e," cried Sir Amyas.

"Not so fast, nephew. I see, by her face, that Miss Delavie does not
approve, though our side of the town is safer than Hounslow."

"I was not thinking of highwaymen, sir, but we set forth at five this
morning, and Sir Amyas always becomes flushed and feverish if he is over
fatigued; nor is my father so strong as he was."

"Ah, ha! young sir, in adopting Betty for a sister you find you have
adopted a quartermaster-general, eh?" said the Major; "but she is quite
right. We should not get to town before ten or eleven at night, and what
good would that do? No, no, let us sup and have a good night's rest, and
we will drive into town long enough before fine ladies are astir in the
morning, whatever may be the fashionable hour nowadays."

"Yes, nephew, you must content yourself with acting host to your father
and sister-in-law in your own house," said his uncle.

"It seems to me more like yours, sir," rejoined the youth; but at the
hall door, with all his native grace, he turned and gave his welcome,
kissing Betty on the cheek with the grave ceremony of the host, and
lamenting, poor fellow, that he stood alone without his bride to receive
them.

"Is that Jumbo?" asked Betty. "I must thank him for all his kind service
to my dear sister."

Faithful Jumbo fairly wept when--infinite condescension for those
days--Major Delavie shook hands with him and thanked him.

"If pretty Missie Madam were but safe and well, Jumbo would wish no
more," he sobbed out.

"Poor Jumbo," said Mr. Belamour, "he has never been the same man since
pretty Missie Madam has been lost. I hear his violin mourning for her
till it is enough to break one's heart!"

However Eugene created a diversion by curious inquiries whether Jumbo
would indeed play the fiddle of which he had heard from Archer and
Amoret, and he ran off most eagerly after the negro to be introduced to
the various curiosities of the place.

Mrs. Aylward attended Miss Delavie to her room, and showed herself much
softened. As a good, conscientious woman, she felt that she had acted
a selfish part towards the lonely maiden, and Betty's confident belief
that she had been a kind friend was a keen reproach.

"Indeed, madam," she said, "I would lief you could truly call me such,
but when young Miss came here first I took her for one of that flighty
sort that it is wise not to meddle with more than needful. I have
kept my place here these thirty years by never making