Why, Maggie! Maggie!--you're not going to faint,
surely!"

His sudden burst out of a whisper into a loud exclamation of surprise,
made her rally; but she could not stand. She tried to smile, for he really
looked frightened.

"I have been sitting up for many nights--and now this sorrow!" Her smile
died away into a wailing, feeble cry.

"Well, well! it's over now, you see. I was frightened enough myself this
morning, I own; and then you were brave and kind. But I knew you could save
me, all along."

At this moment the door opened, and Mrs. Browne came in.

"Why, Edward, dear! who would have thought of seeing you! This is good of
you; what a pleasant surprise! I often said, you might come over for a day
from Woodchester. What's the matter, Maggie, you look so fagged? She's
losing all her beauty, is not she, Edward? Where's breakfast? I thought I
should find all ready. What's the matter? Why don't you speak?" said she,
growing anxious at their silence. Maggie left the explanation to Edward.

"Mother," said he, "I've been rather a naughty boy, and got into some
trouble; but Maggie is going to help me out of it, like a good sister."

"What is it?" said Mrs. Browne, looking bewildered and uneasy.

"Oh--I took a little liberty with our friend Mr. Buxton's name; and wrote
it down to a receipt--that was all."

Mrs. Browne's face showed that the light came but slowly into her mind.

"But that's forgery--is not it?" asked she at length, in terror.

"People call it so," said Edward; "I call it borrowing from an old friend,
who was always willing to lend."

"Does he know?--is he angry?" asked Mrs. Browne.

"Yes, he knows; and he blusters a deal. He was working himself up grandly
at first. Maggie! I was getting rarely frightened, I can tell you."

"Has he been here?" said Mrs. Browne, in bewildered fright.

"Oh, yes! he and Maggie have been having a long talk, while I was hid in
the china-closet. I would not go over that half-hour again for any money.
However, he and Maggie came to terms, at last."

"No, Edward, we did not!" said Maggie, in a low quivering voice.

"Very nearly. She's to give up her engagement, and then he will let me
off."

"Do you mean that Maggie is to give up her engagement to Mr. Frank Buxton?"
asked his mother.

"Yes. It would never have come to anything, one might see that. Old Buxton
would have held out against it till doomsday. And, sooner or later, Frank
would have grown weary. If Maggi