t her ease.

"I've been telling this young lady she must not take to breaking
hearts so soon," he explained. "Haven't I, my dear?"

"Yes, sir," said Miss Mercedes demurely.

"And he doesn't know his own mind--and he hasn't been to see her
for--how long was it, Mercy?"

"A week, sir."

"For a week. And she'll not see him again--not until"--

"Not at all, if it's displeasing to you, sir."

"Displeasing to me? Dear me! you're a nice girl, I'm sure. Wasn't it
fair and square in the child to come down here? I wonder you weren't
afraid!"

"I'm not afraid of anything, Mr. Bowdoin!"

"Dear me! not afraid of anything!" Mr. Bowdoin chuckled. "Now I'm
afraid of Mrs. Harleston Bowdoin! Do you mean to say you'd walk
into--into a bank all alone?"

"Yes, sir, if I had business there."

"Business! here's business for you!" and the old gentleman, still
chuckling, scratched off a check. "Here, take this up to the Old
Colony Bank,--you know, where your father goes every day,--and if
you'll dare go in and present it for the money, it is yours! You've
got some music or fal-lals to buy, I'll be bound. Does old Jamie give
you an allowance? He ought to make a big allowance for your eyes! Now
get off, my dear, before he sees you here." And Mercedes escaped, with
one quick glance at Mr. James, who sank into a chair and looked at his
father quizzically.

"Upon my word," said the old gentleman, rubbing his spectacles
nervously, "she's a nice, well-mannered girl. I don't know why it
wouldn't do."

"I guess Mrs. Harleston does," laughed Mr. James.

"We were all journeymen or countrymen a hundred years ago."

But when Mr. Harleston's mamma heard of these revolutionary sentiments
she put her foot down. And Master Harley (who had conveniently been
dropped a year from Harvard) was sent to learn French bookkeeping in
the simpler civilization of Bordeaux.

XI.

There were friends about Miss Mercy none too sorry to witness the
discomfiture of this lofty aspirant. Poor Jamie, I fear, got some
cross looks for his share in the matter; and tears, which were harder
still to bear. John Hughson, who was a prosperous young teamster,
began to come in again, and take his pipe of an evening with Jamie. He
no longer sat in his shirt-sleeves, and was in other ways much
improved. Mercedes was gracious to him evenings; indeed, it was her
nature to be gracious to all men. She had a way of looking straight at
them with kind eyes, her lips sl