d a talent for making
herself agreeable, and probably had liked the boy for his outburst. She
would not let Mab be excluded, loaded her with admiration, and was
extremely interested in the volunteer practice, so that both the young
people were subjugated for the time by her pleasant manners, and went
away ashamed of their own rancour against one so friendly and
good-natured, and considerably relieved of their burden of animosity.

Their greeting to their brother was so cordial that he perceived their
good-will, and was sorry that the dread of an evening of warfare had
induced him to accept an invitation to dine at the Swan with Sam
Axworthy and a party of his friends.

CHAPTER X

This night is my departing night,
For here nae longer must I stay;
There's neither friend nor foe of mine
But wishes me away.
What I have done through lack of wit,
I never, never can recall:
I hope ye're all my friends as yet.
Good night, and joy be with you all.
Armstrong's Good Night

The storm had blown over, but heavy flakes of cloud still cumbered the
air, and gusts of wind portended that it might gather again.

Henry Ward took this opportunity of giving his first dinner party. He
said it was a necessary return for the civilities they had received;
and to Averil's representation that it transgressed the system of rigid
economy that so much tormented her, he replied by referring her to Mrs.
Pugh for lessons in the combination of style and inexpensiveness.

Averil had almost refused, but the lady herself proffered her
instructions, and reluctance was of no avail; nothing but
demonstrations from which her conscience shrank, could have served to
defend her from the officious interference so eagerly and thankfully
encouraged by the master of the house. Vainly did she protest against
pretension, and quote the example of the Grange; she found herself
compelled to sacrifice the children's lessons to learn of Mrs. Pugh to
make the paper flowers that, with bonbons and sweetmeats, were to save
the expense of good food on the dinner-table, and which she feared
would be despised by Miss May, nay, perhaps laughed over with 'Mr. Tom!'

She hated the whole concern, even the invitation to Dr. and Miss May,
knowing that it was sent in formal vanity, accepted in pure
good-nature, would bring them into society they did not like, and
expose her brother's bad taste. Only one thing could