e；　and　so　I　put　on　my　bon　after　tea；　and　ran　up　the　valley　to　see　her：　this　is　she？”　pointing　to　me。

“It　is；”　said　St。　John。

“Do　you　think　you　shall　like　Morton？”　she　asked　of　me；　with　a　direct　and　naive　simplicity　of　tone　and　manner；　pleasing；　if　child…like。

“I　hope　I　shall。　I　have　many　inducements　to　do　so。”

“Did　you　find　your　scholars　as　attentive　as　you　expected？”

“Quite。”

“Do　you　like　your　house？”

“Very　much。”

“Have　I　furnished　it　nicely？”

“Very　nicely；　indeed。”

“And　made　a　good　choice　of　an　attendant　for　you　in　Alice　Wood？”

“You　have　indeed。　She　is　teachable　and　handy。”　（This　then；　I　thought；　is　Miss　Oliver；　the　heiress；　favoured；　it　seems；　in　the　gifts　of　fortune；　as　well　as　in　those　of　nature！　What　happy　bination　of　the　plas　presided　over　her　birth；　I　wonder？）

“I　shall　e　up　and　help　you　to　teach　sometimes；”　she　added。　“It　will　be　a　change　for　me　to　visit　you　now　and　then；　and　I　like　a　change。　Mr。　Rivers；　I　have　been　SO　gay　during　my　stay　at　S…。 night；　or　rather　this　morning；　I　was　dancing　till　two　o’clock。　The—th　regiment　are　stationed　there　since　the　riots；　and　the　officers　are　the　most　agreeable　men　in　the　world：　they　put　all　our　young　knife…grinders　and　scissor　merchants　to　shame。”

It　seemed　to　me　that　Mr。　St。　John’s　under　lip　protruded；　and　his　upper　lip　curled　a　moment。　His　mouth　certainly　looked　a　good　deal　pressed；　and　the　lower　part　of　his　face　unusually　stern　and　squar