'I am talking nonsense,' said the girl, 'but I mean sense. There is money enough,and those people cannot starve, either with hunger or cold. And you have all your own men on your own hands,andI begin to understand what Dr. Arthur meant by "possible corners." Don't you see that the other part of the Hollow falls naturally to me? What is the matter? Are you afraid I will support them on pound-cake and sugarplums?'

Dane's eyes leapt, and darkened, and lightened; but after all, his answer was sober.

'That will do; but you cannot permanently support Mr. Charteris's mill hands on charity. The only sure method of relief would be to buy up the mills.'

'Then we can run them against each other!' said Wych Hazel. 'What a splendid thought! I shall be a better neighbour that Mr. Charteris. I will only undersell you just a little.'

Dane smiled, but this time he said nothing. Only watched her continually.

'Then as Mr. Falkirk's consent might be difficult to get,he is a little insane upon mills just now,perhaps the purchase had better be made with the remains of my last winter's legacy. Over which, you know, nobody has any control but my own wise self.'

'How much do you suppose the purchase of those mills might require?'

'I have no idea. The legacy was largeand there is a good deal left.'

'A few hundred thousands?'

No, not so much as that. Well,then I must have another ugly talk with Mr. Falkirk. He would not listen to you, one minute.'

'I should not listen to you, either, Wych; and I should have to be taken into consultation, you know.'

'Is not your consent enough, without consultation?'

'I could not properly give it.'

'Dear me,' said the girl, 'what a word 'properly' is! I think I never wanted to do anything, or go anywhere, that it did not rise up before me like a five-barred gate. What can I 'properly' do, sir, if you please, in the premises?'

Looking with his mighty gray eyes into her face,soft they were too, and persuading, as well as mighty,he said in a sort of whisper,

'Go with me to New York, Wych! Then we can make it all right.'

Her face grew suddenly grave with a frightened look, as if she had stepped into a net, or caught herself in a trap.

'We were not talking of that,' she said hurriedly,'and there is no need to talk of that. And you promised.'

'There is no need to talk about it, if it is ever to be done,' said Dane smiling. 'If you will think about itwhich I believe you never do, you will perceive that unless we are to be separated all our lives, we must some time or other be married. And the best way with anything you are afraid of, is to do it, and have it over!'

He had smiled, and his accent was very winning; but he grew grave again, and stood with folded arms looking at Wych Hazel. Even then he would not use persuasions; he would not have her against her will; but he watched her anxiously. If she refused him now, it might be long before he brought up the subject again. He would not tell her that, either; he left her free; and waited to see how the delicate balances of her mind would turn. But he sighed a little as she hesitated, and then smiled again as he spoke; a smile very frank and sweet.

'Be brave, Hazel! If you are ever going to trust me, you may as well do it at once.'

Hazel turned away and sat down on her foot-cushion, and buried her face in her hands. Was she ever to be done with fights and perplexities? was she ever to be quietly happy, like other people? Last night she had been sober for very joy, at first; and now after all those long, bitter two months, there was no sweet sunshine to follow. For being married did not look at all sweet to Hazel: it was true, she had hardly thought of it at all. Well, she could do as she pleased. Yes,but she knew, without seeing, the disappointment to somebody else. That she did not quite understand it, did not hide the fact. And can a woman who loves, ever really prefer her own pleasure? She looked up with even a pale face, and the wet eyelashes that so few people had ever seen.

'You do not remember'she said. 'You do not seem to understand!'

'You are the shyest bird that ever flew without wings!' said Dane drawing another low seat to her side. 'I understand wet eyes too well. I remember only that I have been waiting a year and half for you. But if I wait all my life, Hazel, I will not have you at such cost as that. If your heart is not as mine,that it would be our happiness to be together,I will go back to my work and wait another six months.'

He spoke gently and gravely, and stooped as he spoke to kiss the wet eyes.

'Statements'said the girl, in an impatient tone which yet faltered and broke before it got through.

'You shall make the statements,' said Dane, getting her hand in his, and holding it with that gentle, firm clasp which, in some hands, expresses so much; soothing and steadying and sympathizing, and claiming too; all at once. 'What is the matter, my little Wych?'

Hazel paused, summoning her courage; enforcing quiet.

'It is no use to bring up such things,' she said, speaking very slowly. 'To talk of trustandliking to be togethermixing them up with 'if' and 'but.' Unless I have proved all that, I never can. But there are a great many reasons,and you would call them fudge. And I know they are not fudge. And if you were to knock them down fifty times, they would rise up, fresh and strong as ever, after all.'

'I shall not play at that game of ten-pins. Do you think in your conscience I have any reasons?'

'Something that goes by the name, I daresay,' said Hazel sedately. 'But it is all different on your side,you wait, or you hurry, just which you choose; and you are free through the one and through the other, and after both.'

'Free? As a man whose heart is chained, and whose hands are fettered. Was I free to marry you a year ago? or even to speak my thought? Am I 'free' now, Hazel?'

She half laughed.

'How would you like to cut short the one time of your life when you had a little power, even to say no? AndMr. Rolloyou have been away two months. And October was very short.'The girlish voice grew low and timid: Hazel knew that her arguments were strong only to her.

Dane lifted to his lips the little fingers he held.

'And so you have made up your mind that your power will be at an end when you are married? Am I going to love you less?or will you love me less?'

'I did not mean power over you,' said Hazel; 'I meant independent power. And I have not much now, except when you happen not to care about using your own. As last night at tea.'

Dane could not help laughing a little again, but below that he was desperately serious.

'I will not have you troubled,' he said. 'Rather than that, I will go back and wait for you as Jacob did for Rachel; though I will not emulate his estimate of time, the circumstances being not similar. But, Hazel, there is something more to be thought of, which we have not touched. I cannot have you living alone here as you have been for the last three weeks or more.'

'Mr. Falkirk may be back. And you will be near enough to exercise any amount of supervision. And I will be good. If I can!'

'Mr. Falkirk writes that he may be detained indefinitely. And at twelve miles off, I am quite too far to be an efficient protector. Winter days would give me only short and late visits to Chickaree, except occasionally. And you know how it has been, Wych, since and before Mr. Falkirk went away; it is not fitting that you should be alone as you are; and exposed As your guardian, I cannot let this go on any longer.'

It fell to Dingee just then, to appear as a witness for the plaintiff. He came in, bearing a handful of wonderful hot-house flowers and a card.

'I done told him you was engageddes'pate!Miss Hazel,' said Dingee,'and he beg for jes' three minutes.'

'Say I cannot possibly give him three minutes!'Hazel's brows were as near a frown as they could come.

'Then he say, tomorrer,' pleaded Dingee. 'Any hour Miss Kennedy please. Three minutes, one minute. He done set out for home, Miss Hazel.'

'I hope he will have a short, safe passage,' said Hazel: 'say that. And that I cannot see him either to-night or to-morrow or any day before he goes. And, Dingee!not a word more or less!'She waited till the boy was out of sight, and then flung the flowers from where she sat full into the fire.

If there was not a frown on Rollo's brow, there was a quiet set of the lips which told as much. But he waited. Knowing well that it made against her cause, but knowing too that it was his right, Hazel turned and laid the card in his hand: it was Sir Henry Crofton's. The frown came then, and the card was crumpled up in Rollo's hand and followed the flowers.

'Well, Hazel?' he said. 'You must feel the justice of what I said just now. There are only two remedies that I know. One of these you startle at. The other, is that you should take up your abode at Dr. Maryland's for the winter.'

'I could not do that!' she said hastily. 'ButOlafI have tried to do just right all these weeks. And if you think I do not know what discretion means, you can ask Mrs. Bywank.'

'I do not need to ask anybody for testimony concerning you, in that or any other respect. It is no question of discretion; except in your guardians; and that forbids them to leave you so.'

'Mr. Falkirk is not Mr. Falkirk!' Hazel broke out. 'He is all changed.'

Rollo left this statement to take care of itself.

'What do you think we had best do?' he asked cheerfully, after a minute. 'I will not tease you and hurry youShall I leave the question to be settled by a note from you, when you have thought it over? If you choose to go to Dr. Maryland's, I will make the necessary arrangements. If you can make up your mind to go with me, we'll arrange that. What do you say?'

'But you said you were going next week!'

'I must. The day after Christmas. I wait to see these apples and pounds of tea safe home first. Then we will go and take care of New Year.'

Wych Hazel leaned her head down in her hands again. How easily he talked of it!this matter that her whole mind hardly found room for. Yet she knew, better than he did,better than she liked to tell him,that it was not the thing for her to live there alone. Even discretion could not hinder what Mrs. Bywank called "a raid," at home; nor keep her from being met and followed and waited on whenever she ventured out. But she could not live at Dr. Maryland's. To the tips of her fingers, Hazel knew that she should fly at the end of a week thereup the chimney, if no other way appeared. Prim's calm advice, and Mrs. Coles' sharp watch; even the good doctor's easy discussion of her and her affairs; could not be borne. She tried to smother the sigh that came up from the depths of her heart, but enough escaped to betray the trouble and perplexity.

'Shall I leave it?' said Dane very gently, though he on his part was swallowing deep mortification, not hindered by the fact that he did understand and feel for Wych Hazel's distress, in some measure. 'Shall I leave it? and you will write to me?'

