o-night?'

Elizabeth had felt annoyed and provoked and surprised at herself for
her folly, but she had not thought herself in fault; but now Dora's
soft, sweet, caressing tone sounded in her ears like a serious reproof,
and turned her thought upon her sin. She was too upright and sincere
to evade such an inquiry as this, even from a younger sister and a
pupil, and answered, 'Indeed, Dora, I can hardly tell yet how wrong it
was; but I am afraid it was very wrong, for I am sure it is a thing I
hope you will never do. Besides, I know I was very self-willed, and
unkind to Helen; I have set you a very bad example, Dora, and I believe
I ought to beg your pardon for it. Good-night, my dear!'

Was Elizabeth lowered in her sister's eyes by humbling herself?

Just as the girls were arranging themselves in the drawing-room for the
evening, a loud knocking was heard at the front-door, and Harriet and
Anne both sprang up--the one exclaiming, 'Someone has brought Fido
back!'--the other, 'Can that be Rupert?'

The last supposition was proved to be right; and in another moment
Rupert Merton was receiving the affectionate greetings of his sister
and cousins. Elizabeth felt some embarrassment in performing a regular
introduction of Mr. Merton to the Miss Hazlebys; but Rupert's easy
well-bred manners rendered the formidable ceremony much easier than she
had expected, and the cousins soon fell into their usual style of
conversation.

'Well, Mr. Rupert,' said Elizabeth, 'better late than never; that is
all that can be said for you!'

'Am I late?' said Rupert; 'I hope no one has waited for me.'

'I hope not indeed,' said Elizabeth; 'pray, did you expect the Bishop
and Clergy, and the whole town of Abbeychurch, St. Mary and St. Austin,
to wait your pleasure and convenience? Anne, did you ever hear the
like? Do you think Prince Rupert himself was ever so favoured and
honoured?

'What do you mean?' said Rupert.

'That you have come a day too late, you idle boy!' said Anne.

'I thought next Tuesday was to have been the day of the Consecration,'
said Rupert.

'Did you never get my letter?' said Anne; 'I wrote to tell you that the
day was altered, and you were to meet us here on the Wednesday.'

'Can I ask you to believe a gentleman's word in opposition to a
lady's?' said Rupert, looking round. 'I did indeed receive a letter
from my amiable sister, full of--let me see--histories of dogs and
cats, and the harvest, and old Dame