ce to her fortune. Used not you
to tell me how, when I was a baby, I cried and wanted the moon? I am
a baby now, a most absurd, silly, little baby--don't talk to me, Mrs.
Lambert, I am. Only there is this to be said, he don't know anything
about it, and I would rather cut my tongue out than tell him."

Dire were the threats with which Hetty menaced Theo, in case her
sister should betray her. As for the infantile Charley, his mind being
altogether set on cheese-cakes, he had not remarked or been moved by
Miss Hester's emotion; and the parents and the kind sister of course all
promised not to reveal the little maid's secret.

"I begin to think it had been best for us to stay at home," sighed Mrs.
Lambert to her husband.

"Nay, my dear," replied the other. "Human nature will be human nature;
surely Hetty's mother told me herself that she had the beginning of a
liking for a certain young curate before she fell over head and ears in
love with a certain young officer of Kingsley's. And as for me, my
heart was wounded in a dozen places ere Miss Molly Benson took entire
possession of it. Our sons and daughters must follow in the way of their
parents before them, I suppose. Why, but yesterday, you were scolding me
for grumbling at Miss Het's precocious fancies. To do the child justice,
she disguises her feelings entirely, and I defy Mr. Warrington to know
from her behaviour how she is disposed towards him."

"A daughter of mine and yours, Martin," cries the mother, with great
dignity, "is not going to fling herself at a gentleman's head!"

"Neither herself nor the teacup, my dear," answers the Colonel. Little
Miss Het treats Mr. Warrington like a vixen. He never comes to us, but
she boxes his ears in one fashion or t'other. I protest she is barely
civil to him; but, knowing what is going on in the young hypocrite's
mind, I am not going to be angry at her rudeness."

"She hath no need to be rude at all, Martin; and our girl is good
enough for any gentleman in England or America. Why, if their ages suit,
shouldn't they marry after all, sir?"

"Why, if he wants her, shouldn't he ask her, my dear? I am sorry we
came. I am for putting the horses into the carriage, and turning their
heads towards home again."

But mamma fondly said, "Depend on it, my dear, that these matters are
wisely ordained for us. Depend upon it, Martin, it was not for nothing
that Harry Warrington was brought to our gate in that way; and that he
and our