to see your cousin?"

"Yes; I suppose so. Shall you?"

He turned partly around, so he could look at her; and this it was which
brought the blood so quickly to her face, making her stammer as she
replied:

"Of course I shall be glad. I like him very much; but--"

Here she stopped, for she did not know how to tell Hugh that she was not
glad in the way which he supposed.

"But what?" he asked, "What were you going to say?" and in his eyes
there was a look which drove Alice's courage away, and made her answer:

"It's queer the doctor did not tell him anything except that 'Lina was
sick."

"There are a great many queer people in this world," Hugh replied,
rather testily, while Alice mildly rejoined.

"The letter has been delayed, and he will be here day after to-morrow.
Did you notice?"

"Yes; and as I am impatient to go for Adah, the sooner he comes the
better, for the sooner it will leave me at liberty. Would it be very
impolite for me to go at once, and leave you to entertain him?"

"Of course it would," said Alice. "Adah's claim is a strong one, I'll
admit; but the doctor and Mr. Murdock are doing their best; and I ask,
as a favor, that you remain at home to meet Mr. Stanley."

Now Hugh knew that nothing could have tempted him to leave Spring Bank
so long as Irving Stanley was there; but as he was just in a mood to be
unreasonable, he replied that, "if Alice wished it, he should remain at
home until Mr. Stanley's visit was ended."

Alice felt exceedingly uncomfortable, for never had Hugh been so
provokingly distant and cool, and she was really glad when at last a
carriage appeared across the fields, and she knew the "city cousin," as
Hugh called him, was coming.

CHAPTER XLII

IRVING STANLEY

He had come, and up in the chamber where 'Lina died, was making the
toilet necessary after his hot dusty ride. Hugh, heartily ashamed of his
conduct for the last two days, had received him most cordially, meeting
him at the gate, and holding him by the hand, as they walked together to
the house, where Mrs. Worthington stood waiting for him, her lips
quivering, and tears dimming her eyes, as she said to him: "Yes, 'Lina
is dead."

Irving had heard as much at the depot, and heard, too, a strange story,
the truth of which he greatly doubted. Mrs. Worthington had been 'Lina's
mother, he believed, and his sympathy went out toward her at once,
making him forget that Alice was not there to meet him, as he half