struggle was in vain; she
burst into uncontrollable tears.

"You have me, Agatha, always me, and James!" cried Emma, hanging about
her neck, and weeping for company; until, very soon, the proud girl
shut down the floodgates of her passion, and became herself again.
Herself--as she could not have been, were there a mightier power
dwelling in her heart than pride.

"Now, Emma, since you have seen how the thing has vexed me, though
not"--and she laughed--"not as being one of the many dozens of fools in
love with Major Harper--will you tell me how this amusing circumstance
arose?"

"I really cannot, my dear. The whole thing was so hurried and confused.
We were talking together, very friendly and sociably, as the Major and
I always do, about you; and how much I wished you to be settled in life,
as he must wish likewise, being the trustee of your little fortune, and
standing in a sort of fatherly relation towards you. He did not seem to
like the word; looked very grave and very"--

"Compassionate, doubtless! Said 'he had reason to believe, that is to
fear, I did not regard him quite as a father!' That was it, Emma, I
suppose?"

"Well, my dear, I am glad to see you laughing at it I don't remember his
precise words."

"Probably these: 'My dear Mrs. Thornycroft, I am greatly afraid
poor Agatha Bowen is dying for love of me.' Very candid--and like a
gentleman!"

"Now you are too sarcastic; for he is a gentleman, and most kind-hearted
too. If you had only seen how grieved he was at the bare idea of your
being made unhappy on his account!"

"How considerate!--and how very confidential he must have been to you!"

"Nay, he hardly said anything plainly; I assure you he did not. Only
somehow he gave me the impression that he was afraid of--what I had
feared for a long time. For as I always told you, Agatha, Major Harper
is a settled bachelor--too old to change. Besides, he has had so many
women in love with him."

"Does he count their names, one by one, on his fingers, and hang their
locks of hair on his paletot, after the Indian fashion Nathanael Harper
told us of?--Poor Nathanael!" And on her excited mood that pale "good"
face rose up like a vision of serenity. She ceased to mock so bitterly
at Nathanael's brother and her own once-honoured friend.

"I don't like your abusing Major Harper in this way," said Emma,
gravely; "we all know his little weaknesses, but he is an excellent man,
and my husband likes him. And it is