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was sulky。 In short； she tormented Morgan； whenever she could
catch him； with such ingenious and such relentless malice； that
he actually threatened to go back to London； and prey once more；
in the unscrupulous character of a doctor； on the credulity of
mankind。
Thus situated in her relations toward ourselves； and thus
occupied by country diversions of her own choosing； Miss Jessie
passed her time at The Glen Tower； excepting now and then a dull
hour in the long evenings； to her guardian's satisfactionand；
all things considered； not without pleasure to herself。 Day
followed day in calm and smooth succession； and five quiet weeks
had elapsed out of the six during which her stay was to last
without any remarkable occurrence to distinguish them； when an
event happened which personally affected me in a very serious
manner； and which suddenly caused our handsome Queen of Hearts to
become the object of my deepest anxiety in the present； and of my
dearest hopes for the future。
CHAPTER IV。
OUR GRAND PROJECT。
AT the end of the fifth week of our guest's stay； among the
letters which the morning's post brought to The Glen Tower there
was one for me； from my son George； in the Crimea。
The effect which this letter produced in our little circle
renders it necessary that I should present it here； to speak for
itself。
This is what I read alone in my own room：
〃MY DEAREST FATHERAfter the great public news of the fall of
Sebastopol； have you any ears left for small items of private
intelligence from insignificant subaltern officers？ Prepare； if
you have； for a sudden and a startling announcement。 How shall I
write the words？ How shall I tell you that I am really coming
home？
〃I have a private opportunity of sending this letter； and only a
short time to write it in； so I must put many things； if I can；
into few words。 The doctor has reported me fit to travel at last；
and I leave； thanks to the privilege of a wounded man； by the
next ship。 The name of the vessel and the time of starting are on
the list which I inclose。 I have made all my calculations； and；
allowing for every possible delay； I find that I shall be with
you； at the latest； on the first of Novemberperhaps some days
earlier。
〃I am far too full of my return； and of something else connected
with it which is equally dear to me； to say anything about public
affairs； more especially as I know that the newspapers must； by
this time； have given you plenty of information。 Let me fill the
rest of this paper with a subject which is very near to my
heartnearer； I am almost ashamed to say； than the great triumph
of my countrymen； in which my disabled condition has prevented me
from taking any share。
〃I gathered from your last letter that Miss Yelverton was to pay
you a visit this autumn； in your capacity of her guardian。 If she
is already with you； pray move heaven and earth to keep her at
The Glen Tower till I come back。 Do you anticipate my confession
from this entreaty？ My dear； dear father； all my hopes rest on
that one darling treasure which you are guarding perhaps； at this
moment； under your own roofall my happiness depends on making
Jessie Yelverton my wife。
〃If I did not sincerely believe that you will heartily approve of
my choice； I should hardly have ventured on this abrupt
confession。 Now that I have made it； let me go on and tell you
why I have kept my attachment up to this time a secret from every
oneeven from Jessie herself。 （You see I call her by her
Christian name already！）
〃I should have risked everything； father； and have laid my whole
heart open before her more than a year ago； but for the order
which sent our regiment out to take its share in this great
struggle of the Russian war。 No ordinary change in my life would
have silenced me on the subject of all others of which I was most
anxious to speak； but this change made me think seriously of the
future； and out of those thoughts came the resolution which I
have kept until this time。 For her sake； and for her sake only； I
constrained myself to leave the words unspoken which might have
made her my promised wife。 I resolved to spare her the dreadful
suspense of waiting for her betrothed husband till the perils of
war might； or might not； give him back to her。 I resolved to save
her from the bitter grief of my death if a bullet laid me low。 I
resolved to preserve her from the wretched sacrifice of herself
if I came back； as many a brave man will come back from this war；
invalided for life。 Leaving her untrammeled by any engagement；
unsuspicious perhaps of my real feelings toward her； I might die；
and know that； by keeping silence； I had spared a pang to the
heart that was dearest to me。 This was the thought that stayed
the words on my lips when I left England； uncertain whether I
should ever come back。 If I had loved her less dearly； if her
happiness had been less precious to me； I might have given way
under the hard restraint I imposed on myself； and might have
spoken selfishly at the last moment。
〃And now the time of trial is past； the war is over； and；
although I still walk a little lame； I am； thank God； in as good
health and in much better spirits than when I left home。 Oh；
father； if I should lose her nowif I should get no reward for
sparing her but the bitterest of all disappointments！ Sometimes I
am vain enough to think that I made some little impression on
her； sometimes I doubt if she has a suspicion of my love。 She
lives in a gay worldshe is the center of perpetual
admirationmen with all the qualities to win a woman's heart are
perpetually about hercan I； dare I hope？ Yes； I must！ Only keep
her； I entreat you； at The Glen Tower。 In that quiet world； in
that freedom from frivolities and temptations； she will listen to
me as she might listen nowhere else。 Keep her； my dearest；
kindest fatherand； above all things； breathe not a word to her
of this letter。 I have surely earned the privilege of being the
first to open her eyes to the truth。 She must know nothing； now
that I am coming home； till she knows all from my own lips。〃
Here the writing hurriedly broke off。 I am only giving myself
credit for common feeling； I trust； when I confess that what I
read deeply affected me。 I think I never felt so fond of my boy；
and so proud of him； as at the moment when I laid down his
letter。
As soon as I could control my spirits； I began to calculate the
question of time with a trembling eagerness； which brought back
to my mind my own young days of love and hope。 My son was to come
back； at the latest； on the first of November； and Jessie's
allotted six weeks would expire on the twenty…second of October。
Ten days too soon！ But for the caprice which had brought her to
us exactly that number of days before her time she would have
been in the house； as a matter of necessity； on George's return。
I searched back in my memory for a conversation that I had held
with her a week since on her future plans。 Toward the middle of
November； her aunt； Lady Westwick； had arranged to go to her
house in Paris； and Jessie was； of course； to accompany herto
accompany her into that very circle of the best English and the
best French society which contained in it the elements most
adverse to George's hopes。 Between this time and that she had no
special engagement； and she had only settled to write and warn
her aunt of her return to London a day or two before she left The
Glen Tower。
Under these circumstances； the first； the all…important necessity
was to prevail on her to prolong her stay beyond the allotted six
weeks by ten days。 After the caution to be silent impressed on me
（and most naturally； poor boy） in George's letter； I felt that I
could only appeal to her on the ordinary ground of hospitality。
Would this be sufficient to effect the object？
I was sure that the hours of the morning and the afternoon had；
thus far； been fully and happily occupied by her various
amusements indoors and out。 She was no more weary of her days now
than she had been when she first came among us。 But I was by no
means so certain that she was not tired of her evenings。 I had
latterly noticed symptoms of weariness after the lamps were lit；
and a suspicious regularity in retiring to bed the moment the
clock struck ten。 If I could provide her with a new amusement for
the long evenings； I might leave the days to take care of
themselves； and might then make sure （seeing that she had no
special engagement in London until the middle of November） of her
being sincerely thankful and ready to prolong her stay。
How was this to be done？ The piano and the novels had both failed
to attract her。 What other amusement was there to offer？
It was useless； at present； to ask myself such questions as
these。 I was too much agitated to think collectedly on the most
trifling subjects。 I was even too restless to stay in my own
room。 My son's letter had given me so fresh an interest in Jessie
that I was now as impatient to see her as if we were about to
meet for the first time。 I wanted to look at her with my new
eyes； to listen to her with my new ears； to study her secretly
with my new purposes； and my new hopes and