"No: I shall write out to Madame La Roche, and tell her she must get
up something wholly original. I shall send for my whole _trousseau_.
Papa will be glad enough to come down, since he gets me off his hands,
and no more fuss about bills, you know. Do you know, Belle, that
creature is just wild about me: he'd like to ransack all the
jewellers' shops in New York for me. He's going up to-morrow, just to
choose the engagement ring. He says he can't trust to an order; that
he must go and choose one worthy of me."

"Oh! it's plain enough that that game is all in your hands, as to him,
Lillie; but, Lil, what will your Cousin Harry say to all this?"

"Well, of course he won't like it; but I can't help it if he don't.
Harry ought to know that it's all nonsense for him and me to think of
marrying. He does know it."

"To tell the truth, I always thought, Lil, you were more in love with
Harry than anybody you ever knew."

Lillie laughed a little, and then the prettiest sweet-pea flush
deepened the pink of her cheeks.

"To say the truth, Belle, I could have been, if he had been in
circumstances to marry. But, you see, I am one of those to whom the
luxuries are essential. I never could rub and scrub and work; in fact,
I had rather not live at all than live poor; and Harry is poor, and
he always will be poor. It's a pity, too, poor fellow, for he's nice.
Well, he is off in India! I know he will be tragical and gloomy, and
all that," she said; and then the soft child-face smiled to itself in
the glass,--such a pretty little innocent smile!