'What about?' said the girl quickly. 'As you put it, I have no choice. Because I will not go to Dr. Maryland's. Neither nownor ever for safe keeping.'

'I do not want you to marry me just for safe keeping,' Dane said with a half smile. 'How would you put it, Hazel? Would you like to take time to think about it?'

'But there is no time to take!And thinking for ever will not make two alternatives out of one.'So thought Hazel to herself, but the words did not come out. She sat resting her cheek on her hand, studying this last hopeless fact; then by way of facing all her difficulties at once, looked up at her companion. Not meeting his eyes exactly,a wistful, examining gaze; trying to strengthen her courage with the sight of whatafter allshe loved best in all the world. For a second. Then hastily, as if still doubting her own resolution, she put out her hand and laid it timidly on his. Dane did not shew her the leap his heart made; and she could not see the flush that mounted to his brow. He made no demonstrations whatever, except to the hand which had come to him appealing in its surrender, and those were outwardly very quiet. And then, clasping the hand, he sat quite still; waiting to let Wych Hazel grow calm, if that could be, and ready for further talk.

Perhaps it was well, however (for a young lady of her wayward moods and tenses) that the next thing she had to do was to jump up and receive Dr. Arthur, who had come by appointment to dine at Chickaree. Dinner followed presently, and thus hostess cares and responsibilities for a time took the first place. But so grave a young hostess at the head of that table was a new thing. She did not forget one of her smallest gracious duties and offices; and she talkedat least as much as sometimes; but her face kept its soberness. The eyes did not flash and the lips did not curl. Dr. Arthur gave her a keen glance once or twice, at first; but finding a certain complement to all this in the face at the foot of the table, he turned at least his outward attention to other matters.

'Charteris takes it hard that you intend to keep running, Dane,' he said.

'Some other people find it hard that he don't.'

'Hard things affect people differently: they don't agree with him. And he announces that he will try how they agree with you.'

'I don't see what he can do to me at present.'

'Self-confidence is not one of your undeveloped graces. But I wish you had bought that gore at the top of the Hollow, as I bade you.'

'Powder did not care about selling it, at one time; and latterly I have had my hands too full. Why do you wish that just now, Arthur?'

'Because Powder has sold it now. And if I remember, your lease of the water power has not long to run.' Wych Hazel was listening, intently, with a sparkle in her eyes at last.

'I have no lease of water power. What I own I own. But anybody above me on the stream could make me trouble. To whom has Powder sold?'

'Just what I cannot find out,' said the doctor, 'though I went to himself. 'It is no matter,' he said, 'so long as the property was not in the market.' But of course it is Charteris. Josephine's marriage makes that pretty sure.'

Rollo laid down his knife and fork for a moment and sat with his head leaning upon his hand.

'As the Lord will!' he said. 'But I will not give up until I know more. I do not believe my poor people and I are to be in that man's power. I will wait and see.'

But the interest of the dinner was gone for one member of the party; and the attention he gave to other people or things was a preoccupied and shadowed attention.

Wych Hazel stood it a little while, watching him, much wishing that there was nobody else to hear: then she could not bear it any longer. After all, Dr. Arthur was just his brother.

'Mr. Rollo,' she said timidly, 'what means do you think the Lord can use to prevent thisthat you fear?'

It was worth something, to get the look he flashed across the table to her; it was so brilliant with meaning and so sweet with confidence.

'A thousand things!' he said heartily; 'and you remind me that I am a fool to allow myself to be disturbed about it. I was thinking of those hundreds of families. And I half forgot for a moment that the Lord thinks of them too. I believe he will take care.'

'Would you like to know how?' said Wych Hazel. The tone was indescribably sweet, but the eyes had gone down before his.

'Would I like it?' said Dane watching her. 'Yes! I am afraid I am foolish enough still to like to know that, if I could. But I believe it anyhow, Hazel.'

'Governor Powder sold the land to me.'

'To you!' said Dane in great amazement. 'What did you buy it for?'

'I thought it was well it should be bought,' said Hazel demurely.

'When did you do that?'

'A good while ago. Before the sickness in the Hollow.'

She got another look, if she could see it, which it was also worth while to get. After which Dane remarked sedately,

'I am curious to know how Mr. Falkirk liked that investment.'

'Mr. Falkirk never knew. It is a great comfort sometimes,' she went on, the loveliest roses waking up now all over her face, 'to have a little independent power. And to be able to act without one's guardians. Mr. Falkirk was not consulted,any more than Mr. Rollo.'

Rollo's lips twitched and curved, but on the whole he maintained a decorous composure.

'We don't know our privileges, Arthur,' he remarked.

'No,' said his friend concisely. 'How ever in the world came Governor Powder to let the lady have the land? Why he has refused half the county!'

'I do not know,' said Wych Hazel. 'I think I made him.'

Listening to her, looking at her, Dr. Arthur thought that extremely likely.

'And did he tell you Charteris wanted it?' he said.

'O yes,and that, perhaps, Mr. Rollo might.'

'But he did not know that he was playing into my hands, in letting you have it?' Rollo enquired.

'Of course not! I merely told him I wanted it more than Mr. Rollo, and would give more than Mr. Charteris.'

'Witchcraft!when all's done,' said Dr. Arthur. 'Dane, when your independent power is in the market, let me know.'He followed them into the red room, and took a cup of coffee there, standing; but then went off at once to see some patient, promising to call for Rollo on his way home.

And for once Wych Hazel would have been quite willing to have him stay. 'What would her "other guardian" say to her, for such meddling in his affairs? such tampering with masculine business?' She retreated behind her salver, and sat there sugaring Mr. Rollo's empty cup, but not counting the lumps this time. Rollo however hardly justified her fears. He did come and sit own beside her, and he did relieve her hand of the sugar tongs and kiss it, and from there the kiss did come to her lips; but it was all done so gently and gracefully and deferentially, as if he had been a knight and she a lady of olden time.

'How am I going to thank you, Wych?' he said.

'There is never a good way of doing needless things.'

'No. But hardly anything at this moment could have given me equal satisfaction. The way is cleared for me to work without hindrance. I'll plant the banks with wych hazel!'

'You will have a grand clearing away again, if you do. Then you really are glad, Mr. Rollo?'

'You do not mean to say that you will pull up what I plant?'

'I said you would. See,' she said, not ready for repartee or discussion or much of anything else to-night, 'you have cut short your allowance of sugar, and quite prevented the cream. Give me the sugar tongs, please.'

Divining that it was in some sort a help to her, he quietly let her have her way; and did not tell her how fully creamed and sugared he tasted his cup to be that night.

'I have learnt a lesson,' he drily said after he had watched her. 'Whenever I want to give you anything, I shall know henceforth that you would like nothing so well as power.'

She smiled a little bit, looking down at her folded hands, but she did not say a word. And Dane drank his coffee, for form's sake, without knowing whether there was either sugar or cream in it. And then he took Wych Hazel away from the table, and talked of things as far as possible from weddings and journeyings; till Arthur came again.

Dr. Arthur did not come in. But when his friend, in obedience to the summons, had reached the door of the red room, his progress was stayed.

'Mr. Rollo,'came falteringly from the grave figure he had left standing by the fire,'could you stop one minute?'

It is needless to say that Rollo's steps paused and came back instantly.

'Nobody to speak but me, nobody to consult but him!' the girl thought as he approached her. It was rather hard, just now. But things had to be done.

'I will not detain you,' she said, hesitating over her words,'not long,but you did not tell mewill you tell mehow much time I have?'

As gently as if it had been her mother's, Rollo's arm came round her.

'Just as much time as you choose!' he answered. 'I must go to New York the day after Christmas,that is, Friday; but the times that concern you are in your own hand. I was going to write you a note to-morrow, to ask you about it. Supposing that you go with me, we must be married either Friday morning, before we set out; or Christmas evening. I must be all Christmas day busy in the Hollow; but I could be here by five o'clock. What would you like best?'

Hard to say!

'The Marylands were coming here to spend Christmas,' said Hazel,'and they were so pleasedI do not like to forbid them. So it cannot be Thursday. How early Friday?'

'Six miles to drive to the station, and must take the morning train. It's not quite an "owl train"but comes along. I believe, by eight o'clock. Why Hazel, if the Marylands will be all here Christmas, that will just fit.'

'Fit Friday. You could reach the train in time still, could you not?' she said timidly. It was dreadful to mix herself up with other people's business in this way!

'It shall be as you like, Hazel. It would be a little sharp work, to drive Dr. Maryland over here in the morning, time enough for breakfast and for the other drive afterwards. The words to be said, that you dread so much, I suppose will take very few minutes; but they must have a few. I could drive all night contentedly, with them in prospect; but it is somewhat different for him.'

Dr. Maryland!Yes, Hazel saw that at a glance. She had left him quite out of her calculations. It must be Christmas.

'Then will you tell them they cannot come?' she said. 'Only do not say why. Do not tell anybody that, till the last minute.'

'Tell them not to come? Why no, you do not mean that? Will you forbid Prim, and Arthur, to be with us?'

'I am forgetting everything but myself,' said the girl with a gesture of impatience. Of course,they were in effect his brother and sister. And she could not be so discourteous as to bid them dine at home. 'But you will not tell them, beforehand?' she said eagerly.

