?"

The young man flirted his handkerchief, smiling disdainfully, and said
he "supposed he had."

"For my part, I think they are very nice," added the admiring Sarah.

"Do you, Sis? Well, you shall have as much of them as you want, when my
trunks come."

"Where are your trunks?" asked Mrs. Royden.

"At the tavern. I was in a hurry to come home; so I hired a saddle and
galloped over the road. Let one of the boys harness up, and go for the
luggage."

"Why, your father has gone to the village himself. Didn't you meet him?"

"No; he must have gone by the west road. I wonder if he will stop at the
tavern? If he does, the landlord will tell him my traps are there."

"I presume he will go to the tavern, child. We are expecting his cousin
Rensford, the clergyman, to-day, and your father went as much to bring
him over as anything."

"Pshaw! the old minister?" cried Chester. "How long is he going to
stay?"

"I hope not a great while," said Sarah. "Anything but a minister--out of
the pulpit."

"He'll just spoil my visit," rejoined her brother. "He has been here,
hasn't he? I think I remember seeing him, when I was about so high,"
measuring off the door-post.

"He spent the night here, several years ago; but we don't know much
about him, only by hearsay. He's a very good man, we are told," said
Mrs. Royden, with a sigh; "but how we are going to have him in the
family, I don't know."

Chester changed the topic of conversation by once inquiring for Hepsy.
The girl did not make her appearance; and he expressed a desire to "see
a basin of water and a hair-brush."

"You shall have the parlor bedroom," said Sarah.

"But if Mr. Rensford comes--" suggested her mother.

"O, he can go up-stairs."

"I won't hear to that!" cried Chester. "Give the old man the luxuries. I
want to see the inside of my old room again."

"But Hepsy and the children have that room now."

"Never mind; I want to look into it. So bring up a basin of water, Sis."

The young man went up-stairs. He heard a flutter as he was about
entering his old room. He went in; and Hepsy, pale, palpitating,
speechless, caught in the act of arranging her brown hair,--which, like
her eyes, was really beautiful,--shrank from his sight behind the door.

"Hillo! so I've found you!" he exclaimed, heartily. "I've been hunting
the house through for you. Are you afraid of your cousin?"

The blood rushed into the poor girl's face, as she gave him her
quivering hand.