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Certainly not, to you," said Annette, pertly. "I should say it was his chief merit in your eyes."

"Annette, that is not the way to speak to me."

"Well, mamma, poor Annie feels sore on that subject," said Adèle, laughing, "when she is devoted to a man neither clever, nor highly respected, nor rich.”

"Were he rich, the highly respected and clever might be dispensed with," said Annette. "I am much obliged to you for your speech, Adèle ; but I can only say that the more Captain Annerley is maligned and insulted by my family, the more I shall stand by him."

"Annette was going to say 'stick to him,' only she thought it an inglorious finish to so grand a speech," said Estelle.

"I think this is a subject better not discussed," said Lady Bouverie. "Enough has been said on it, I am sure; and as you do not seem disposed to entertain my suggestion, perhaps we had better give it up."

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Oh! no," exclaimed one or two voices, "I

like it."-" And so do I."

"It's something to do," sighed Marguerite; "when shall it be?"

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'Tuesday, I thought," said Lady Bouverie.

'Yes, that will just give us time to ask the people," said Marguerite.

"I know what would be ever so much more fun," said Estelle, jumping up suddenly, “ private theatricals."

"Oh! my dear child, your father would not hear of it: he would be shocked at his girls acting."

"Oh! yes, of course, that's always the way. What is the good of proposing anything?"

"Beside even if he had not objected, it is a better amusement for the winter evenings."

"Let us have the picnic now," said Marguerite, "while the weather is so nice, and coax papa to let us have some theatricals by-and-bye. I think that is a good suggestion of Estelle's. Blanche was only saying the other day, how she should like to act."

"Blanche Wilmont!" said Lady Bouverie in an astonished voice. "I should have thought her mother would not hear of such a thing?"

"Blanche's mother likes Blanche to amuse herself her own way, and does not care as long as she is happy," said Annette.

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'Probably because Blanche always amuses herself in the right way. She has earned her mother's confidence."

An angry rejoinder was rising to Annette's lips, when Marguerite stopped it by saying,—

"Well now, really, mamma, dear, do think about the theatricals. I will go to-morrow, and speak to Blanche about the picnic, and I will ask her about the acting. I know she has acted herself once or twice before."

"Well, you can ask about it, but I am almost sure your father will object."

"Can I speak to you, mamma?" said Annette, following her out of the room.

"Yes, my love, certainly. Come into my room,"

answered Lady Bouverie, with some astonishment in her voice. It was seldom her girls asked to speak to her-seldom they had any confidence to impart.

"Oh! it's nothing new, mamma," said Annette, closing the door behind her; "it is merely to know if you and papa have talked the matter of Captain Annerley over and come to your final determination."

"Of course we have, my dear. Your father returned from Scotland on purpose to put a stop to it. He says he will not hear of your throwing yourself away in such a manner."

"Oh! very well," said Annette, with a scornful laugh. "That is all, thank you." And she walked out of the room, and going to her own room locked the door; hastily wrote a note, and, putting her hat and jacket on, flew down the back staircase, and out across the garden, down a lane that skirted their grounds, gathering, as she went over the lawn, a bouquet of scarlet gera

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And, putting her hat and jacket on, flew down the back staircase."

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