s. Horton and Mr. Sandford to be the connoisseurs?"

"No; I'll appeal to Miss Fenton and Miss Woodley."

"And yet, I believe," replied she with a smile, "I believe theory must
only be the judge even there."

"Then from all you have said, Madam, on this occasion, I am to conclude
that you still refuse to marry Lord Frederick?"

"You are."

"And you submit never to see him again?"

"I do."

"All you then said to me, yesterday, was false?"

"I was not mistress of myself at the time."

"Therefore it was truth!--for shame, for shame!"

At that moment the door opened, and Mr. Sandford walked in--he started
back on seeing Miss Milner, and was going away; but Dorriforth called to
him to stay, and said with warmth,

"Tell me, Mr. Sandford, by what power, by what persuasion, I can prevail
upon Miss Milner to confide in me as her friend; to lay her heart open,
and credit mine when I declare to her, that I have no view in all the
advice I give to her, but her immediate welfare."

"Mr. Dorriforth, you know my opinion of that lady," replied Sandford;
"it has been formed ever since my first acquaintance with her, and it
continues the same."

"But instruct me how I am to inspire her with confidence," returned
Dorriforth; "how I am to impress her with a sense of that, which is for
her advantage?"

"You can work no miracles," replied Sandford, "you are not holy enough."

"And yet my ward," answered Dorriforth, "appears to be acquainted with
that mystery; for what but the force of a miracle can induce her to
contradict to-day, what before you, and several other witnesses, she
positively acknowledged yesterday?"

"Do you call that miraculous?" cried Sandford; "the miracle had been if
she had _not_ done so--for did she not yesterday contradict what she
acknowledged the day before? and will she not to-morrow disavow what
she says to-day?"

"I wish that she may--" replied Dorriforth mildly, for he saw the tears
flowing down her face at the rough and severe manner in which Sandford
had spoken, and he began to feel for her uneasiness.

"I beg pardon," cried Sandford, "for speaking so rudely to the mistress
of the house--I have no business here, I know; but where _you_ are, Mr.
Dorriforth, unless I am turned out, I shall always think it my duty to
come."

Miss Milner curtsied, as much as to say, he was welcome to come. He
continued,

"I was to blame, that upon a nice punctilio, I left you so long without
my visits, and