unch with Adriana and then go with her to the
Railway Station; and she smiled faintly at the disappointment in store
for him. As he came near the parlor door, she let her eyes fall upon
the book, and she did not lift them until Harry said:

"Reading, Cousin Alida! Pray, what interests you so early in the
day?"

"For my sins, I am reading a philosophical novel. Our very story-tellers
are getting serious and instructive; and as I read for amusement, I
shall turn to Talmage's sermons."

"Where is Yanna?"

"Yanna left for Woodsome early this morning. She is at home by this
time."

"That is too bad! She promised to let me go to the train with her."

"She expected you last night."

"I could not possibly come. I was ever so sorry."

"Why could you not come?"

"I was engaged--unexpectedly--and I was not feeling right. You know
very well there are things that a man must attend to, whether he wants
to do so or not."

"Harry Filmer! You are a worse moral coward than the first of your
kind. You cannot even say: 'The woman beguiled me.' Generally
speaking, a man in a mess can get out of it by throwing the blame on
the woman with him."

"Oh, if it comes to that, I hope I am not cad enough to put my sin on
any woman. How much do you know, Miss Van Hoosen? Who has been telling
tales?"

"We were in the Park yesterday afternoon, and we met you driving
with----"

"I know. Was Yanna with you?"

"Yanna was with me."

"Confusion! What did she say?"

"Not much. She went home by the first train this morning."

"She will never forgive me!"

"I should say, never."

"I did not mean that. She will be angry, of course, but she will not
be angry forever. I am awfully sorry to-day. But how can I tell her
so? What would you do? Come now, cousin, you are a sensible woman, and
you know men must have a little latitude--and really, I was caught so
suddenly--and if you would listen, you would understand that there is
some excuse for me."

"None at all, sir! What is temptation for but to resist?"

"I thought I would just take a short drive, and be here to dinner, but
I was not very well."

"You mean that you dined and drank wine with Madame Z----, and that
you could not come afterwards."

"She would not let me leave her, and so----"

"I thought you would get as far as Adam before you were through with
your apology. 'She would not let me!' Just so."

"It is too bad to take me up so quickly, when I am distracted with
shame