'Not a word!' he said smiling. 'But when shall we have the thing done? before dinner, or after?'

'After. You know,' said Hazel, explaining her strange request, 'there is nobody in the world who loves me much, to say words or send tokens,and I could not bear them from other people. You may tell Dr. Arthurif you must tell somebody.'

'I shall not tell anybody,' said Dane comfortingly. 'Dear Dr. Maryland, I suppose, would like a little forewarning of what is coming upon him; but he has married enough people in his time to be used to it. I shall tell nobody until the time comes.'

'I will not keep you' Hazel said then, after a minute's silence. 'I have kept you too long now.' Then two impetuous words rushed out. 'If only!'

'Well?' said Dane, without stirring.

'Nothing,it is not anything you could grant. I know it is impossible; but if only I need not be at that dinner!'

'You need not, if you do not choose,' said Dane caressingly. 'I will do my best to be head and foot of the table at once. But when the time comes, you will choose to be there, Hazel. Christmas day, and such a glad one for you and me!'

There came a quiver round the mouth and a glitter behind the eyelashes, but Hazel kept her voice.

'Go now, please,' she said, laying her fingers on his hand. 'You have had enough of my whims for one day,just goand forget them all.'

CHAPTER XXII.

PREPARATORY FREAKS.

Hazel could not tell how she had borne herself, through all that trying evening. But when the evening was over, then she felt as if she could not have held out one minute more: with the wheels of Dr. Arthur's buggy rolled away the last mite of her self-control. One half minute longer of such tension, and she should have broken down, and called back her promise, and done everything else to be sorry for next day. It even seemed to her as she stood there, with all the repressed excitement in "a light low," as if she could not bear the room itself; and (almost) the people who had been in it. As if she was wild and frantic and beside herself generally. She flew off upstairsnot now to solitary musings and lonely questionings, but straight to the housekeeper's room,and was down on her knees with her face hid in Mrs. Bywank's lap, before anybody, herself included, had chance to breathe. For there are times, when in all the world there is nothing like a woman, after all. And in all the world, this was the one woman to whom she could come. But she would not speak nor look up nor at first answer questions; only hid her face closer than ever.

Now Mrs. Bywank had seen enough of her young lady, to know that every real heart sorrow Wych Hazel took to her own room alone. Also that any emergency of accident or fear, would be acted upon first, before getting the upper hand. Moreover the one look she caught as Miss Wych came in, told her much: the sweet flushed face, the shy eyes that avoided everything; the stirred, moved, frightened set of the mouth,Mrs Bywank was old, and drew her conclusions. Not for many contingencies would Miss Wych have a fit of the nerves like this.

'So?' she said soothingly, laying her hand on the restless curls. 'Is that it! I thought there wouldn't be much waiting now!'Which brought such a sudden start and twist, that Mrs. Bywank smiled to herself and knew she was right.

'And when is it to be, Miss Wych?'

'When I have breathed twice and turned round three times.'

'My dear!' remonstrated Mrs. Bywank. 'I am sure'

'You are sure of nothing!' said the girl quickly. 'And I am not. Not sure of myself. Not sure of anybody or anything.'

'Except Mr. Rollo,' said the old housekeeper quietly; smiling softly then at the success of her spell, for Hazel was silent. 'But that is the great point. And as I was saying, Miss Wych, I am sure I am glad; for I have been worried to death about you.'

'You ought to be worried to death about me now,' said Wych Hazel. 'I am worried to death about myself.'

'Yes?' said the old housekeeper fondly, curling the dark hair round her fingers. 'Are you my dear? What about, Miss Wych?'

'How can it go right, or be right, when it is all disagreeable?' said the girl. 'It ought to be pleasantand it all isn't!'

'It's all new, just now, my dear.'

'Never to be free again!' said Hazel. 'Never to have my own way or do as I please!'

'Ah,' said Mrs. Bywank, 'that was Eve's fault! But with a man like Mr. Rollo, Miss Wych, it will be your own if it gives you much trouble.'

'Things generally are, that do,' said Hazel. But she sighed a little, putting her face closer down in her hands. 'Byo,' she said after a pause, getting hold of the old housekeeper's hand now and laying her face there, 'it is very, very hard to have it so soon! I have not thought,I am not ready,I feel just as if I should fly!'

There was no gainsaying part of this, and Mrs. Bywank tried petting and coaxing instead of reason, for awhile.

'But think how lonely Mr. Rollo is, Miss Wych,' she said, trying a diversion. 'Think what a two months he has had just now!'

'I am thinking about myself,' said the girl shortly.

'And I am thinking about your cake,' said Mrs. Bywank. 'If it was a little earlier, I'd go at the raisins to-night.'

Wych Hazel started up with an exclamation.

'Now stop!' she said. 'If you begin to make a bit of fuss, I shall run away. Who wants cake? People can eat cake at other times, I suppose.'

'I suppose they can,' said Mrs. Bywank laughing, 'but this is a good time too. You must have your cake.'

'There will be no dress to stand with it,' said Hazel. 'The cake will feel lonelylike me.'

Mrs. Bywank sighed a little, stroking the pretty head.

'My dear,' she said, 'you will be dressed, whatever you wear.'

'Can you guess how?' said Wych Hazel. 'I have not heart to put on a white dress. And I could not get a new one here, if I wanted it, and I could not have it made up, if I did. And I wouldn't, if I could.'

'No,' said the old housekeeper, 'so my dear mistress said. "Bywank, it will be dreary work for my little Wych to choose her own wedding dress all alone. I must get it for her." Then she sat and thought awhile"No," she said,"the white would turn yellow, and the dark would fade." And she stopped for a good while then,' said the old housekeeper in a trembling voice; 'but by and by she spoke up, soft and tender"Bywank, if it is so,if it should be so,tell her to take some one she has; and give her my veil.And when she is wrapped in my loveand Dane's loveshe will not mind the dress." And you were asleep on her lap all the while, my dear.'

Hazel was sobbing quietly in the old housekeeper's arms before the words were ended; but then she rose up, and kissed Mrs. Bywank on both cheeks, and went away.

And for awhile she felt better,tears and coaxing can sometimes do much. She went to bed and to sleep, prepared to wake up next morning and do her duty, and be a pattern of all the wise, steady, and practical virtues. Instead of which, Miss Wych opened her eyes upon more freaks than had come at her call for many a day.

It was clear, sharp, winter weather, without snow; and the first fancy that seized the girl, even while she was dressing, was to spend every minute of spare time in the woods, while still they were hers. No use to reason with herself, or refute such a statement of things,out she must go; and out she didevery possible bit of the next three days. Too conscious to let any one know where she was, not liking to have even Lewis look on; she would elude Mrs. Bywank, and post Lewis in some good open spot where he could walk himself warm and be within hailing distance. Then she would wander off, her whistle at her belt, and roam about from tree to tree and rock to rock of her beloved woods, coming home so tired!Always in time for Rollo, if he was expected, never seeing any one else.

Then, except when he was there, she never sat a minute in the red room, though the fire was made there regularly, but sometimes she would wander over the old house in like manner, if the weather kept her indoors; sitting up late and rising up early, as if she grudged every minute spared from these last days. It was not good for her, this way of going on, and did by no means tend to steadiness of nerves; but no one knew who could interfere, and this time Mrs. Bywank would not tell. She did all the worrying to herself, with a sore heart.

It was a sore heart her young lady took with her in her wanderings,in all her life Wych Hazel had never felt so utterly alone. No wonder she was grave when anybody saw her; no wonder reserve seemed to grow and deepen as Christmas came near. And there was another disappointment: the pretty Christmas doings of which she had thought so much, had lost all interest now. She had written one order and given others concerning supplies for the Charteris men; but all like a machine, with no pleasure nor life. Nothing was her doing any more,what did it matter? And when in a quiet moment, at night perhaps, she would get hold of herself, and look at her own goings on; then it turned all to falsehood and treachery and every other hard name she could think of, until Hazel felt as if her cup of troubles was quite running over; and that if Rollo could know, he would never want to set eyes on her again. Ought she to tell him? Tell him what?that he was the very centre of her life, only unhappily not just now a centre of rest. That was the sum of it all, when she footed things up; and no shyness nor freaks nor self-will would change that. The mere fact that there was no one else in the world, for her, made her cling to the very sound of his name, and so seem shyeras he saidthan any bird that ever flew. It was to be hoped, in these days, that he was good at interpreting negatives, and reading things upside down, for not much else came to his eyes. Only somehow she so far managed herself, that no slightest roughness ever came out towards him. A little abruptness now and then,otherwise the extremest grave reserve, but graceful to a point.

He was pretty good help. Wych Hazel did not, it is true, see very much of him; the short days were full of business in the Hollow and he could not always get away; however he managed to come to dinner several times that week. And then he was full of talk and interest, full of quiet care and attention, but as calm and unconscious, seemingly, as if he had never heard of his wedding day. Only, Wych Hazel felt more and more in his manner that quality of reverential tenderness, which is the crowning grace a man can shew to a woman, and which a man never shews to any woman but one. It marks her as invested with a kind of halo in his eyes; as sacred and separate from the common world for evermore; while it is itself a sort of glory of division between her an them, even in the apprehension of the same world.

