to. If it was anywhere in creation but there,
I'd go," answered the young man; hastily leaving the room to avoid
all further argument.

"He does it just to be hateful and annoy me," said Carrie, trying to
pout, but making a failure, for she had in reality much rather go
under Durward's escort than her brother's.

The horses were now announced as ready, and in a few moments the
little party were on their way, Carrie affecting so much fear of her
pony that Durward at last politely offered to lead him a while. This
would of course bring him close to her side, and after a little
well-feigned hesitation, she replied, "I am sorry to trouble you, but
if you would be so kind----"

'Lena saw through the ruse, and patting Vesta gently, rode on in
advance, greatly to the satisfaction of Carrie, and greatly to the
chagrin of Durward, who replied to his loquacious companion only in
monosyllables. Once, indeed, when she said something concerning
'Lena's evident desire to show off her horsemanship, he answered
rather coolly, that "he'd yet to discover in Miss Rivers the least
propensity for display of any kind."

"You've never lived with her," returned Carrie, and here the
conversation concerning 'Lena ceased.

Meantime, Nellie Douglass was engaged in answering a letter that
morning received from Mary Wilbur. A few years before, Mary had
spent some months in Mr. Douglass's family, conceiving a strong
affection for Nellie, whom she always called her sister, and with
whom she kept up a regular correspondence. Mary was an orphan,
living with her only brother Robert, who was a bachelor of thirty or
thirty-five. Once she had ventured to hope that Nellie would indeed
be to her a sister, but fate had decreed it otherwise, and her
brother was engaged to a lady whom he found a school-girl in
Montreal, and who was now at her own home in England. This was
well-known to Nellie, but she did not deem it a matter of sufficient
importance to discuss, so it was a secret in Frankfort, where Mr.
Wilbur's polite attentions to herself was a subject of considerable
remark. For a long time Mary had been out of health, and the family
physician at last said that nothing could save her except a sea
voyage, and as her brother was about going to Europe to consummate
his marriage, it was decided that she should accompany him. This she
was willing to do, provided Nellie Douglass would go too.

"It would be much pleasanter," she said, "having some