young women--he begged pardon, young ladies--should not earn their
own bread if they liked. He only wished that the shop were a little
further off than Kensington, and hoped the name of Leaf would not be
put over the door.

But the bride-elect, indignant and annoyed, begged her lover to
interfere, and prevent the scheme from being carried out.

"Don't vex yourself, my dear Selina," said he, dryly--how Hilary
started to hear the stranger use the household name--"but I can't see
that it's my business to interfere. I marry you, I don't marry your
whole family."

"Mr. Ascott is quite right; we will end the subject," said Johanna,
with grave dignity while Hilary sat with burning cheeks, thinking
that, miserable as the family had been, it had never till now known
real degradation.

But her heart was very sore that day. It the morning had come the
letter from India never omitted, never delayed; Robert Lyon was
punctual as clock-work in every thing he did. It came, but this month
it was a short and somewhat sad letter--hinting of failing health,
uncertain prospects; full of a bitter longing to come home, and a
dread that it would be years before that longing was realized.

"My only consolation is," he wrote, for once betraying himself a
little, "that however hard my life out here may be, I bear it alone."

But that consolation was not so easy to Hilary. That they two should
be wasting their youth apart, when just a little heap of yellow