occupied with titles," I said.

Patty's lip quivered. And I knew, blundering fool that I was, that I had
hurt her.

"Oh, you wrong her!" she cried; "believe me when I say that she loves
you, and you only, Richard."

"Loves me!" I retorted bitterly,--brutally, I fear. "No. She may have
once, long ago. But now her head is turned."

"She loves you now," answered Patty, earnestly; "and I think ever will,
if you but deserve her."

And with that she went away, leaving me to stare after her in perplexity
and consternation.

CHAPTER XVII. SOUTH RIVER

My grandfather's defection from St. Anne's called forth a deal of
comment in Annapolis. His Excellency came to remonstrate, but to no
avail, and Mr. Carvel denounced the rector in such terms that the
Governor was glad to turn the subject. My Uncle Grafton acted with
such quickness and force as would have served to lull the sharpest
suspicions. He forbid the rector his house, attended the curate's
service, and took Philip from his care. It was decided that both my
cousin and I were to go to King's College after Christmas. Grafton's
conduct greatly pleased my grandfather. "He has behaved very loyally in
this matter, Richard." he said to me. "I grow to reproach myself more
every day for the injustice I once did him. He is heaping coals of fire
upon my old head. But, faith! I cannot stomach your Aunt Caroline. You
do not seem to like your uncle, lad."

I answered that I did not.

"It was ever the Carvel way not to forget," he went on. "Nevertheless,
Grafton hath your welfare at heart, I think. His affection for you as
his brother's son is great."

O that I had spoken the words that burned my tongue!

Christmas fell upon Monday of that year, 1769. There was to be a ball at
Upper Marlboro on the Friday before, to which many of us were invited.
Though the morning came in with a blinding snowstorm from the north, the
first of that winter, about ten of the clock we set out from Annapolis
an exceeding merry party, the ladies in four coaches-and-six, the
gentlemen and their servants riding at the wheels. We laughed and joked
despite the storm, and exchanged signals with the fair ones behind the
glasses.

But we had scarce got two miles beyond the town gate when a messenger
overtook us with a note for Mr. Carvel, writ upon an odd slip of paper,
and with great apparent hurry:

HONOURED SIR,

"I have but just come to Annapolis from New York, with Instructions
to put in