warmer. I have been wishing to see you, without her, very much, because I think you have reason to be angry with me."

"What, for being Mrs. Patterson's grandson? Not at all, I assure you."

"Not exactly for that, nor only now, but you might think I took an unfair advantage of you, when, some years ago, I questioned you about her; now I see you are going to say, it did not signify to you who I was." Helen smiled, and he went on. "But hear me out, if you please. I knew only too well what a queer temper she was, and I thought it would be more for your comfort to know nothing whatever of her, except what you saw with your own eyes, for I was afraid you had most likely a good deal to bear with her."

"It was very considerate of you; I suppose I ought to make my best acknowledgments."

"If you think I deserve them; and here, you know, I had no choice, for you would have thought any information about myself very superfluous, while the poor old lady was so ill."

"Not so ill but that you could laugh to think how you were mystifying me. I do not know that I can quite forgive you for that, but here she comes."

A noise on the stairs, accompanied by Turner's voice, announced Mrs. Patterson's approach, and Helen went to open the door. "If you are to come at this time in the morning, I must get up earlier to be ready for

you, I suppose," was her gracious salutation as soon as she was comfortably settled in her chair.

"I have been telling Mr. Grey," interposed Helen, "that you think of getting up to breakfast."

"Have you? Well, I don't think I shall at present; it's as much as I can do to be down by this time."

"You must wait for warmer weather," said Mr. Grey, "but I hope you have not been hurried. I have a long way to go to-day, and if I had not come now, I must have put off seeing you till the evening, and I thought you would prefer an early visit."

"So I do. Now can you tell me how the children are? I have not seen either Allan or his wife these three days, so I fancy they must be worse."

"No! they have found out their complaint is the measles, and they have it very slightly; I dare say you will see him to-day."

The medical inquiry lasted only a few minutes; the patient was nearly recovered, and the doctor in a hurry to be gone.

CHAPTER XVII.

"What's Love, I pray thee tell?"
"It is that fountain and that well,
Where pleasure and repentance dwell.
It is perhaps that sauncing bell,
That tolls all into Heaven or Hell,
And this is Love as I heard tell."

SIR WALTER RALEIGH.

"Who would have imagined this time last year that Grey would be settled here, and in such high favour with my mother?" said Mr. Patterson, as one afternoon late in the spring, he and his wife were returning home after a visit to Mrs. Patterson.

"You think you managed it all very cleverly," was her laughing answer; "but there was much in favour of your plan, her illness and Mr. Chene's, for instance, happening just at the same time; and it was fortunate too, that his voice and laugh was not like his father's. As to the resemblance to his mother, that you discovered; I wonder any body can see it under that bush of hair."

My mother did not see it so soon as I expected."

"Still, allowing for your advantages, I think you deserve some credit for your patience, if not for your contrivance. Had the management of those two people rested with me, I am certain they would never have been friends."

"I flatter myself the peace is likely to be permanent now."

"Do not be too sure of that. I should not 'be surprised if you had another difficult business to manage, out of which you might not come with such flying colours."

"What do you mean? I do not think there has been any disagreement."

"Oh no, quite the reverse. I suppose you are not very likely to guess at my meaning, but I wonder what your mother would say to Helen Lester for a granddaughter-in-law?"

"Is there any chance of that? It never occurred to me, and yet, now you mention it, it really may be so."

soon.

"I suspect we shall hear of such a project I doubt if she will bear it very patiently." "So do I," answered he, musingly. "She is very fond of them both, but I think pride will most likely step in. It really would be very awkward; and yet I doubt if his father's connexions were much better than her's."

66

Very likely not; but at least his father was a clergyman, and her's a grocer at Stenham." "I believe his father was the only one of his

family who could in any way be called a gentleman; and for that matter, my mother, though she had abundance of money, had not much to boast of in point of family."

They walked on in silence for some time. "She really would be just the wife for him though," resumed Mr. Patterson; "sensible, well educated, and pleasing. I think I could give my consent. And of one thing I am sure, Grey will not wait for either my mother's or mine. But after all it may be only your fancy."

"I wish it may be, for I cannot take it quite so quietly as you do. It was very unfortunate Maria ever having anything to do with her. I did not like it from the first. It was entirely my mother's idea."

The thought suggested itself to Mr. Patterson that Mrs. Greaves was, at most, only indirectly the cause of Helen Lester's introduction to his mother, but he saw his wife was vexed, and forbore to give it utterance.

Another silence followed, broken at last by Mrs. Allan saying, “What a pity it was Helen's visit to her uncle was cut short. I wonder whether Mrs. Patterson could spare her now."

"It is of no use, Harriet, if it is as you imagine, sending her away would make no difference. Do not vex yourself about it."

"I am afraid I cannot help it. I wonder what my mother and Maria will say.

"Do you think Helen has thought of it, or is it only Grey you suspect?"