nce it would be for dear Arabella French!"

"Heaven forbid!" said Miss Stanbury.

"And then poor Mr. Gibson wouldn't be any longer like the donkey
between two bundles of hay," said Mrs. Powel. Dorothy was quite
determined that she would never marry a man who was like a donkey
between two bundles of hay.

When the gentlemen came up into the drawing-room, Dorothy was seated
behind the urn and tea-things at a large table, in such a position as
to be approached only at one side. There was one chair at her left
hand, but at her right hand there was no room for a seat,--only room
for some civil gentleman to take away full cups and bring them back
empty. Dorothy was not sufficiently ready-witted to see the danger of
this position till Mr. Gibson had seated himself in the chair. Then
it did seem cruel to her that she should be thus besieged for the
rest of the evening as she had been also at dinner. While the tea
was being consumed Mr. Gibson assisted at the service, asking ladies
whether they would have cake or bread and butter; but when all that
was over Dorothy was still in her prison, and Mr. Gibson was still
the jailer at the gate. She soon perceived that everybody else was
chatting and laughing, and that Brooke Burgess was the centre of a
little circle which had formed itself quite at a distance from her
seat. Once, twice, thrice she meditated an escape, but she had not
the courage to make the attempt. She did not know how to manage it.
She was conscious that her aunt's eye was upon her, and that her aunt
would expect her to listen to Mr. Gibson. At last she gave up all
hope of moving, and was anxious simply that Mr. Gibson should confine
himself to the dirt of the paths and the noble prospect from Haldon
Hill.

"I think we shall have more rain before we are done with it," he
said. Twice before during the evening he had been very eloquent about
the rain.

"I dare say we shall," said Dorothy. And then there came the sound
of loud laughter from Sir Peter, and Dorothy could see that he was
poking Brooke Burgess in the ribs. There had never been anything so
gay before since she had been in Exeter, and now she was hemmed up in
that corner, away from it all, by Mr. Gibson!

"This Mr. Burgess seems to be different from the other Burgesses,"
said Mr. Gibson.

"I think he must be very clever," said Dorothy.

"Well;--yes; in a sort of a way. What people call a Merry Andrew."

"I like people who make me laugh and laugh t