wonder whether the subject is one upon which I have this afternoon
received a minute verbal account from the elder Master Lawrence."

"If you refer to an apparently unwarrantable intrusion upon your
family circle, Mrs.--"

"I do, sir," replied the old lady. "Between the statements made by
that child, and the hitherto unaccountable change in my daughter's
looks during two or three days, I think I have got at the truth of
the matter. If the offender were any one else, I should be
inclined to be severe; but we mothers of only daughters are apt to
have a pretty distinct idea of the merits of young men, and--"

The old lady dropped her head; I sprang to my feet, seized her
hand, and reverently kissed it; then Mrs. Mayton, whose only son
had died fifteen years before, raised her head and adopted me in
the manner peculiar to mothers, while Alice burst into tears and
kissed us both.

A few moments later, as three happy people were occupying
conventional attitudes, and trying to compose faces which should
bear the inspection of whoever might happen into the parlor, Mrs.
Mayton observed:--

"My children, between us this matter is understood, but I must
caution you against acting in such a way as to make the engagement
public at once."

"Trust me for that," hastily exclaimed Alice.