Upon hearing this Mr. Damer thought that he saw his way out of the
wood. "Wherever I go, Miss Dawkins, I am always the paymaster myself,"
and this he contrived to say with some sternness, palpitating though he
still was; and the sternness which was deficient in his voice he
endeavoured to put into his countenance.

But he did not know Miss Dawkins. "Oh, Mr. Damer," she said, and as
she spoke her smile became almost blander than it was before; "oh, Mr.
Damer, I could not think of suffering you to be so liberal; I could
not, indeed. But I shall be quite content that you should pay
everything, and let me settle with you in one sum afterwards."

Mr. Damer's breath was now rather more under his own command. "I am
afraid, Miss Dawkins," he said, "that Mrs. Damer's weak state of health
will not admit of such an arrangement."

"What, about the paying?"

"Not only as to that, but we are a family party, Miss Dawkins; and
great as would be the benefit of your society to all of us, in Mrs.
Damer's present state of health, I am afraid--in short, you would not
find it agreeable.--And therefore--" this he added, seeing that she was
still about to persevere--"I fear that we must forego the advantage you
offer."

And then, looking into his face, Miss Dawkins did perceive that even
her audacity would not prevail.

"Oh, very well," she said, and moving from the stone on which she had