She was but a step-mother, and an unkind one.
Miss was (he said) a major, might marry whom she liked; and suttnly had paid Lady G.quite as much attention as she ought, by paying her the compliment to ask her at all.
And so they went on.

The curious thing was, that when master was pressed about his cause for not coming out till night-time, he was misterus; and Miss Griffin, when asked why she wooden marry, igsprest, or rather, DIDN'T igspress, a simlar secrasy.

Wasn't it hard?
the cup seemed to be at the lip of both of 'em, and yet somehow, they could not manitch to take a drink.
But one morning, in reply to a most desprat epistol wrote by my master over night, Deuceace, delighted, gits an answer from his soal's beluffd, which ran thus:-- MISS GRIFFIN TO THE HON.

A.P.

DEUCEACE.
"DEAREST,--You say you would share a cottage with me; there is no need, luckily, for that! You plead the sad sinking of your spirits at our delayed union.