ting were among our privileged
amusements. Among other less useful accomplishments, I there acquired
that of swimming expertly; and, as a place of exile, this quaint town
answered as well as any other for the intended purpose.

For, notwithstanding my father's assurances that Dr. Pemberton had
recommended change of air--to some degree true, of course--and that he
himself believed a public course of study would exhaust me less than my
solitary lessons, to which I gave such undivided attention, and
notwithstanding Evelyn's professions of regret at the necessity of
parting with me, and Mrs. Austin's belief that the "baby was killing me
by inches," since she took it into her head to sleep with no one else,
and to play half the night, and to stay with me all day besides, I felt
myself "ostracized."

The whole matter was so sudden that I scarcely knew what to make of it.
Mr. Bainrothe alone let in a little light upon the subject by one
remark, unintentionally, no doubt:

"The fact is, Miriam, you are getting too much wound up with that
Stanbury family, and you would be perfectly entangled there in another
year. The idea of putting the whole hardship of George Gaston's
education on your shoulders was worthy of diplomatic brains, and
something I should scarcely have suspected that calm, quiet little woman
to have been capable of conceiving. There is an old, worn-out plantation
in the Gaston family, that your money would set going again, no doubt,
with accelerated velocity. Did you never suspect anything of that sort?"
he asked, carelessly.

"Never; nor did I suppose any one else was stupid or wicked enough to
entertain such an idea. I, being tolerably acute, _knew_ better,
fortunately."

"My dear little girl, you are entirely too chivalrous and confiding
where your feelings are engaged. What if I were to assure that this plan
had been agitated?"

"I should think you had been deceived, or that you were deceiving me,
one or the other. I should not _believe_ you, that would be all. You
understand me now, Mr. Bainrothe; there are no purer people than the
Stanburys--I wish every one was half as good and true."

"Old Gerald at the head of them, I suppose?" with a sneer and a
kaleidoscopic glance.

"Mr. Gerald Stanbury at the head of them," I reiterated firmly, adding:
"These are friends of mine, Mr. Bainrothe; it hurts and offends me to
hear them lightly discussed. If I am sent away from home to break off my
affection for