ter could no longer evade the leading question, "Why had he left the
academy?" Much as he dreaded giving an account of his conduct, he could
not put it off.

As he anticipated, his father was inexpressibly irritated, and his
mother decidedly cross, when he confessed that he had been expelled.

"What did you do to bring such disgrace upon your name?" groaned Mr.
Royden, more grieved than angry.

"Well," replied Chester, with a burning face, yet without descending
from his proud demeanor, "I suppose I transgressed some of their old
fogy laws."

"Broke their regulations! But it must have been something outrageous, to
result in an expulsion. Tell the whole truth, Chester."

The young man hesitated no more, but made a "clean breast" of the
affair. His expulsion had not been a public one, the daughter of the
principal having been intimately concerned in his transgressions.
Chester had met her clandestinely, won her affections, and brought about
an engagement of marriage between them, contrary to her father's will
and commands.

When Mrs. Royden learned that the young lady was heiress to a
comfortable fortune left her by a near relative, she was quite ready to
forgive her son's rashness. But his father reprimanded him severely.

"I hope you have given up the foolish idea of marrying the romantic
girl," he said.

"No, sir,--never!" exclaimed Chester, fervently. "If I lose her, I shall
never marry. I have her promise, and I can wait. It will not be long
before she can marry without her father's consent as well as with it."

"But what do you intend to do, in the mean time?" asked Mr. Royden, in a
rather bitter tone.

"I would like," replied Chester, more humbly, as if anxious to
propitiate his father,--"I would like to commence with the next term at
the L---- Institute."

"A beautiful way you have gone to work to encourage me in what I am
doing for you!" interrupted Mr. Royden. "No, Chester! I shall not hear a
word to your going to L----. You must stay at home now until you are of
age."

The young man leaned his head upon his hand, and looked gloomily at the
floor. His father broke the silence.

"A boy of your years to talk of marrying! Preposterous!"

"I have no idea of it, within a year or two," said Chester. "But let
things take their course. Do you expect me now to stay at home?"

"Why not?"

"And work on the farm?"

"Are you getting too proud for that,--with your heiress in view?" asked
Mr. Royden, wit