CHAPTER XXIII.

FOR BETTER FOR WORSE.

The sun of that short Christmas day was already dipping behind the tall Chickaree woods, laying bars of light and threads of gold where once green leaves had been, when Dr. Maryland's little sleigh came jingling up the long hill road to the door of the house. There had been a heavy fall of snow two days before, and wanderings and ridesand everything but sleighinghad been effectually stopped. Only the doctor and his two daughters were in the sleigh; for Dr. Arthur was helping his friend in the Hollow, to appear with him by and by at dinner-time. But this day Wych Hazel did not come running to meet them, as sometimes. The ladies were ushered and waited on by Phoebe in one of the state rooms; and Dr. Maryland was taken care of in another to match, so full of wax candles and firelight and cheval glasses, that whether it was himself or the attendant that confronted him at every turn, the doctor could hardly tell. For though there was lingering sunlight still out of doors, shutters were closed and candles lighted all over the house, in every open room but Wych Hazel's own. In her special room of rooms and retreat of retreats upstairs, the afternoon sun came glinting in as long as it would, and for a successor had only the twilight. And there she knelt by the window, gazing out on the fired tree tops, and the gathering shades, till she heard the sleigh bells come. Yes, till she heard the steps go down the staircase, and the door of the great drawing-room open and close behind her guests. O if Mr. Falkirk was there! she thought. And then came Phoebe with a message, to know if Mrs. Borresen might see her. Gyda was at once asked to come upstairs.

Hazel met her standing, in the middle of the room. It was in half gloom by this time; but even by the faint light Hazel could see the glitter of the embroidery on the Norwegian jacket. Gyda was in great state. The fair, mild, old face Hazel could not well see; the voice was its fit interpreter. Gyda came forward and kissed her hand.

'How is my dear lad's lady to-night?'

The adjective did double duty; but the tone was unmistakeably tender and anxious. Hazel had met her with both hands stretched out; now she drew her along gently to a chair.

'Sit down,' she said. 'I can be spared a few minutes.' But she herself stood still, keeping fast her hold. 'I am glad you have come. Are you well?after all that fatigue?'

'Doesn't my lady know, there is no evil to them that trust in Him?'

'Yes.'

'It is a glad day for me, my dear; but I know the heart of a young maiden, and that it's not altogether a glad day for you. Can my lad's old nurse be any use? He told me to see if I could; that's why I'm bold to ask.'

Hazel passed her little fingers softly over Gyda's hand; she did not speak at once.

'Perhapsafter dinner. Will you sit here after dinner till I come? Now I must go.'

Hazel put her visiter in Mrs. Bywank's charge, and giving herself no time to think ran down stairs.

The great drawing-room was all ablaze, with hickory sticks and wax candles, and the reflected sheen from old chairbacks, and brass andirons, and silver sconces. The turkey carpet on the floor alone absorbed and hid the light. Into this glow came Wych Hazel suddenly and softly. She was in one of her brilliant toilettes to- night; one that made Mrs. Coles open her eyes, and forget for a minute to open her mouth; and must have plunged Prim in a puzzle. One vivid spot on either cheek, and the silky hair in curls and waves and rings of its own making, and the brown eyes looking somewhere where you could not follow,it was better than a picture to see her, it was almost like music to hear her tread.

But old admirers of Miss Kennedy knew well, that a brilliant toilette did not bespeak the lady to be easy of access. So it was to- night; she was unapproachable. It was like looking at the fire through a glass screen. Yet she was very affectionate to Primrose, a little stately to Mrs. Coles; and gave Dr. Maryland's hand a grip of her small fingers which would have gone to his heart had he known what it meant.

'My dear!' said Mrs. Coles, 'you look as if you expected a party. It isn't true, is it? I thought we were asked to just a family gathering.'

'I expect only the gentlemen from the Hollow,' said Wych Hazel. 'Prim, are you quite warm?'

'It makes me warm only to look at you,' said prim admiringly. 'Oh Hazel, you do know how to dress beautifully.' Prim's eyes were wondering as well as admiring, and a trifle speculative also.

'It is of no use to dress for gentlemen, Miss Kennedy,' said Prim's sister, shaking her head, the fair bandeaux of which were in excellent order. 'They never know what we have on. It is mortifyingbut it's a fact.'

'Facts about oneself often are,' said Hazel. 'But fiction comes in to set things straight.'

'I am thinking,' said Mrs. Coles, in a half whisper and with a smile, 'how Dane's principles will harmonize, by and by, with Hazel's practice. Will he hold himself responsible, Prim, do you suppose?or will he console himself with the reflection that he cannot help it? Though if Dane Rollo does that, it will be the first time in his life. What are his notions about dress, now-a-days, Miss Kennedy? has he revealed them to you yet? I don't see any change in his own.'

'I think I know more of my own notions,' said the girl. 'Dr. Maryland, you have taken the very hardest chair in the room! This is the one you ought to have, by me.'

'You have a pretty house, my dear,' said the old doctor as he obediently made the change. 'I never saw it look prettier than it does to-night. A handsome old house! I hope Dane won't want to make any changes here. If he does, don't let him, my dear.'

'He won't,' said Prim. 'What an idea, papa! Dane has some sense.'

'When anybody gets in the spirit of change, though,' said Prudentia,'you never know how far it will go. He may think one end of the house suitable for a hospital; or build an addition for a refuge.'

'Prue, you do talk nonsense,' said her sister. 'Hazel wouldn't like that; and Dane wouldn't like what she wouldn't like.'

'Wouldn't he?' Mrs. Coles responded, with a little, most disagreeable laugh.

'Hazel will be able to regulate all that,' said Dr. Maryland. 'I don't think Dane would do what she would disapprove of. Ha, here they are!'

The jingle of the sleigh bells was heard passing the windows; and for a minute all the party were silent. And the Christmas wind moaned in the chimney, as much as to say, 'I have seen many a Christmas here; you are all new comers, compared to me.' And Wych Hazel sat trying to manage herself, with her heart on the jump. She had been breathless and speechless during the late pleasant little discussion of her affairs, but now for the moment even Mrs. Coles was forgotten. The next thing was a message from Mrs. Bywank; could Miss Wych step to the housekeeper's room for a moment? And in the housekeeper's room Hazel found only one person, and that one was not Mrs. Bywank.

He met her eagerly, and at the same time with the manner of reverential tenderness she was accustomed to have from him lately; as if he remembered how alone she was, and that he must be mother and lover and all in one. And she did her best to give him a smile; but he got it most in the low-toned intonation, after all, with which she answered his question, how she was?

'You did not get the Christmas gift I had intended for you,' he went on; and if his eye had a sparkle of joy in it, his face and manner were as grave and quiet as consideration for her could have suggested. 'I have been disappointed, much to my mortification. The carriage has not come. I had ordered a pony chaise to be here, which I thought you would like. The pony is on the stable.'

She glanced up at him and down, with quick changes in her face, but somehow words would not come. His words touched too many things,and things would not bear touching, to-night. And she could not say a common "thank you"; she could not talk of the trouble he had taken; and pleasure was rather hull down at present, with some leagues of uncertain weather between. No use!

'How could you find time?' she said timidly. But again the voice supplemented the words; and Rollo probably did not feel himself unthanked, for he went on with no want of content in his voice.

'I have left all happy in the Hollow. Every house has a Christmas dinner; and your sugarplums are making life sweet to the souls of young and old. Charteris men and all; every house has comfort in it to-night. I wish you could have seen a few of the faces that came to thank me. You know, I sent off the parcels to the several houses; so for a while I worked on free enough; but when the thing began to get wind, men, women and children came collecting about me, looking on with great eyes of wonder, and some eyes of tears, and muttered wordsI can tell you, I wished them all away!'

There was a suspicious sympathetic softness in Rollo's own eyes, which complemented his words.

'Then the Charteris men at last set up petitioning. Wouldn't I have mercy on them?'And Dane broke off short, and turned to the table where lay a jewel case.

'Here is a sugarplum for you, Hazel,' he said presently, with his voice clear again. 'You do not want sugarplumsbut I want you to have this.'

What he took out was an old-fashioned, rather massive, gold chatelaine; heavy and rich and quaint, with various trinkets fastened and hanging to it.

'This makes you my castle-keeper,' said Dane, proceeding to attach it properly to Wych Hazel's belt. 'My mother used to wear it. This,'taking up a little gold key,'you will observe, is the key of your money-box. These seals you will study at your leisure. Here is a wee gold compass, Hazel; this is symbolical. It means, "Know where you are, and take care which way you go." Your vinaigrette you will never get again. I shall have to find you another.'

The jewel hung richly at Wych Hazel's side, giving a curious touch of stateliness to the little lady. Indeed little she was not, in matter of stature; it was the extreme daintiness of every detail that gave occasion to the epithet. Dane's eyes took the effect. Hazel stood looking down, possibly taking the effect too. Then she turned short about.

'I have nothing to give you,' she said,'exceptYou will think all my gifts are in one line.'

She was gone out of the room in a moment, but in another moment or two was back again, and holding in her hand a little gold locket. 'I found it one day among the old things, and I thought, perhaps, you might like'

She touched the spring and laid the open locket in his hand. It was an exquisite miniature of herself as a child; the Wych Hazel of six years old, in a white frock. A few hurried words finished the sentence.'Might like to see what they gave you, so long ago.'

