no idea, mother," said she, "how much he detests anything
like coquetry. Nellie Douglass thinks it's a kind of monomania with
him, and I am inclined to believe it is so."

"In that case," answered Mrs. Livingstone, "it behooves you, in his
presence, to be very careful how you demean yourself toward other
gentlemen."

"I haven't lived nineteen years for nothing," said Carrie, folding
her soft white hands complacently one over the other.

"Speaking of Nellie Douglass," continued Mrs. Livingstone, who had
long desired this interview with her daughter, "speaking of Nellie,
reminds me of your brother, who seems perfectly crazy about her."

"And what if he does ?" asked Carrie, her thoughts far more intent
upon Durward Bellmont than her brother. "Isn't Nellie good enough
for him?"

"Yes, good enough, I admit," returned her mother, "but I think I can
find a far more suitable match--Mabel Ross, for instance. Her
fortune is said to be immense, while Mr. Douglass is worth little or
nothing."

"When you bring about a union between John Livingstone Jr. and Mabel
Ross, I shall have full confidence in your powers to do anything,
even to the marrying of Anna and Grandfather Atherton," answered
Carrie, to whom her mother's schemes were no secret.

"And that, too, I'll effect, rather than see her thrown away upon a
low bred northerner, who shall never wed her--never;" and the haughty
woman paced up and down her room, devising numerous ways by which her
long cherished three-fold plan should be effected.

The next morning, Durward arose much earlier than was his usual
custom, and going out into the garden he came suddenly upon 'Lena.
"This," said he, "is a pleasure which I did not expect when I rather
unwillingly tore myself from my pillow."

All the coldness of the night before was gone, but 'Lena could not so
soon forget, and quite indifferently she answered, that "she learned
to rise early among the New England hills."

"An excellent practice, and one which more of our young ladies would
do well to imitate," returned Durward, at the same time speaking of
the beautifying effect which the morning air had upon her complexion.

'Lena reddened, for she recalled his words of yesterday concerning
her plainness, and somewhat sharply she replied, that "any
information regarding her personal appearance was wholly unnecessary,
as she knew very well how she looked."

Durward bit his lip, and resolving never to compliment her agai