rt, he has spoken to me of marriage--my father. He has told
me plainly what he purposes for me. He and my uncle Dyson have
talked of it together. I am to wed my cousin Jacob. O Cuthbert,
Cuthbert! what must I do? what must I say?"

Cuthbert heard the news in silence. It was not altogether
unexpected, but he had scarce looked to have heard the subject
openly broached so soon. Cherry had been regarded in her home as
such a child, and her father, sisters, and aunt had so combined to
speak and think of her as such, that although her eighteenth
birthday was hard at hand, and she was certainly of marriageable
age, he had not looked to have to face this complication in the
situation quite so quickly. But as he stood holding Cherry in his
arms (for she had come to him in the upper parlour at an hour when
all the household were elsewhere engaged, and there was no fear of
interruption), a look of stern purpose and resolution passed across
the young man's face--an expression which those who knew the
Trevlyn family would have recognized as a true Trevlyn look. His
face seemed to take added years and manliness as that expression
crossed it; and looking tenderly down at the quivering Cherry, he
asked:

"Thinkest thou that he has seen or suspected aught?"

"I know not. He said no word of that, only looked hard at me as be
spoke of Jacob."

"And what saidst thou?"

"Alack! what could I say? I did but tell him I had no thoughts of
such a thing. I prayed he would not send me from him. I told him I
was over young to think of marriage, and besought him to speak of
it no more. And as my tears began to flow I could say no more."

"And he?"

"He reminded me that many another girl was a wedded wife and mother
at my age; and then I turned and said that since Jemima and Kezzie
were yet unwed--ay, and Rachel too, for all her rosy cheeks and her
dowry--it was hard that I should have to be the one to be turned
first out of the nest. And at that I cried the more; and he put his
arm about me, and said he had no thought to grieve me, and did not
think that Jacob would wish me vexed in the matter. And I begged
for a year's grace; and, after thinking and pondering awhile, he
answered that he had no wish to hurry things on--that I was full
young to leave my girlhood behind and be saddled with the cares of
a household. And then it came out that the haste was all Uncle
Dyson's doing. Rachel is to be wed at Easter, and he wants his son
to bring h