, did her poor, thin lips respond to his caress.
Then, her transparent, white hand was passed lightly over his forehead;
her eyes closed, and with a faint sigh of content, she lay quite still,
her fluttering breath telling, at the end of a few minutes, that she
had, thoroughly exhausted, fallen asleep.

Volume 3, Chapter XIII.

WAITING FOR NEWS.

The weeks went on, and glided into months. Frank Pratt had been as
punctual as the clock in his visits to Russell Square, but his love
matters made no progress. Unless he had something to communicate
affecting Tiny, Fin would hardly stay a minute. Then, too, at times,
there were checks caused by the presence of Aunt Matty, when Pratt would
return to his chambers disconsolate, and yet happy at having had a
glimpse of the darling of his heart.

Once, when he had entered strongly into his affairs, and spoke of trying
to renew his acquaintance in a straightforward way with the family--

"Because I should not be ashamed to meet Sir Hampton now," he said.

Fin responded coolly--

"I'm afraid I hate you very much, Mr Pratt."

"Hate me! Why?" he exclaimed.

"Because you're so unfeeling."

"Unfeeling?"

"You think so much of yourself, and your silly love nonsense, when poor
Tiny is persecuted and tortured by that hateful Vanleigh, who only wants
her money. I believe he'd ill-treat her before they'd been married a
month. He looks like a wife-beater."

"But they never persecute you," said Pratt.

"Don't they? Why, only this morning pa told me that he should expect me
to receive Sir Felix Landells; while ma cried, and Aunt Matty nodded her
head approvingly."

"And--and what did you say?" cried Pratt.

"I gave Pepine a vicious kick, and walked out of the room. And now,
sir, if you please, how about all your fine promises? What have you
done all these months? Have you got that wicked wretch Trevor back his
property? Come, speak!"

"No," said Pratt, "I went down on Tuesday to see how things were, and
Master Humphrey seems settling down comfortably enough. Quite the
country squire."

"Serve Richard Trevor right," said Fin. "And now, about that girl?
Does he go to see her still?"

Pratt was silent.

"How dare you stand there like that, Frank, and not answer me?" cried
Fin.

"Call me Frank again, darling, and I'll say anything you wish."

"I won't," said Fin. "You shall tell me without."

"I don't like telling tales about poor Dick," said Pratt.

"If