In all true manliness there is a large element of tenderness; and something stirred the tenderness in this man more than he cared to shew. Wych Hazel's mood needed no exciting. He was very still for a few minutes, looking at the locket, with eyelids dropped too low for her to see his eyes; then he turned to kiss her.

'I do not take this from your hand, Hazel, but from your mother's. You cannot give me anything to-day but the original. I hope she will know how I hold both.'

It was time to rejoin the people in the drawing-room, but it suited Hazel to let Dane go in by himself and to follow afterwards alone. She did not so escape Mrs. Coles.

'I thought,' remarked that lady with a significant smile, 'that your housekeeper was too skilled in her business to need consultation with anybody.'

'Prudentia,' said Dane, 'you are not looking well.'

'That is very impolitefrom a gentleman to a lady.'

'Not from a brother to a sister, though.'

A flush rose into Mrs. Coles' cheeks, which were pale enough, and a strange confusion of expressions for a moment reigned there. She was plainly surprised, evidently gratified, as evidently very much puzzled. Withal, so much moved, from whatever cause, that her features were not quite under command and her answer was scarce intelligible.

'She's been a little weakish, or so,' said her father, 'She don't complain much.'

'What's good for you?' said Dane.

'It is good for her to be out,' said Prim. 'But you know we can't much in this weather. Arthur drives her out sometimes; but Prue don't like his driving so fast. Do all doctors drive fast? Why can't they go like other people?'

'Policy. If we drove slowly, people would say we had small practice.'

Dr. Arthur found it unusually hard to get his hands warm to-night, and still stood up by the fire taking notice. Among other things there was not a flower in all the rooms. Nor a wreath, nor anything that even looked like decoration. The doctor's quick eyes went from the unadorned rooms to Wych Hazel's dress, and her face, and Dane's face. After which, Dr. Arthur professed himself comfortable, and sat down. But a little silence had fallen upon the people; and the wind moaned in the chimney again.

'It is a sweet time, this Christian time,' said Primrose. 'I always enjoy it. It feels like Christmas, somehow, here to-night. Listen to that wind. I dare say it is going to snow again. But it sounds like Christmas.'

'Why?' said Dane.

'I can't tell the why of things,' said Primrose. 'I suppose I have been thinking of your doings in the Hollow, Duke. Wasn't it good?'

'It was very good, Prim. It is good now to think of. Yes, it does feel like Christmas, as you say. All Mill Hollow is happy to-night. No! I'm too hasty. The Charteris men cannot be happy; for they don't know what is to become of them when their Christmas beef is gone!'

'What will become of them, Dane?' said Primrose, looking very anxious.

'There is no hope for them, except in the mills going on with work.'

'And is there any hope of that?' said Mrs. Coles.

'Not unless somebody buys them off Charteris's hands.'

'Perhaps you'll do that.'

'I should hardly think that would be prudent,' said Dr. Maryland. 'Dane's responsibilities are large as it is.'

'Miss Kennedy, perhaps?' suggested Mrs. Coles. 'Hasn't Dane touched your heart for the mill people, Miss Kennedy?'

She turned for a better look into Hazel's face; but Rollo interfered again.

'You forget she is under guardians, Prudentia. What would Mr. Falkirk say?'

'How comes it Mr. Falkirk is not here?to-night of all nights!' said Dr. Arthur suddenly. He was sitting by Wych Hazel, and she answered pretty steadily, though certain intuitions were waking up concerning his face.

'Mr. Falkirk wrote that he could not come back for Christmas, nor perhaps until spring.'

'He does not take the same pleasure in it that Prim does,' Rollo remarked.

The dinner bugle, and the opened door, cut short all further comment upon Mr. Falkirk. Wych Hazel went in upon Dr. Maryland's arm, with a strange feeling of its being the last time, the last of her entertainments, which had been so pretty and popular. So she felt when in her place at the head of the table, with Dr. Maryland on her right and Dr. Arthur on her left. There were flowers enough here, the table was in a glow. Not stiff baskets and made-up bouquets, but cut flowers in every sort of dish and arrangement for which there was room; from the low narrow border of violets and rosebuds which fenced off the plates, to parian shells and fairy glasses and a bewildering pyramid in the centre. The very candlesticks were wreathed. No gardener's work; those who had seen such before knew the touch of Wych Hazel's own fingers. She hardly knew it herself; and eyes that watched her might catch now and then a dreamy look at the flowers, wondering if she had arranged them!if she should ever arrange any more.

Besides this the table was bountiful of course with the old Chickaree silver and china and glass; and by each plate, on the rich damask, lay a separate, individual knot of flowers, with a scroll around it, naming the guest. These were culled flowers; but Dr. Arthur took notice that Wych Hazel did not even handle her own, but left it where it lay.

Then, shielded under each napkin, was some pretty token of Christmas. A weighty book, for which Dr. Maryland had been longing; and for Dr. Arthur a fine field glass. Mrs. Coles rejoiced in the prettiest ring she had ever possessed; while by Prim lay a heap of little articles,a fruit knife, a gold thimble, a superb cutting-out scissors a foot long.

'That must be the very tool employed by Bluebeard!' said Dr. Arthur. 'I always marvelled at the clever celerity of his work. Prim, when you are married you must give that to me.'

'Looks suspicious for his wife!' said Dane.

'I like thoughts in such things,' said Dr. Arthur, looking towards the foot of the table and the bonbonnire that stood by Rollo's plate; a good-sized wheelbarrow loaded with cotton-bales of French candy. 'Which is it Dane?work in sugar, or sugar in work?'

'The two terms are so transposable, I need not trouble myself much to find out which.'

So the dinner went merrily on. Of course Mrs. Bywank's part of it was unsurpassed; and but one thing was missing to which guests there were accustomedWych Hazel's laugh. But her attention to the guests never failed, and if she only played with her dinner, and if she was all the time living a double life and carrying on two trains of thought, few people found it out. Once indeed, apropos to some demand for roast beef, she wandered quite off to Morton Hollow and the Charteris men; and then of a sudden the lips parted in a full smile, and the brown eyes went down the table to Rollo for sympathy. A moment of forgetfulness followed by one of great confusion, as she remembered that he could not possibly know what she was smiling at. Hazel was glad to drop her napkin or do anything else to put her face out of sight. As for Dane, his part that evening might be described as filling gaps. He did it admirably. Perhaps he was not to be greatly credited for that, inasmuch as happiness is a great lubricator of the social wheels. He did it, at any rate, easily and coolly too, according to his usual wont. He talked to Dr. Maryland, was affectionate to Prim, amused Mrs. Coles, watched over Wych Hazel and took care of her if ever an emergency in the conversation made it desirable.

The evening in the drawing-room sped quite merrily away, and only the quick flutter of the lace round Wych Hazel's throat, told of something hidden and not at rest. Some European views for the stereoscope were brought out of their corner, and Rollo led the talk in the direction thus indicated, where he had plenty to say. Suddenly passing to Wych Hazel's side he sat down and said half softly,

'There is another view we were going to shew thema new one is it ready to be introduced? or will it come better later?'

He got another quick look then,searching, exploring,a look to be remembered.

'Give me a few minutes'

And presently, when no one was looking, the little lady flitted away out of the room.

It is fair to say that the gentleman so far lost his presence of mind for some minutes thereafter, as to be justly chargeable with what is called absence. He scarcely answered the observations addressed to him, and made several on his own account without very well knowing what he was talking about. And so, for a little, if Time "gallopped" up stairs, he went rather slowly, with one or two at least, in the drawing-room. Dr. Arthur presently drew off from the views and took position again by the mantel-piece,probably to hear the Christmas wind, which was very musical just then. And probably the doctor's thoughts too wandered off; for after a while he took a pair of white gloves from his pocket and began abstractedly to fit them on.

'Arthur!' said Mrs. Coles severely, whose eyes were never known to be off duty,'what can you be about?'

'That's the way some people do,' said Rollo after a quick glance; 'they are never ready for an occasion till the occasion is half over.'

'But what is the "occasion"?' said Mrs. Coles.

'Christmas day at Chickareedinnerand, Arthur seems to think, ceremony.'

'Look at Arthur, Prim,' said her sister.

'It is a leisure moment,' said Dr. Arthur fastening a button,'and I so seldom have leisure in which to try on new gloves. One of the minor comforts of life, is having your gloves fit.' And Dr. Arthur glanced at Dane from under his brows, and went back to his other glove and the Christmas wind again.

'I declare,' said Prudentia, 'I think you are very unceremonious!'

'Extremes meet,here as often elsewhere,' replied Dane.

'But what have you been getting new white gloves for, Arthur?' asked his younger sister.

'They look better than old ones, Prim,when they fit.'

'Has Molly Seaton sent you cards for her wedding?'

'I dare say.What about it?'

'She hasn't,nor anybody else,' said Rollo.

'Useless things'said Dr. Arthur. 'I am glad they have not come.'

