"where,
when a boy, I used to come to smoke. My aunt did not allow this
diversion, but I managed to do a good deal of puffing before I was found
out."

"Then you used to live here?" asked Croft.

"Oh, yes," said Keswick, "my parents died when I was quite a little
fellow, and my aunt had charge of me until I had grown up."

"Was that your aunt whom I met at the gate? There was something about
her bearing and general appearance which greatly interested me."

"She is a most estimable lady," returned Junius. And not wishing further
to discuss his relative, he added: "And now, what is it, sir, that I
can have the pleasure of doing for you?"

"The matter regards Miss March," said Croft.

"I presumed so," remarked the other. "I will state it as briefly as
possible," continued Croft. "In consequence of your visit to me at the
the Springs, I set out, the day before yesterday, to make another
attempt to call on Miss March, the first one having been frustrated, as
you may remember, by the information we received at the gate in regard
to Miss March's indisposition, which, as I have heard nothing more of
it, I hope was of no importance."

"Of none whatever," said Junius.

"When I was within a mile or so of Midbranch," continued Croft, "I met
Mr Brandon, who requested me not to come to his house, and, in fact, to
cease my visits altogether."

"What!" cried Keswick, very much surprised. "That is not at all like Mr
Brandon. What reason could he have for treating you in such a manner?"

"The very best in the world," said Croft. "Having, as the guardian of
his niece, asked me the object of my visit to Miss March, and, having
been informed by me that it was my intention to propose matrimony to the
lady, he requested that I would not visit at his house." "On what
ground did he base his objection to your visit?" asked Keswick.

"He made no objection to me; he simply stated that he did not desire me
to come, because he wished his niece to marry you."

"Quite plainly spoken," remarked Keswick.

"Nothing could be more so," replied Croft. "I could not expect any one
to be franker with me than he was. He went on to inform me that a match
between the lady and yourself was greatly desired by the whole family
connection, with a single exception, which, however, he did not name,
and, while he gave me to understand that he had no reason to fear that,
so far as the lady was concerned, my proposal would interfere with your
prospects, s