nly son?'

"'Why how sharply you speak, Mabel. I never observed your voice so
shrill before,' exclaimed the lady, lifting up her two delicate hands as
if to ward off a disagreeable sound. 'Upon my word I think we are all
getting cross. When I told the General how much better I should like
you,--that is, how much better I did like you than that pretty thing
with the blue eyes, he asked me if I was willing to betray the young
creature thrown into our protection, by giving her wealth into the hands
of my own son, whom I knew--'

"She checked herself and turned her face from me like a guilty child.

"'When you knew that he did not like me?' I questioned, controlling
myself.

"'No, no, he did not say that. Who could help liking you, Mabel? It was
love he was talking about. She said it would be treacherous to let him
entangle you for your money, when I was sure that he looked upon you
only as a sister. I said that we were not sure of that by any means.
Indeed, sometimes it had seemed to me--Oh Mabel, how wild you look. I
did not say a thing to wound your delicacy. There is not a lady in the
land who might not be proud of any preference James Harrington can give.
I only thought that General Harrington was mistaken. As for my James
liking or marrying anybody for her money, the idea made me quite beside
myself. It is not often that I get out of temper, but this really made
me angry.'

"'No wonder,' I said, 'It was unkind indeed in the General to speak of
me in that way.'

"'No, no, you quite misunderstand again. General Harrington is incapable
of unkindness. As for indelicacy, a more perfect gentleman never lived.
His sensitive honor was touched. You are his ward, beautiful, young,
rich. James is his step-son, without a dollar of his own, wholly
dependent on the General--'

"'But I thought the property came from his father.' I said this so
abruptly that it brought the color into Mrs. Harrington's face, and sent
the hot blood into my own.

"'So it did, but my husband loved me dearly, and in his will gave every
dollar to me; knowing, he said, that I would be generous with our only
child; and so I have been, Mabel. The General is liberal to a fault.
James never wants for money.'

"'But he is a man now, and dependence must be irksome.'

"'Oh, he is not dependent; that feeling is impossible with a man like
the General. James knows well enough that the whole property will be his
when my husband has done with it--that is m