eathless--

'Well?'

'Is that displeasure?' he said.

'When have I shortened the distance?' But the words were
defiant with pain, not anger. And Rollo on his part remained
perfectly still and perfectly silent, not even seeming to know
how the old horse was going to please himself.

Nothing could have been more still, outwardly, than the white-
robed figure in the corner,--and nothing need be more inwardly
tumultuous.

'If it was an open wagon,' she thought to herself, 'I should
jump out--over the back or somewhere!' O this having men talk
to one! And what was he talking about? and what had she done?--
she who had done nothing! Except--'dance better than ever
anybody danced before!' 'For the distance they kept'--and when
did not her hands keep their distance from every one! How many
times that very evening had she been voted 'cruel,' for
refusing some favour which other girls granted freely? Mr.
Rollo, too!--who had praised her 'womanliness'--But with that
the womanish element prevailed, and there came a quiver of
lip, and for an instant her hands were folded across her eyes.
Then down again, to hold each other in order.

And yet her hand had been on twenty shoulders that evening,
and twenty arms had encircled her!

There was an interval of some length.

'Miss Hazel,' said Rollo at length, and his voice was clear
and manly, 'have I offended you?'

'No,'--under her breath. 'I--suppose not.'

'Do you want me to give, if I can, some justification of
myself?'

'There is none. Except that you did not mean to say what you
said.'

'I meant no justification of my words,' said he, gently but
steadily. 'If you want _that_, it is, that they were spoken to
save you from harm.'

'Ah!' she said with a half cry,--then checked herself. 'What
else does Mr. Rollo wish to justify?'

'Only my right to speak them;--if you did, as you might,--
question it.' He paused a little, and went on. 'I can give you
only half of my plea, but half will do. It is, that your
father and mother dearly loved mine.'

It was all Hazel could do to bear her mother's name just then.
Her hands took a sudden grip of each other, but no answer
came. Not for some time: then words low and softly spoken--

'I think I asked for no plea, Mr. Rollo.'

'Then if you are content with it,' said he, in a lighter tone,
'give me your hand once more, only for a moment this time.'

She hesitated--then held it out. He bent down and gave it a
swift, earnes