and in those eyes--friend as he was of the young couple who had set him
to this errand, he would have shrunk from it. Millicent made no verbal
reply. Spasms chased each other over her white face. She seemed stricken
dumb. Her hands, lifted to her forehead, trembled visibly. And Mr. Weil
sat there, uncertain what to do, as silent as herself.

Gradually the force of the storm passed, and Miss Fern staggered faintly
to her feet. Mr. Weil offered to support her with his arms, but she
refused his aid with a motion that was unmistakable. She was making
every effort to conceal her agitation, and she dared not trust herself
with words. After taking a weak step or two, and finding that she could
not walk unassisted, she rested herself upon the arm of a large chair,
and signed to him to leave her. Much mortified, but knowing no other
course, he bowed profoundly and obeyed the signal.

The next morning he received the following letter at his hotel:

"MR. A. WEIL:--SIR: If you are in any respect a
gentleman--which I may be excused for doubting--you will
not allude in the presence of any one to the exhibition I
made to-day. Had I had the least preparation I could have
controlled myself. You adroitly took me at a complete
disadvantage, and you saw the result.

"I leave to-morrow for a new home. Never again shall I live
under the roof of those who have betrayed me. Do not think
I shall succumb to grief because of my sister's conduct.
She is welcome to her victory. No answer to this is
expected. Yours, M. A. F."

Luckily Archie had escaped from Midlands without meeting either Daisy or
Roseleaf, and he obeyed as strictly as possible the injunction he
received from the elder sister. All he would say was that he had
informed her of the engagement and that she had made no reply. When he
was told a day or two later that Millicent had left the house, he merely
remarked that he was not much surprised, as she was a girl of strong
will and usually did about as she pleased.

Mr. Fern, at first much distressed over his daughter's action, grew
reconciled when he thought of it more at length. He sent a liberal
allowance to her, which she did not return, and made arrangements by
which she could draw the same sum at her convenience at a bank in the
city.

CHAPTER XXII.

WHERE WAS DAISY?

The wedding was arranged to occur in the month of October, and the
p