Misery loves company, sure. Thus it will be seen that Mr. Arthur Selden did not deceive himself with any very great hopes of success; still, such is the complexity of man's aspirations and man's reasoning, that he determined to speak to Mercedes of his love, for he had never done so-had never offered himself to her. He would know the worst from her own lips. So one morning in the month of September, when George Mechlin and his uncle had gone to New York on business on account of Jay Cook's failure, Selden saw the two Misses Mechlin out driving on the road towards Fort Adams. He concluded that the two Misses Mechlin must be going to call on the officers' wives, stationed at the Fort, and Mercedes must be alone at home. He immediately took a side road thus to avoid meeting the Mechlins and drove directly to the Mechlin villa. He found Mercedes alone in the library, where she had gone for a book to take to her room.

"Mr. Arthur Selden," said the tall servant at the library door, and behind his broad shoulders peeped Arthur's red whiskers.

"I took the liberty of following the servant," said he, "because I hoped we would be less interrupted here."

"Undoubtedly," replied she, laughing and offering him a chair; "very logical deduction."

"Don't laugh at me, please," said he, blushing; "I know you are thinking that others might follow you here as well as I, and it is so, but you see, Miss Mercedes, I am in despair at times. I have been wishing to speak to you alone, but I never have a chance."

"Why, Mr. Selden, you see me very often."

"Yes, but not alone, not where I could tell you all I feel for you, and beg you not to drive me to despair. You know I have loved you from the first instant I saw you. Can I hope ever to win your love? May I hope, or is my love hopeless?"

"Mr. Selden, I like you very much, but please do not ask me to love you.

It is not possible."

"Why not? Is it because I am not handsome like Bob Gunther?" said he, with a painful sneer. "Believe me, I shall be a devoted, loving husband; none can love you more passionately and devotedly."

"I do not doubt it. But I cannot. Please don't ask me, and don't hate me."

"Mr. Robert Gunther," said the tall waiter, and Bob's broad brow and good-natured smile shone at the door.

The delightful sojourn at Newport was now over. The Mechlin family were again at their town residence in New York City. Elvira and Mercedes, as it was their habit, were that evening having their cosy chat before going to bed.

"So Clarence will be here next month," Elvira remarked.

"Yes, he says he will spend Christmas with us, and if we'll let him, he will go with us to Washington."

"That will be delightful. I suppose Gunther and your other numerous slaves will disappear when he arrives."

"They ought not, for I have never encouraged any one any more than if I had been married already."

"But you are not, my darling, and that makes a very great difference with young gentlemen."

"Why is it that Mrs. Mechlin does not approve of my being engaged to Clarence?"

"Because she had set her heart upon your marrying Gunther, who is a great favorite of hers."

"I am sorry to disappoint her, for she has been so sweet and good to me, but I can't help it. Here are the letters I got from home. I'll leave them for you to read, and you let me have yours. I hear George coming up stairs, I must go to my room."

"Well, pussy, haven't you had a nice frolic at Newport?" said George, stopping Mercedes at the door and making her come back into the room again.

"Indeed I have," Mercedes answered.

"And haven't you broken hearts as if they were old cracked pottery?"

"They must have been, to be broken so easily. But I guess I didn't hurt any very much."

"Indeed you did. Besides Gunther and Selden who are given up as incurable, there are three or four others very badly winged. Poor fellows, and friends of mine, too. It is like an epidemic, uncle says."

"Clarence will soon be here and stop the epidemic from spreading any further," Elvira said.

"I don't know about that. But I am glad he is coming. When will he be here?"

"About Christmas-perhaps about the twentieth of December," Mercedes answered. "He says he will telegraph to you the day he starts."

"I shall be glad to see him; he is a noble fellow," said he, and embraced Mercedes, saying good night.

CHAPTER XIX.-_In New York._

Cards for Mrs. Mechlin's ball, on the 27th of December, had been out for two or three days, when, on the 20th of that same month and year-1873-Clarence arrived at the American metropolis. He was in a high state of excitement. He could scarcely repress his impatience to see Mercedes, and yet he exerted sufficient self-control to go first to Tiffany and purchase the finest diamond ring in the establishment. He even was patient enough to wait until the diamond which he selected was reset in a ring from which an emerald was removed. When the exchange was made and the jewel paid for, he told the driver to hasten to Mr.

Mechlin's house.

George and his uncle had just come from their office when Clarence arrived, so he met them in the hall as he entered. George presented him to his uncle, and the three walked into the library. The cordial manner in which Clarence was received by Mr. Mechlin, demonstrated clearly how favorably this gentleman was impressed.

After conversing with him, while George went to carry the news of his arrival up-stairs, Mr. Mechlin, when George returned, invited him to dine with them, saying:

"I feel as if you were not quite a stranger to us, having heard George speak of you so often, and always most kindly."

Clarence hesitated, but George insisted, and he remained. Then the two friends sat down to chat while the ladies came down. In a few minutes Clarence had given a synopsis of home news.

"And what about mining news?" George asked.

"Splendid," was the reply.

And Clarence quickly told him how rich his mines had turned out, and how he had already sold six hundred thousand dollars' worth of ore, and had an offer of one million dollars for the mines, but the Haverly brothers advised him not to sell. That he thought of putting up crushing mills in the spring.

Mr. Mechlin went into his wife's room without knocking-an omission indicative of great pre-occupation of mind-and his words proved that to be the case.

"But that young fellow is splendid, wife."

"What young fellow?"

"That young Darrell, from California."

"Ah! where did you see him?"

"Down stairs. He is talking with George in the library, and I asked him to take dinner with us."

"He might be splendid-but never superior to Bob Gunther-never!" said Mrs. Mechlin, with firmness.

"Perhaps not superior, mentally or morally, but he is certainly much handsomer."

"Handsomer than Bob? The idea!"