hich rendered his stay in the house
absolutely necessary. So his mother, who had reasons of her own for
doing so, went in his stead. Carrie, who never had any fancy for
Mabel, and only endured her because she was rich, was coolly polite,
merely offering her hand, and then resumed the novel she was reading,
even before Mabel had left. Anna and 'Lena bade her a more
affectionate adieu, and then advancing toward John Jr., who, in his
dressing-gown and slippers, reclined upon the sofa, she offered him
her hand.

As if to atone for his former acts of rudeness, the young man
accompanied her to the door, playfully claiming the privilege of
taking leave just as his sister and cousin had done.

"It's only me, you know," said he, imprinting upon her forehead a
kiss which sent the rich blood to her neck and face.

John Jr. would not have dared to take that liberty with Nellie, while
Mabel, simple-hearted, and wholly unused to the world, saw in it a
world of meaning, and for a long time after the carriage roiled away
from Maple Grove the bright glow on her cheek told of happy thoughts
within.

"Did my son say anything definite to you before you left?" asked Mrs.
Livingstone, as they came within sight of the city.

"No, madam," answered Mabel, and Mrs. Livingstone continued, "That's
strange. He confessed to me that he--ah--he--loved you, and I
supposed he intended telling you so; but bashfulness prevented, I
dare say!"

Accustomed as she was to equivocation, this down-right falsehood cost
Mrs. Livingstone quite an effort, but she fancied the case required
it, and after a few twinges, her conscience felt easy, particularly
when she saw how much satisfaction her words gave to her companion,
to whom the improbability of the affair never occurred. Could she
have known how lightly John Jr. treated the matter, laughingly
describing his leave-taking to his sisters and 'Lena, and saying,
"Meb wasn't the worst girl in the world, after all," she might not
have been so easily duped.

But she did not know all this, and thus was the delusion perfect.

CHAPTER XIV.

NELLIE AND MABEL.

Nellie Douglass sat alone in her chamber, which was filled with
articles of elegance and luxury, for her father, though far from
being wealthy, still loved to surround his only daughter with
everything which could increase her comfort. So the best, the
fairest, and the most Costly was always for her, his "darling
Nellie," as he called her,