And with this homely suggestion, which always sobered Miss Somerset,
and, indeed, frightened her out of her wits, she withdrew the offender.
She did not take him into the kitchen, but into the dining-room, and
there he had a long talk with her, and gave her a sovereign.

She promised to inform him if anything important should occur.

He went away, pondering and scowling deeply.


CHAPTER IV.

SIR CHARLES BASSETT was now living in Elysium. Never was rake more
thoroughly transformed. Every day he sat for hours at the feet of Bella
Bruce, admiring her soft, feminine ways and virgin modesty even more
than her beauty. And her visible blush whenever he appeared suddenly,
and the soft commotion and yielding in her lovely frame whenever he
drew near, betrayed his magnetic influence, and told all but the blind
she adored him.

She would decline all invitations to dine with him and her father--a
strong-minded old admiral, whose authority was unbounded, only, to
Bella's regret, very rarely exerted. Nothing would have pleased her
more than to be forbidden this and commanded that; but no! the admiral
was a lion with an enormous paw, only he could not be got to put it
into every pie.

In this charming society the hours glided, and the wedding-day drew
close. So deeply and sincerely was Sir Charles in love that when Mr.