"O yes, Max, yes!" cried Laura excitedly; "I'd do anything!"

"I don't want you to do anything," said Max, smiling with triumph; "only what I advise. Help me, and I will help you with all my heart. But I always knew that you would. You say that you don't like my choice.

Well and good; I might say that I don't like yours. Perhaps my affair will come to nothing; but, anyhow, you are the gainer. I won't say anything about hating, but let you have your selection. Now let me have mine. But if you have anything better to propose, I am ready to listen."

"But I have no plans, Max. I only thought of her being sent away; I'm half broken-hearted and worn-out with disappointment!"

"Yes, just so. I expected as much, and I was waiting here to see you,"

said Max. "I'm not blind, Laury, nor deaf either. I heard you two shouting across the hall. So you've been telling the old lady that some one shall go, have you?"

"Yes, I have!" exclaimed Laura, ignoring the past conversation; "and she shall go too! Mamma did promise me."

"Ya-a-as, I know," said Max, relapsing into his drawl; "but that was before she promised me. The second will counts before the first made.

But, as I said before, and we understand now, she's not going--so there's an end of it."

"O, of course!" cried Laura pa.s.sionately. "Everything must be as mamma's dear boy wishes! He shall have everything he likes, and do as he likes, and say what he likes, and every one else is to give way to him!"

"Bai Jove, now, don't be an idiot!" exclaimed Max. "What's the good-- now that I'm working on your side, and we have got to understand one another--of running back like this? I'm obliged to speak plain, and to tell you that you are only a stupid child, Laury, and that you've taken a liking for another stupid child--and there's a pair of you; but all the same, if you do as I tell you, all will come right!"

Laura tossed her head, and seemed somewhat mollified, perhaps from being reminded of her folly.

"There," said Max, "that will do for this morning; so now do just as I tell you, and leave all the rest to me. But is it a bargain?"

Laura Bray was thoughtful for a few minutes. She was placed in a position which required consideration: the languid brother, whom she had hitherto almost despised, was asking her to forego one purpose for the sake of an equivalent; but it was the fact of his asking her to trust herself entirely to his guidance that troubled her; and for a while she shrank from yielding.

"Well," he said again, "is it a bargain?"

Still Laura did not answer, but remained gazing fixedly at the speaker, who watched her as attentively, his flushed cheek and eager eyes displaying the interest he took in the affair. At last, though, she leaned forward, and taking one of his arms between her hands,

"I never trusted you yet, Max," she said.

"Sisterly, very--but perfectly true," he exclaimed, laughing.

"But I will, Max, this time. But if you play me false--"

"Hush!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Max, throwing himself back in his chair, and forcing his gla.s.s beneath his brow to stare at the new-comer; for at that moment the drawing-room door opened, and Ella Bedford stood upon the threshold.

Volume 1, Chapter XX.

ELLA'S RESOLVE.

"I beg pardon," said Ella, upon seeing who occupied the room. "I thought that Mrs Bray would be here."

"No, not here now, Miss Bedford," said Max, in his best style. "But take a chair; she won't be long first. Don't run away, Laury."

"I must; I have a letter or two to write," said Laura, trying hard to appear calm, and play into her brother's hand. But so far the efforts of brother and sister were without effect; for, with a few words of thanks, Ella withdrew; and a minute after the tones of Mrs Bray's voice were heard in loud expostulation, and coming nearer and nearer, till the door was flung open, and she entered, literally driving Ella before her.

"There, only think, Maximilian dear," shrieked Mrs Bray; "here's Miss Bedford been to say she must go!"

"Quite out of the question," said Max. "Bai Jove, what can you be thinking of, Miss Bedford? Why, poor Nelly would break her heart."

Ella started slightly, for Max Bray had touched a tender chord, and she remained silent, with the tears standing in her eyes, as the form of Nelly forced itself upon her imagination.

"It would be so inconvenient," shrieked Mrs Bray; "and you suit us so very well. I was only yesterday saying to your master--I mean, to Mr Bray--that the way in which those children have improved is perfectly wonderful."

"Perhaps Miss Bedford will reconsider her sudden determination," said Laura, in a voice which trembled with the struggle she had with self to obey the intelligent look darted at her by her brother.