Another time Dane might have discussed the subject; but not to- night. He was silent. And as people catch the hidden influences abroad in the air, the others grew silent too, not knowing why, thinking it was the wind which drew their attention. Dr. Arthur, leaning against the mantelpiece with his eyes on the floor, in an attitude of keen listening, had plainly forgotten his gloves; and the fire snapped softly, and the red coals fell, and still nobody spoke. Until, when some little time had passed by, there came a sound of steps in the hall,steps slow and rather heavy; and the door opened softly, and a vision came in. Not hers the steps they had heard; so noiselessly she came in, so vision-like she looked, so lovely, so girlish in her loveliness, that a caught breath, a half exclamation, greeted her on all hands. The glittering dress was all changed. Not for the white clouds in which her mother might have arrayed her, nor for anything that should make her conspicuous, or could be so. More for seclusion than for show, Wych Hazel had chosen her bridal dress. Dark,so dark that the depths of folds might have been black, and only the light-touched edges threw off a sea-green reflet; with no ornaments but the chtelaine at her side, with no adornment but her own silky hair in its own wayward arrangement. To all this there was just one addition. Hazel had taken the lace veil,exquisite in pattern, cobweb-like in texture, and laid it across her head like a Spanish mantilla, from whence it came down about her on all sides to the floor, leaving only the face and the front of the dress clear. One little ungloved hand held the lace lightly together; for gloves that there was nobody to take off, Hazel could not put on.

Mrs. Bywank and Reo followed close behind her, behind them old Gyda. But there is something in a crisis which stills some natures; and while the faces of the faithful old retainers, weatherbeaten with life's alternating wind and sun, worked and stirred with emotion, the girl herself was quiet and composed, with almost the grave childish calm of her own little picture. Her step was a little quick, but even the colour did not stir, until when after the first three steps into the room there came a minute's hesitation, as if she did not quite know where to go, now she was there. If any others of the household followedas probably they didthose who looked saw only the three; and perhaps the glitter of Gyda's embroidery just behind.

Just while Wych Hazel made those three steps into the room, there was a pause upon all that saw her. A half smothered 'My dear!' came from Mrs. Coles' astonished lips, and was arrested mid way. For so many seconds Dane did not move, losing everything else in the direct vision; but then he was at Wych Hazel's side immediately and gave her his arm. A great light had come up into his face, all the light of a smile, but he was not smiling. He led Wych Hazel forward till they stood at the edge of the semicircle which had spread out right and left of the table, everybody having risen to his feet.

'You see what we want of you, Dr. Maryland,' he said. 'Will you do us the greatest favour you ever can do us?'

'My dear boy!Dane!' exclaimed the old doctor in bewilderment,'is it possible? Is this little lady ready on such short notice?'

'She is ready,'replied Dane, with a hidden ring of strength and tenderness in his voice that only one person could fairly comprehend. And Dr. Maryland seeing them stand still waiting before him was fain to believe his eyes and began to bestir himself to make his preparations. Not many were needed.

'There is a Bible on that table yonder, Arthur,' said Rollo, standing like a rock. Mrs. Coles by this time found breath.

'But Dane!My dear Miss Kennedy!you don't surely mean to do without having a wedding?'

'Hush, Prue!' said her sister.

'But I never heard of such a thing in my life!'

Nobody heeded her.

Dr. Maryland was ready, and Dane leading Wych Hazel to a place in front of him, dropped her arm and stood beside her. It was time, for a crisis will not bear tampering with; and the girl had grown visibly paler under pressure of Mrs. Coles, and hands were trembling a little, and lips almost. Then she drew herself up with her old quick gesture, and sealed all that, and hid it away. And it was but a few minutes. There was no want of sympathy in Dr. Maryland's sweet, grave ministration; a little accent of gladness was here and there perceptible, and his prayers were exceedingly earnest and loving. The words of address he directed to the two young people were searching and stirring words, such as Dr. Maryland could well speak; but it was all swiftly over, though his utterances were the reverse of swift. On the contrary, they were tender and deliberate. But even so, it was quickly over, and Hazel was receiving the congratulations of her little knot of friends.

Now character came out. The old Doctor's touch of her brow was hearty enough but a little formal. Prim's kiss was trembling. Prudentia's was the impact of wooden lips, moveless and hard; one would have said, sinister, if an expressionless thing could be said to have expression. All the notes of the scale were between her husband's kiss and that, Dr. Arthur almost making up for the rest with his glad, brotherly greeting for Hazel and a brother's wring of the hand for Dane. But from them all, Wych Hazel turned and threw her arms round Mrs. Bywank. Restraining herself then with a great effort, she raised her head and took Reo's hand in both of hers; but not a word passed on either side. And Gyda, who had meekly waited her turn, drew near and lifted one of Wych Hazel's hands to her old lips. She too said nothing audibly, and made way for others of the household who were bashfully coming in.

'Now will you tell me, Dane,' began Mrs. Coles, when the pause at her end of the room had lasted, as she thought long enough, 'why you and Miss Kennedy have done things in this unheard-of sort of style?'

Perhaps Dane thought it was not a proper question, for he folded his arms and did not answer. Perhaps he did not hear her; for, though with no outward token of it, he was somewhat anxiously watching Wych Hazel.

'What made you do things in this way, to disappoint all the world?' The lady's face wore a smile which was meant to be gracious, however the words sounded not so.

'Prue,' said Prim, 'people have a right to be married in their own way.'

'But my dear!Don't you think you owe something to society, Dane? In your position?'

'I never understood my obligations to society,' said Dane carelessly.

'But do you think it is fair, to disappoint all the world?'

'Always fair to disappoint improper curiosity.'

'Well, but why is that improper curiosity?'

'Curiosity about other people's business,' said Dane good- humouredly.

'And do you call that improper?'

'I suppose not,when custom has made it seem to be your own business.'

'That's it; custom has made it not only seem but be so. And I think it is perfectly natural and reasonable and proper. When does a lady show to more advantage than on her wedding-day? And why should not the world have the benefit of it?'

'I do not know why not,' said Dane smiling,'if it suits the parties concerned.'

'Why didn't it suit you, you jealous Musulman?'

'When a lady has never been seen to advantage,' remarked Dr. Arthur,'that may alter the case. Her Grace is hardly one of those.'

Not one word had come from Hazel's lips, that anybody heard, since those few which nobody was likely to forget. Indeed she had kept herself rather off from the group, among her own dependants, one and all of whom had by degrees filled up the background. And it was no trifle to give even a touch of the hand to all those eager retainers; the touch and the look, which was all she ventured. Now the room was clearing again; and whether Hazel had heard all the talk or no, her cheeks gave swift token that Dr. Arthur's last sentence had reached her ears. "Her Grace"she could not throw off the title any more.

But whatever the rights of the public may be in the matter of seeing, the right of discussing, with the parties at hand, Hazel plainly thought needed a check. So the next thing that attracted or distractedMrs. Coles, was the soft ringing peal of her little whistle; and answering promptly to that, the tea bugle. Then the door flew open, and Dingee brought in the tea-service. The tray, with the rarest old china cups, which even Rollo had never seen, followed by Mrs. Bywank's cakes and other home-like dainties. And Wych Hazel glided off to the rather distant table, gathering in Mrs. Bywank and Reo and Gyda for her train; and hid herself behind the hot water kettle, putting its soft cloud of steam between her and all disturbance for the time being. Then Reo was sent to build up the fires,he was a rare hand at that; and Dingee was despatched for something else; and Hazel demanded little bits of help from the other two near her; talking softly to them, it was plain, though still with the same grave young face. But the whole picture was sweeter than anybody could tell.

Looking at it, from his place in the other group, something drew Rollo's steps that way; slow, quiet steps, which however brought him to Gyda's side, whom Hazel had seated at the table. While he was safe with her, Wych Hazel watched her chance, and the next thing Dr. Maryland knew, she had brought and set down by him on the table the perfection of a cup of tea. Without a word she was away again and back in her place behind the tea urn; where with Gyda et her side and the delight of Gyda's eyes standing there near the table, Hazel took up the sugar tongs again and tried to remember what amount of sweetening commonly sufficed for Mrs. Coles.

'Now Dane,' said that lady, with a kind of acid sweetness of manner, as Rollo brought her the cup,'do tell me why you have conducted things in that way?'

Rollo looked grave and asked what things.

'Why you know! Have you sent out any cards?'

'Have you sent out any cards, Hazel?'

'Things must be sent in before they can be sent out,' said the young lady, who having dismissed Dingee had come herself for Dr. Maryland's cup.

'Ambiguous'said Dane turning to Mrs. Coles; 'but I take the sense of it to be, that no cards were sent. That is not unprecedented.'

'For people situated just as you are, my dear, it is. Now tell me don't you want all these peopleI mean, everybody in generalto visit you?'

'Ambiguous again,' said Dane smiling at last a little. 'Suppose, for the sake of argument, that we do!'

'Then why not pay them the customary compliment of telling them so?'

'But suppose, on the other hand, that we do not?'

'Why you certainly know,' replied Mrs. Coles with some asperity, 'whether you want them. Do you? or don't you?'

'I think I might say,' answered Dane demurely, 'we do,and we do not.'

'But that is nonsense, Dane.'

'Is it?'

'You ought to want them.'

'WellI have told you; we do.'

'Then are you going, when a suitable time comes, are you going to invite all these neglected people and give them a good Reception? you and Hazel?'

