\"no, dear; don\"t think that i am impertinently curious. i am sure youwould hāve told me if you had felt that you could return his regard. didhe speak to you about it?\"

no answer at first; but by-and-by a little gentle reluctant \"yes.\"

\"and you refused him?\"

a long sigh; a more helpless, nerveless attitude, and another \"yes.\" butbefore her father could speak, margaret lifted up her face, rosy withsome beautiful shame, and, fixing her eyes upon him, said:

\"now, papa, i hāve told you this, and i cannot tell you more; and then

the whole thing is so painful to me; every word and action connectedwith it is so unspeakably bitter, that i cannot bear to think of it. oh,papa, i am sorry to hāve lost you this friend, but i could not help it--butoh! i am very sorry.\" she sate down on the ground, and laid her head onhis knees.

\"i too, am sorry, my dear. mr. bell quite startled me when he said, someidea of the kind--\"

\"mr. bell! oh, did mr. bell see it?\"

\"a little; but he took it into his head that you--how shall i say it?--thatyou were not ungraciously disposed towards mr. thornton. i knew thatcould never be. i hoped the whole thing was but an imagination; but iknew too well what your real feelings were to suppose that you couldever like mr. thornton in that way. but i am very sorry.\"

they were very quiet and still for some minutes. but, on stroking hercheek in a caressing way soon after, he was almost shocked to find herface wet with tears. as he touched her, she sprang up, and smiling withforced brightness, began to talk of the lennoxes with such a vehementdesire to turn the conversation, that mr. hale was too tender-hearted totry to force it back into the old channel.

\"to-morrow--yes, to-morrow they will be back in harley street. oh,how strange it will be! i wonder what room they will make into thenursery? aunt shaw will be happy with the baby. fancy edith amamma! and captain lennox--i wonder what he will do with himselfnow he has sold out!\"