alled on Miss Somerset. She was out.

Polly opened the door and gave him a look of admiration--due to his
fresh color--that encouraged him to try and enlist her in his service.

He questioned her, and she told him in a general way how matters were
going. "But," said she, "why not come and talk to her yourself? Ten to
one but she tells you. She is pretty outspoken."

"My pretty dear," said Richard, "she never will receive me."

"Oh, but I'll make her!" said Polly.

And she did exert her influence as follows:

"Lookee here, the cousin's a-coming to-morrow and I've been and
promised he should see you."

"What did you do that for?"

"Why, he's a well-looking chap, and a beautiful color, fresh from the
country, like me. And he's a gentleman, and got an estate belike; and
why not put yourn to hisn, and so marry him and be a lady? You might
have me about ye all the same, till my turn comes."

"No, no," said Rhoda; "that's not the man for me. If ever I marry, it
must be one of my own sort, or else a fool, like Marsh, that I can make
a slave of."

"Well, any way, you must see him, not to make a fool of _me,_ for I did
promise him; which, now I think on't, 'twas very good of me, for I
could find in my heart to ask him down into the kitchen, instead of
bringing him upstairs to you."

All this ended, somehow, in Mr. Bassett's being admitted.

To his anxious inquiry how matters stood, she replied coolly that Sir
Charles and herself were parted by mutual consent.

"What! after all your protestations?" said Bassett, bitterly.

But Miss Somerset was not in an irascible humor just then. She shrugged
her shoulders, and said:

"Yes, I remember I put myself in a passion, and said some ridiculous
things. But one can't be always a fool. I have come to my senses. This
sort of thing always does end, you know. Most of them part enemies, but
he and I part friends and well-wishers."

"And you throw _me_ over as if I was nobody," said Richard, white with
anger.

"Why, what are you to me?" said the Somerset. "Oh, I see. You thought
to make a cat's-paw of me. Well, you won't, then."

"In other words, you have been bought off."

"No, I have not. I am not to be bought by anybody--and I am not to be
insulted by you, you ruffian! How dare you come here and affront a lady
in her own house--a lady whose shoestrings your betters are ready to
tie, you brute? If you want to be a landed proprietor, go and marry
some ugly old hag that's