hrink from her a little. She
feared that her father had really fallen deeply in love again, and if
so who could resist him? She admired Miss Forrest and could be very
fond of her, but not as a second mother. Another matter that stood in
the way of going thither was the fact that Bayard seemed to track her
everywhere, and the situation was becoming unendurable. One night, at
last, he dropped in at the Millers' when she was there, and promptly,
when she retired, offered to escort her home. She thanked him, took
his arm, walked slowly with him to the south hall of Bedlam, and there
bid him adieu. No one knows just what was talked of on that eventful
walk, but it was the last he ever sought with her, and for weeks
Bayard was a moody, miserable man. All Laramie swore he had proposed
and had been rejected, but no one could positively tell.

Elinor redoubled her loving ways from that time, and strove to cheer
and gladden him, but he was almost repellant. There was only one thing,
he declared to her, that made him wretched, and that was her attachment
to Mr. McLean. If she would only be sensible, and see how absurd that
was, he could smile again, but that was a matter in which his little
girl had decided as her mother had decided before her. Poor Bayard! To
revenge himself on his father- and mother-in-law he had wrested this
sweet child from their arms and brought her hither, only to see her won
away in turn, and, by all that was horrible, by an army lieutenant. He
had to admit that McLean was a gentleman, a splendid officer, without a
vice or a meanness, and, now that the stolen stores were replaced by
their money value, without a debt in the world; but he was poor,--he
was nothing, in fact, but what he himself had been when he won Elinor's
mother. McLean had spoken to him manfully and asked his consent, but he
rebuffed him, saying she was a mere child. McLean declared he would
wait any reasonable time, but claimed the privilege of visiting her as
a suitor, and this he would have refused, and for a few days did
refuse, until her pallor and tearful eyes so upbraided him that he gave
up in despair. Meantime she had poured out her heart to the loving
grandparents at home, and they took her part, and, almost to her
surprise, actually welcomed the news that she had a lover. The judge
wrote to Bayard (the first time he had so honored him since their
difference the previous winter), saying he knew "the stock" well and
expressing his