the best of the bunch, but even he is full of old-
fashioned notions. I almost wish I had never
come! People are so bigoted; there is Lady
Wallace sniffing and snuffing, and peeping and
prying, as if there were a fox in the room ! No
– I'll be off ! I thought it would be pleasant,
and safe, and easy, to make oneself happy in
one's own way here ; but Minnie is always in a
fidget, and that makes the risk too great. ' So
jeu ne vaut pas la chandelle' at Skelton Place !"

While Miss Wharton was working round to
this conclusion in the drawing-room, the squire
and Jack were holding a private talk in the
library, Jack being by no means reluctant to
unbosom himself of his wrongs, when he
perceived that the squire was smitten with
suspicion too. But the subject was scarcely a
pleasant one to open, and it was several minutes
before either found courage to do more than
hover about it. But at last, said the squire,
"Jack, all is not going quite smoothly betwixt
you and Minnie, and that is awkward, seeing what
is impending over next Tuesday. My girl is a
good girl, and I am sure she loves you— "

"God bless her, sir, I know she does!"
interrupted Jack, eagerly. " I have not a doubt
of Minnie, but Miss Wharton is making a tool of
her to promote some mysterious affairs of her
own, and I'll not stand it. This is the second
evening that I have not had a chance of a word
with my darling, and this morning she fairly ran
away from me under her friend's wing. I want
to know what it all means, this lurking about
after dark, and in that dreary Lower Copse where
I saw them this morning. If Miss Wharton
has a lover under the rose, I'll not let her use
my innocent Minnie for a fence. You must speak
about it, squire, or I shall."

"You think there is a lover in the case, do
you? and I have my reasons for thinking so,
too; though why Miss Wharton should make a
secret of it, unless it be from a woman's taste
for romantic mysteries, I am at a loss to
conjecture. If she chose to marry my rough-rider
or her brother's groom, Tom is not the man to
object – and I'm sure I'm not. My duties as
her guardian ended three years since, but she
had taken the reins of government into her hands
long before that. I do not like to address her,
but I'll have in Minnie – perhaps you had better
leave us for five minutes, Jack. Go into the
conservatory, and when I have had my say I
will send her to you."

There was a second entrance into the green-
house through the library, and by this door Jack
Wyvill vanished as Minnie came slowly and shyly,
summoned by Bolton, to her father's presence.
The tender-hearted lover hoped and prayed the
squire would deal gently with his darling, as
he hurried out of sight amongst the flowers;
but he had a very short interval allowed him
either to think or to wish; for not a minute
had elapsed since his retirement when Minnie
rushed out to seek him, her cheeks a-blaze, her
sweet eyes glistening through thick tears. Her
father had addressed her with some little
sarcasm, which she had taken in earnest, and
instead of staying to answer him she carried her
defence to head-quarters at once, indignantly
sobbing out reproaches to Jack that he could
imagine she went with her friend to meet
anybody in the wood !

It was impossible to resist the candour of
those pleading eyes, and it was equally impossible
to resist the temptation of taking his darling's
bonny face between his two hands, as he said,
"If you met nobody in the wood, then, have you
taken to smoking .'"

Minnie's eyes cleared, and she broke into a
merry laugh; " Oh! it is Harry's cigars"
whispered she.

"Harry's cigars, indeed!" stammered Jack.

"Why does she not put on the—hang it,
Minnie, they might have lost you a husband,
and me the dearest little sweetheart in Christendom!"

"Don't be a goose, Jack – let me go!"
responded Minnie; and at that moment Miss
Wharton appeared corning towards them from
the further end of the conservatory.

"It is moonlight on the terrace; let us go
and smoke a cigar, my friend," said Jack, addressing
her, while the squire looked out from the
library door all a-grin and delighted.

Miss Wharton crimsoned. " It is too bad,
Minnie; you promised you would not tell," began
she; but Minnie interrupted her with lively
defiance.

"I won't be scolded, Harry; your horrid,
selfish cigars have nearly made Jack quarrel
with me," exclaimed she; " but, now that he
knows, you can enjoy your little pleasures in
peace and in public! There is nothing wicked
in smoking a cigar—"

But Minnie had said enough, and more than
enough. Miss Wharton had turned away in
high dudgeon, and disappeared for the rest of
the evening, and the next day, in spite of
entreaties and almost of tears, she went away
home. The day after Minnie's wedding she
received, not cards or bride-cake, but a box of
Lopez cigars.

NEW WORK BY MR. DICKENS,
In Monthly Parts, uniform with the Original Editions of
"Pickwick," " Copperfleld," &c.
In MAY will be published, PART I., price 1s., of
A NEW WORK BY CHARLES DICKENS
IN TWENTY MONTHLY PARTS.
London: CHAPMAN and HALL, 193, Piccadilly.

Now ready, bound in cloth, price 5s. 6d.,
THE TENTH VOLUME.