bitterly.

'Ha! what's all this? Why, you don't pretend to care for a young
mercenary scamp like that?'

'He is the noblest, most generous, most disinterested man I ever
knew!' said Mary, standing apart, and speaking clearly. 'I give him
up because--you command me, father, but I will not hear him spoken of
unjustly.'

'Ha! ha! so long as you give him up, we won't quarrel. He shall be
all that, and more too, if you like; and we'll never fight over the
matter again, since I have you safe back, my child.'

'I do not mean to mention him again,' said Mary; 'I wish to obey
you.'

'Then there's an end of the matter. You'll get over it, my girl, and
we'll find some honest man worth two of your niggardly, proud-
spirited earls. There, I know you are a reasonable girl that can be
silent, and not go on teasing. So, Mary, you may have a cup of tea
for me to-morrow in the sala, like old times. Goodnight, my dear.'

Waiting upon himself! That was the reward that Mr. Ponsonby held out
to his daughter for crushing her first love!

But it was a reward. Anything that drew her father nearer to her was
received with gratitude by Mary, and the words of kindness in some
degree softened the blow. She had never had much hope, though now she
found it had been more than she had been willing to believe; and even