g up and
confronting Captain Atherton, who, the veriest coward in the world,
shrank from the flashing of Durward's eye, and meekly answered, "Yes,
yes--yes, yes, I won't, I won't. I don't want to fight. I like
'Lena. I don't blame Anna for running away if she didn't want
me--but it's left me in a deuced mean scrape, which I wish you'd help
me out of."

Durward saw that the captain was in earnest, and taking his proffered
hand, promised to render him any assistance in his power, and
advising him to be present himself in the evening, as the first
meeting with his acquaintances would thus be over. Upon reflection,
the captain concluded to follow this advice, and when evening arrived
and with it those who had not heard the news, he was in attendance,
together with Durward, who managed the whole affair so skillfully
that the party passed off quite pleasantly, the disappointed guests
playfully condoling with the deserted bridegroom, who received their
jokes with a good grace, wishing himself, meantime, anywhere but
there.

That night, when the company were gone and all around was silent,
Mrs. Livingstone watered her pillow with the first tears she had shed
for her youngest born, whom she well knew _she_ had driven from home,
and when her husband asked what they should do, she answered with a
fresh burst of tears, "Send for Anna to come back."

"And Malcolm, too?" queried Mr. Livingstone, knowing it was useless
to send for one without the other.

"Yes, Malcolm too. There's room for both," said the weeping mother,
feeling how every hour she should miss the little girl, whose
presence had in it so much of sunlight and joy.

But Anna would not return. Away to the northward, in a fairy cottage
overhung with the wreathing honeysuckle and the twining grape-vine,
where the first summer flowers were blooming and the song-birds were
caroling all the day long, her home was henceforth to be, and though
the letter which contained her answer to her father's earnest appeal
was stained and blotted, it told of perfect happiness with Malcolm,
who kissed away her tears as she wrote, "Tell mother I cannot come."

CHAPTER XXXI.

MORE CLOUDS.

Since the morning when Durward had so boldly avowed himself 'Lena's
champion, her health and spirits began to improve. That she was not
wholly indifferent to him she had every reason to believe, and
notwithstanding the strong barrier between them, hope sometimes
whispered to her of a