t his vote, but handed
the lady down stairs in solemn silence.

The Tappitt girls came and clustered about Rachel as she was going.
"I can't conceive why you are off so early," said Martha. "No,
indeed," said Mrs. Tappitt; "only of course it would be very wrong to
keep Mrs. Cornbury waiting when she has been so excessively kind to
you." "The naughty girl! It isn't that at all," said Cherry. "It's
she that is hurrying Mrs. Cornbury away." "Good night," said Augusta
very coldly. "And Rachel," said Cherry, "mind you come up to-morrow
and talk it all over; we shall have so much to say." Then Rachel
turned to go, and found Luke Rowan at her elbow waiting to take her
down. She had no alternative;--she must take his arm; and thus they
walked down stairs into the hall together.

"You'll come up here to-morrow," said he.

"No, no; tell Cherry that I shall not come."

"Then I shall go to Bragg's End. Will your mother let me call?"

"No, don't come. Pray don't."

"I certainly shall;--certainly, certainly! What things have you got?
Let me put your shawl on for you. If you do not come up to the girls,
I shall certainly go down to you. Now, good-night. Good-night, Mrs.
Cornbury." And Luke, getting hold of Rachel's reluctant hand, pressed
it with all his warmth.

"I don't want to ask indiscreet questions," said Mrs. Cornbury; "but
that young man seems rather smitten, I think."

"Oh, no," said Rachel, not knowing what to say.

"But I say,--oh, yes; a nice good-looking man he is too, and a
gentleman, which is more than I can say for all of them there. What
an escape you had of Mr. Griggs, my dear!"

"Yes, I had. But I was so sorry that you should have to speak to
him."

"Of course I spoke to him. I was there to fight your battles for you.
That's why married ladies go to balls. You were quite right not to
dance with him. A girl should always avoid any intimacy with such men
as that. It is not that he would have done you any harm; but they
stand in the way of your satisfaction and contentment. Balls are
given specially for young ladies; and it is my theory that they are
to make themselves happy while they are there, and not sacrifice
themselves to men whom they don't wish to know. You can't always
refuse when you're asked, but you can always get out of an engagement
afterwards if you know what you're about. That was my way when I was
a girl." And this was the daughter of Mr. Comfort, whose somewhat
melancholy discourses aga