'We will give them a good reception if they come,' said Dane with provoking want of enthusiasm.

'O I never can get anything out of you!' said the lady discomfited. 'I might have known it. Papa, do you think it is well to set all the institutions of society at defiance?'

'Why Prue,' said Dr. Maryland somewhat astonished, 'you speak as if Society were monarch of the realm. I believe we live in a republic.'

'What do you mean by Society?' asked Primrose.

'Why!You know.'

'I do not, indeed.'

'It means,' said Dane, 'in this country, all people in general who have incomes above a certain limit; them, and those whom their powerful hands lift from a subjacent platform to the freedom of their own.'

'All people who are rich enough to invite you as you invite them,' said Dr. Arthur.'Prim, where is your comprehension? How can you put your feet under a man's mahogany, if he happens to have none?'

'Is it different in other countries?' asked Mrs. Coles.

'Yes. Birth counts there, and breeding, and what a man happens to have inside his head.'

'And does not birth count for something here?' cried Mrs. Coles.

'I have no doubt it does.'

'But not with you?'

'I speak of things as I find them,' said Dane smiling slightly. 'And in generalities.'

'Well, think what you like of society; are you not going to regard it at all?'

Dane turned to the Bible which still lay upon the table, and opened it. 'What do you say to this, Prudentia?'

' "When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee." '

'Then you will live alone, I suppose, and make Hazel live so.'

'Not at all,' said Rollo coolly; 'that does not follow. The words I was reading go on"But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: and thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." '

'But my dear Dane!' said Mrs. Coles breathlessly; 'you don't mean to say that you take all that literally?'

'I do not see how it is to be taken figuratively,' said Dane looking at it.

'Why it means, of course, that we are to be kind to the poor.'

'But kinder to the rich? That looks like turning the figure topsy turvy; and in that case you get a view which can hardly be called correct.'

Hazel had left the tea-table now, and come softly up, taking a low seat half behind Prim's chair, leaning her head against it. In the shadow there she was looking and listening.

'It is a choice of invitations, that is all,' said Dr. Arthur. 'The Lord returns all the civilities shewn to poor peopleand rich men return their own. That is the only difference.'

'That is the comfort I have when anybody shews me kindness,' said Dr. Maryland, with a wonderful, simple, bright smile, rising as he spoke. 'I am one of the Lord's poor people; so I am never troubled about the returns. Come, my childrenwe have four miles in the snow before us.'

CHAPTER XXIV.

ONE AND ONE ARE TWO.

'They will never agree, those two!' said Prudentia Coles, the next morning at breakfast.

'They will agree perfectly!' said Primrose.

Good Dr. Maryland lifted his eyebrows in astonishment at both utterances.

'Their ways were too different,' said Mrs. Coles.

'Their ways will be alike,' said Prim.

'Of course, their ways will be one,' said the doctor. But he was very old-fashioned.

And people do not change their natures because they happen to love one another, nor even because they happen to be married. Still less!

There happened to be a run of very bad weather for several days after the two persons concerned arrived in New York. That did not indeed hinder business in Wall street and elsewhere, but it put an effective barrier to pleasure seeking out of doors. The best and most exclusive appointments of the best hotel, did not quite replace Chickaree, during the long days which Hazel perforce had to spend by herself. At last there came a morning when the sun shone.

'What have you got to do to-day?' Rollo asked her.

'One trunk to fill for other people, and two for myself.'

'Sounds large! Can you do it in a day?'

'I am an adept at filling trunks.'

'Let me see your purse.'

'O that needs no looking after,' said Hazel, flushing up.

'I only want to see it,' said Dane smiling. 'Not to rifle it. I want to see what sort of a thing you carry.'

The "things" were two, and very like Hazel; a pocket-book and purse of the daintiest possible description. Various coins shewed through the gold meshes of the one; the Russia leather of the other told no tales. Rollo turned them over, half smiling to himself.

'Is there enough here for to-day's work?'

'I have Mr. Falkirk's cheque for my last quarter's allowance. I generally make that do,' said Hazel.

'Doesn't your stock need supplementing?'

'No, thank you,' she said softly and shyly.

'I will arrange all that presently, Hazel. Meanwhile I am very sorry I cannot go along to help you fill those trunks; but I have several people to see and less pleasant work to do. We'll get some of this business over, and then we'll play. Take a carriage, and Byrom shall wait upon you.'

'I do not want Byrom. He is not used to me. And perhaps I may walk.'

'Byrom is used to me,' said Dane significantly.

'Proof positive of my two propositions,' said Hazel with a laugh. 'Waiting on me, is bewildering work to a new hand.'

'If I give it him in charge, he will do it well. Byrom has a head.'

'But I do not want to be given in charge. Have not I a head too?'

Rollo laughed at her, and remarked that it was 'one he was bound to take care of.'

'So am I, I should hope,' said Hazel. 'What do you suppose I shall do with itor with myself generallythat you call out a special detail of police?'

'Did Mr. Falkirk let you go about by yourself?'

'Always! At least, so far as he was concerned,' said Hazel correcting herself.

'I warned you what you were to expect,' said Rollo lightly. But then they came to the breakfast table, and something else was talked of. When the meal was over, and he was about going, bending down by her chair, he asked,

'What time will you have the carriage?'

'No time,' said Hazel. 'I have decided to walk.'

'I want you to take a carriage and let Byrom attend youthe sidewalks are in a state of glare ice this morning.'

'I am sure-footed.'

'I am glad of it,' said Rollo half laughing. 'What hour shall I say?'

'Why none!' said Hazel emphatically, with a passing thought of wonder at his obtuseness, though at the moment she was deep in her notebook. 'None, thank you.'

Rollo's eyes sparkled, as he stood behind her, and his lips twitched.

'Is that the way you used to handle Mr. Falkirk, when he expressed his wishes about some point of your action?'

'Mr. Falkirk was indulged with a variety of ways.'

'Have you got a variety in store for me?'

'For any deserving objectI am extremely impartial,' said Hazel turning a leaf.

'Won't you give me another variety then, this morning?' said he softly. 'Because I am not going to let you go out on foot to-day, Hazel.'

'Not let me?' Hazel repeated, looking round from her notebook now to ask the question. There was no explanation in the face that confronted her, nor any consciousness of having said anything that needed it. Hazel looked at him for a second, open-eyed.

'What can you possibly mean?' she said.

'If it means interference with your pleasure, I am sorry.'

Probably something in face and figure made this reply more definite than the words, for Wych Hazel's face waked up.

'But it does!' she said. 'I told you so at first.'

'It would interfere with mine very much, to have you go as you proposed.'

'But that is simply!' Hazel suddenly checked her rapid words, and brought her face back over the notebook again; bending down to hide the crimson which yet could not be hid.

'What is "simply"?' said Dane, touching his own face to the crimson. But Hazel did not speak.

'I must go, Hazel,' said he now looking at his watch. 'I have not another minute. I will send Byrom to you for orders.' And with a very gentle kiss to the bowed cheek as he spoke, he went off. And Hazel sat still where he left her, and thought,with her face in her hands now. Thoughts, and feelings too, were in a whirl. In the first place,no, there was no possible telling what came first. But was he going to direct every little thing of her life? Well, she had given him leave last winter, in her mind. That is, if he would do it. But would he really? Somehow she had fancied he would not. She had fancied thatsomehowhe would find out that she had a little sense, and trust to it. She felt so disappointed, and caged, and disturbed.And then she had withstood him!a thing he never pretended to bear. Maybe he had gone off disappointed, too. And one of her old saucy speeches had been on the tip of her tongue! and next time, as like as not, it would slip out, and what should she do then? What should she do now?go out as she was bid, like a good child? Hazel almost laughed at herself for the bound her mind gave, straight back from this idea,which after all was the only one to act out. For the old sweetness of temper had taken to itself no edge, and the old dignity which had so often found its safety in submission did not fail her now. Nevertheless, Wych Hazel rose up and stood before the fire, knotting her fingers into various complications. Yes, it was her duty to go. But when Byrom knocked at the door, Hazel sprang away to the next room and sent her orders by Phoebe. Then, after the old comical fashion, she worked out her waywardness in every possible proper way that she could. She put on one of her wonderful toilettes, and then went slowly down the broad stairs (thinking fast!)and flashed out upon Byrom like a young empress in her robes. And a sinecure he had of it for the next few hours. To stand at the carriage door and receive the most laconic of orders; to see her pass from carriage to store and from store to carriage, erect and tall and stately, and with no more apparent notice of the icy sidewalks than if they had been strewn with cotton wool. If he followed close to pick her up, Wych Hazel took no notice and gave him no chance. In like manner she did her work with an executive force and gravity which made the clerks into quicksilver and drove one or two old admirers whom she met nearly frantic. They hailed her by her old name; and Hazel got rid of them she hardly knew how, except that it was in a blaze of discomfort for herself. And after that she kept furtive watch; quitting counters and stores, and rushing upor downin elevators, after the most erratic and extraordinary fashion; a vivid spot on either cheek, and eyes in a shadow, and a mouth that grew graver every hour. O if she could but order the coachman to driveanywheretill she said stop!but no such orders could go through Byrom; she must work off her mood at home. And so at last, in the darkest dress she had, Wych Hazel once more sat down before the fire, and put her face in her hands. All through the day, under and over everything else, the old shyness had green growing up, mixing itself with the new,the old dread of having a man speak to her in the way of comment, with a thought of blame. Would anybody do it now? So she sat until steps came to the door and the door opened; then she rose quickly up.

