nce of seeing you. By the by, Phillips
forgot to ask me; but I will forgive him, and invite myself."

"Oh! you need not stand on ceremony," said Harriett; "you are in the
habit of coming in and going out of the house like one of ourselves;
but really, Alice, are you sure you could not do my bonnet for me?
There is so little work on the bonnets now-a-days, and you might have
it done by two o'clock. Is not that the hour you appointed, Mr.
Brandon?"

"Yes; or say half-past," said Brandon.

"Well, by half-past two. I am sure you have made bonnets in a greater
hurry at your Edinburgh house of business often enough. I have seen how
very quick you are. I quite wondered at the rapidity with which you got
on with Mrs. Phillips's."

"But that is not finished," said Elsie, "and I promised it for the same
hour to go to the Exhibition. I am very sorry, indeed, Miss Phillips;
but, unless you can induce Mr. Phillips to excuse my appearance at
dinner, I cannot possibly do it for you."

"Oh! very well," said Harriett, coldly; "I have a bonnet to wear,
though it really is rather shabby; and Mrs. Phillips takes such pains
to have everything fresh and fashionable, that I am sadly thrown into
the shade. What a sum of money she contrives to spend every year on
herself! but my brother is so exceedingly easy and indulgent, he denies
her nothing. Don't you think her dreadfully extravagant, Mr. Brandon? I
should be ashamed to spend money as thoughtlessly as she does. She does
not care what she pays for a thing if it takes her fancy. Now, my
bonnet will not cost two-thirds of what hers has done, and it will look
quite as pretty, will it not, Alice?"

"A little different in style, but quite as well," said Elsie.

"You see, Mr. Brandon, that if I have seemed to take a great deal of
trouble over my purchases, it has been for some purpose. One cannot
economize without some thought being bestowed upon such things as
these."

Mr. Brandon could not but assent, but the act of politeness COSt him an
effort.

"Then you come to dine with us today, to meet this Mr. Hogarth? Do you
know, I have a great curiosity to see him. His father and papa being
such old friends, long ago, gives me quite an interest in him; and the
extraordinary story of his succession to his Scotch property is so
romantic. What is he like--is he presentable?"

"He was quite the rage in Edinburgh when I was there, about the new
year--a reading man, and a man of considerable t