"I have quietly thought it over," said Ella, looking with wondering eyes at the last speaker, as she felt unable to comprehend this sudden change, "and it is really absolutely necessary that I should leave."

"I'm sure you never will with my consent," shrieked Mrs Bray. "I think you a very nice young person indeed, Miss Bedford; and even Mr Maximilian made the remark this very morning, how pleased he was with the way in which you manage the children. And really, Miss Bedford, if it is a matter of two pounds more in your wages, I'm sure Mr Bray won't object to raising you. It's so troublesome to have to change, you see.

But now that you are aware how much we are disposed to keep you, I think you will alter your mind."

"Indeed, madam--" cried Ella.

"There, there, there--pray don't be hasty!" shrieked Mrs Bray. "That's what I always say to the servants: 'Don't do anything without plenty of consideration.' You are young yet, Miss Bedford, and have not yet learned how much easier it is to lose than to gain a situation. Now take my advice, and go and think it over. No, I won't hear another word now; only remember this: I wish you to stay, and so does Mr Maximilian, who takes great interest in the studies of his sisters, as well as in their welfare, as you must have found out before now."

"Bai Jove, yes!" murmured Max, unabashed by the sharp glance sent flashing at him by his sister.

"I'm afraid," said Laura with an effort, "that it is all due to my hasty words, spoken in anger last night. I'm sure I beg your pardon, Miss Bedford: I'm afraid I was in error--labouring under a mistake--been deceived--" She hesitated here as for an instant she encountered Ella's candid, wondering look; but feeling rea.s.sured by the thought that Ella did not know how she had played the spy, Laura plucked up courage, and joined with Mrs Bray in requesting that Ella would quietly reconsider the matter, playing the hypocrite admirably, and little thinking how those soft eyes read the deceit.

"I quite agree with mamma, that you had better calmly think the matter over," said Laura after a pause.

"Bai Jove, yes!" said Max, rising and going to the door. "There, I'll leave you all to talk it over." And, with a parting glance at Ella, he left the room; but no sooner was the door closed than Ella started again, for Max was heard loudly calling, "Nelly! Nelly!" Then there was the noise of a scuffle, a smart slap, and two or three "I won't's!"

and "I sha'n't's!" in the midst of which Max returned, dragging in Nelly, very hot and wild-looking; for her conscience told her that she was to be taken to task for listening amongst the shrubs the night before.

"There!" said Max, "I've got another voter, bai Jove, Miss Bedford!

Here, Nelly, Miss Bedford says she wants to go away from the Elms; it won't do--"

"What!" cried Nelly, her eyes flashing as she darted to Ella's side.

"You should say, 'I beg your pardon,' or 'I did not catch your words,'

my dear," shrieked Mrs Bray--"not 'what!'"

"Miss Bedford wants to go!" cried Nelly, not heeding Mamma Bray's words.

"Then you and Laury have done it between you, and it is cruel and wicked, and--and--shameful, and--and beastly--that it is!" cried Nelly, bursting out into a pa.s.sion of weeping. "But if she is sent away, I'll run away too, and never come back any more."

"But, bai Jove! we want her to stop," cried Max, "don't you see?"

"Then she will stop," cried Nelly; "won't you, Miss Bedford?"

"There, I'm off; I see you womenkind will settle it amongst you," said Max; and, satisfied that what had threatened to be a check to his plans had been most likely averted, he left the room and sought the solace of a cigar.

End of Volume One.

Volume 2, Chapter I.

CLOUDS AT THE COURT.

"Well, Charley my boy," said Sir Philip Vining, a few mornings after, "you must keep the ball rolling. You are going along swimmingly. But ladies like plenty of attentions. What are you going to do next? Can't you get up something fresh? Don't spare for money, my boy: I've--that is, we've plenty, you know; and I like to be lavish as far as the income allows. It's an old-fashioned idea of mine, Charley, that it is the duty of a landlord, deriving a handsome revenue from a neighbourhood, to spend that revenue liberally in his district. It's no waste, you know; it is all distributed amongst the people, and does some good. By the way, though, I think you might be a little more attentive to Laura.

She's a fine girl, Charley: perhaps a little too masculine; but it's surprising how love and matrimony soften down that cla.s.s of women. I saw you with her yesterday along with that Miss Bedford or Rutland-- which was her name?"