"I do not mind. At least," Miriam added, "perhaps mind at the time; but it can make no difference in the end."

I

may

"Then the confession shall be made at once, or at least to-morrow morning. I think I shall speak to Aunt Helen first, for Uncle Ralph and my uncle proper are equally alarming, and they are both approachable through her."

It was time that they should arrive at this conclusion, for the door opened to admit the school-room party, who looked surprised to find Leonard there. He attempted a laughing explanation of the intrusion, and effected his escape, leaving Miriam happily impervious to all curious glances.

Uncle Ralph.

10

CHAPTER XIV.

Young men, in the conduct and manage of actions, embrace more than they can hold; stir more than they can quiet; fly to the end without consideration of the means and degrees... Men of age object too much, consult too long, adventure too little, repent too soon, and seldom drive business home to the full period.

...

BACON.

"I AM glad to find you alone," said Leonard, as he entered his aunt's room on the following morning: "I wanted to have a talk with you."

"And I am quite anxious to hear your news," said Mrs. Mordaunt, welcoming him with a pleased face. "As I was saying to John just now, you have been in such an odd, inconsequent humour both last night and this morning, that we have hardly heard anything."

"About the shooting party," said Leonard indifferently, as he sauntered to the window, "there is not much to be said. It was very like other parties, and I was bored, and wished myself here all the while. There goes young Leigh across the lawn; what a handsome fellow he is!"

"Yes, but there is no meaning in his face. You will laugh, I dare say, when I say that I would much rather look at Roger's sturdy, expressive countenance.”

"No, Aunt Helen, I respect maternal prejudices too much to laugh at them; not that I have any personal

experience of the same. I wonder whether it will be incumbent on me to pay the usual formal visit to Lawes Castle, this year. I shall put it off till Christmas, at all events."

"You ought to do what is right, my dear."

-

"Of course," rejoined Leonard, with one of his light, scornful laughs; "all that is right and proper your favourite word. It is my sense of right and propriety which has brought me here now. I have come to make a confession."

"I am very much flattered," Mrs. Mordaunt answered quickly; "I like you to confide in me, and yet I cannot help wishing that you did not make me the medium of all your scrapes. It seems to annoy John, who fancies that I encourage you in them."

"Poor maligned Aunt Helen! I can testify to a tithe of the good advice you have given me; I have forgotten the rest, and only wish that I had profited by any of it. However, this confidence does not relate to money matters; it is much more in your line. cannot you guess?"

Now,

"My dear Leo!" exclaimed. Mrs. Mordaunt, changing colour, "you are not going to tell me that you are in love with

"With whom?" Leonard asked, laughing, as his aunt stopped short, and caught up the word which had almost escaped her lips. "I thought I might trust to your woman's instinct to divine."

"No, I am not going to guess. suspense," said Mrs. Mordaunt; and to comply without further delay.

"I am engaged to Miriam Leigh."

Do not keep me in Leonard thought fit

"To Miriam Leigh!" and Mrs. Mordaunt's sigh of relief was succeeded by an incredulous smile; "to that child? Impossible!"

"And why impossible?" rejoined Leonard with kindling eyes. "Say rather that it is impossible for any one to know, and not to love her."

"She is a mere child," repeated Mrs. Mordaunt, "little more than sixteen; and you have not seen her three times."

"Much oftener than that," said Leonard, as indeed their times of meeting might have been twice as many. "However, whether I had seen her three times, or thirty, could not alter the fact that we are engaged."

"With Uncle Ralph's consent?"

nothing can come

"With or without his consent between us." But Leonard scarcely made this assertion, in a haughty and defiant tone, when the absurdity of adopting such a mode of conciliating his aunt's good offices struck him so forcibly that he could not help laughing. “I am talking like a fool; but I suppose that is the consequence of being in love. I am desperately in love, Aunt Helen: I could not sleep last night for thinking of all the difficulties in our path, and I don't think I ever lay

awake for a whole night before. And now I have come to you, trusting that you would stand by us."

"But, Leo," said Aunt Helen, a little softened, and not a little perplexed, "what am I to do? Uncle Ralph may be brought to believe anything; but I shall never persuade John, that you can marry on £300 a year: you know that it has never been enough to keep yourself."

"Ah, but you will see how prudent I am going to be, and how patient. For we do not mean nor expect to marry yet; perhaps not for five or six years. are young enough."

We

"Young enough, indeed," rejoined Mrs. Mordaunt; "and how is it possible for Miriam to know her own mind?" "I would as soon doubt my constancy and earnestness as hers."

"Still, Leo, you ought to consider what you are about before entangling a girl of sixteen in an indefinite engagement. She does not know what it is."

"I warned Miriam that you would say so," replied Leonard: "no, not you, from whom I expected a little sympathy, while I know that these hard maxims of worldly wisdom must be enunciated by our respective uncles. How odd to think that Uncle Ralph will be my real uncle now!"

"You speak as if everything were settled, Leo."

"So it is between the principals; and as I am my own master, and Miriam is bound to Uncle Ralph by no