But the matter which had occasioned her so many thoughts, had scarcely given Rollo one; and it was plain he had fully forgotten it now in his gladness at seeing her again after the long day. His face had nothing but gladness; and as he took her in his arms she felt that the gladness was very tender.

'Work all done!' he asked.

'O no.'Hazel was glad too. The day had been long.

'But I am going to play to-morrow!'

'Well, what about it?'

'Work must wait. We have got a great deal to do. Don't you agree with me, that every full cup ought to flow over into some empty ones?'

'Instead of into its own saucer?' said Hazel, who was rather abstractedly brushing off an imaginary grain of dust from his coat stuff. 'Perhaps it would be safe to allow that I do.'

'Well,' said Rollo laughing at her, 'there are plenty of empty cups. How many can we fill to-morrow?'

'If you have been at work on that problem, no wonder you want play. How many?I do not know. How much too full is your cup to-night?'

'It feels like the widow's inexhaustible cruise of oil. And by the way, I believe that the store from which anybody may supply others, is inexhaustible. Now let us consider.' And he stood silent and thoughtful a few minutes, Hazel not interrupting him.

'I can tell you one thing,' he began again. 'Prudentia Coles would like a black silk dress; and she cannot afford it.'

'I certainly owe her that,' said Hazel,'and a royal purple to boot.'

'How do you "owe" it?'

'For tipping my cup over, once. I wonder whether she thought I was too happy to be let alone?'

'Give her both the dresses, Hazel. She is not a happy woman. It will fill her cup for the time being.'

'Then, if you talk of debts,' said Hazel, 'I owe Prim the greatest quantity of wholesome animadversion. It never was of the least use to me,but she ought to be paid for it, all the same.'

'I suppose you deserved it,' said Rollo coolly.

'Do you?' said Hazel. Had she? Her thoughts flew over the confusions of the day,then before she began again, Rollo asked,

'Have you written to Mr. Falkirk, Hazel?'

'I? No. I have nothing to say to him.'

Rollo looked at her, first with a grave consideration, and then his lips twitched.

'Nothing to say to him?' he repeated.

'Nothing whatever.'

'Does it fall to me to instruct you in the proprieties? It is due to him to inform him that you are his ward up no longer; that you have done what he would very much have disapproved, and married me at a week's notice; which, you may tell him, was not at all your fault, and done principally for the sake of the men in the Charteris mills. Don't you see, Hazel, that you ought to tell him all this?'

'No,' said Hazel, with one of her old witch looks flashing out for a moment. 'If your right of way does not cover all the disagreeable business, I cannot see what use in the world I can make of it.'

'My right of way?' repeated Dane looking at her.

'Yes. The right to do what you please should be extended to take in all that I do not please.'

'Across all which of mine, your right of way, I suppose, takes a zigzag track!'

'Underground.'

'It will be dangerous there!' said Dane, his eyes flashing. 'For pity's sake, Hazel, keep it aboveground.'

'Collisions are bad things,' said Hazel,'and switching off on a side track tries one's patience. But about Mr. Falkirkthere never was the least atom of father and daughter between us; he always kept me at arm's length. It was one of the trials of my life. And he has been just throwing me off more and more,a year ago twenty sisters would not have made him leave me alone. And he said nothing but unpleasant things before he went,and I should have to lay all the blame on you. And in short,' said Hazel summing up, 'he could not be angry with my letter, and he could with yours, which would comfort him up.'

Perhaps it was the thought of Hazel's great loneliness that touched him, the very remembrance of which he wished to kiss away; perhaps something else had its share in the caresses which were as tender as they were loving; but then he said softly,

'It would not be the proper thing, Hazel.'

'Well.' A rather long breath gave up the point.

'Don't you see it, Wych?'

'Not quite. But you do not know how he talked before he went away.Nor what sort of a letter I shall be sure to write. I shall tell him that as it distracted my attention to run counter to two people'

'You will write a very gentle and careful one. He loves you very much, Hazel. Which was one reason why he was so unwilling that you and I should get acquainted.'

Wych Hazel looked up at him with absolute terror in her face. 'What do you mean?' she said.

'It is not very strange. I have the greatest respect for Mr. Falkirk and not the less because he had sense enough to love you a little too well. Do you remember your making him go to Catskill?'

Wych Hazel's head went down on her hands, without a word; but outside the shielding fingers the distressful colour shewed itself in every possible place. Remember!what did she not remember? things she had done, things she had said.

'He was afraid,' Dane went on smiling, 'that if I had a chance to see you I might choose to take the conditions of the will; he had good reason to fear! You must write him the dutifullest, gentlest, lovingest letter, Hazel; and lay off the blame of everything upon the shoulders that can bear it. Mr. Falkirk knows me. And if, by and by, we could coax him to come and make his home with us, I should be happy.'

'And everybody knew it but me!'said Hazel, thinking out. 'It is good I can do no more mischief.'

'What is that?' said Dane laughing. 'What mischief have you done?'

'HushI was talking to myself. But oh, I am so sorry!' Looks and tones and words and recollections were pouring in upon her like a flood.

'What are you sorry for? You need not be sorry, my little Wych,' said he, changing his tone with the last words. 'You have done him good and given him pleasure for so many years; and I am not without hope that both good and pleasure will be renewed and continued to the end of his life. So write a nice letter to him. And come to dinner in the first place.'

But it was a very remorseful flushed face that came to the table.

'Done him good and given him pleasure!' she repeated;'teased his life out, would be nearer the mark.'

'That did him good,' said Dane dryly. 'That is the way you expect to give me pleasure, you know.'

From under a queer little lift of her eyebrows, Hazel looked up at him. 'Is it?' she said with equal dryness.

'Does the leopard change his spots?'

'The other half of the simile is more like me,' said Hazel, 'however, if you prefer this But given the spots, the pleasure may be to seek.'

'I can find it, as fast as you find the spots. Will you have cheese with your soup?'

Hazel thought within herself, declining the cheese, that the day when she ventured any of her old pranks with that particular person, was somewhat remote. Would she ever be "true witch" again, she wondered?

'You forget,' she said. 'You told me once yourself that you thought very few men could stand it.'

'I meantexcept me,' said Dane with great coolness.

'You'didn't, was on Hazel's tongue, but she let it stay there. A quick, bright eye flash went over her, but Dane kept his countenance and went on with his dinner. He understood very well one or two things that were in Hazel's mind. He knew that she thought she had lost liberty in marrying, and he knew that she was mistaken in thinking so; but he also knew that the sweet growths of the mind cannot be forced; and he could wait. He never said "my dear" and "my love" to her, this man; he let Hazel find him out for what he was, all hers; but it might take time. He thought he would give her a little help.

'Have you been studying the third chapter of Genesis?' he asked when the servant was out of the room.

'No. At leastI was thinking of Adam and Eve a little when you came home.'

'In German or English?'

'English prose.'

'It is stronger yet in German. "Dein Wille soll deinem Manne unterworfen sein, and er soll dein Herr sein." I think you have been studying it in German. But Hazel, that is the form of the curse; and the curse is done away in Christ.'

'But,' she said gravely, her timid reserve coming back with the subject,'But the facts stand.'

'What facts? And take some nuts along with the facts.'

'The factsof the case,' said Hazel, using her nut-cracker and laying the meats abstractedly on one side. 'The right of way,and strength to enforce it,for two.'

Again Dane's eyes flashed and the corners of his mouth were a little hard to keep in order.

'Neatly put' he said.

Hazel glanced at him, but she ventured no questions.

'But you forget, Hazel,' he went on gravely, 'that all that, the odious part of it, belongs to a state of things that in Christ is passed away. It remains true, no doubt, that "the man is the head of the woman;" else the lesson-type would not answer to the lesson, which is to set forth the beauty and nearness of the relation between Christ and his church. But in a right marriage it is also true that "the woman is the glory of the man." Not the housekeeper, nor the nurse, or the plaything, still less the bond- woman; but the GLORY. She is the flower of all humanity; the good and beauty and grace of all earth, findsfor himits perfectest bloom and expression in her.'

She listened, smiling a little bit, then grave again.

'But that'she said,'is that what it means?'

'Excuse me. What what means, Wych?'

'The words you quoted. The last words.'

'Do they mean what I said? Certainly.'

'And only that?'

'Can you make them mean more?'

'For me, a good deal more.'

'Then it will be for me, probably. Go on, and explain.'

'No, perhaps not for you. You might be perfectly content with the flower, as you call it, in your hand; content with your content; looking no further.'

'You are mistaken,' said Dane, with a manner both amused and pleased.'I should never be content with my content.'

'But I mean' She was not very willing to tell her meaning, the words came slowly,'I used to think, that being so much to him, she must needs be something in herself. That only one who was a glory in herself, could be the glory of another. In my way'Hazel added, dropping her voice, ' "She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life." And he will be "known in the gates" by more than the robe of purple and silk which her hands have woven!'