CHAPTER VI. -TRIED AND PROVED.

ANNA shrunk from meeting her parent on the next morning. What her father's views of the course she had taken would be she could not tell. She believed that he would not for a moment hesitate to approve of her declaration; and yet doubt would cross her mind, and disturb her young heart to its very centre.

When the breakfast bell rung, she descended from her chamber. Her first glance was at her mother's face. The expression of that told her instantly that all was not right. She did not look at her father for some time after. At length her eyes sought his countenance; it was thoughtful, and somewhat stern. What could it mean? Did he wish her to marry a man against whom her whole heart revolted? It could not be. Yet why this change? So deeply did the unhappiness evidently felt by her mother, and the stern look of her father, affect Anna, that she found it impossible to swallow her food, and soon retired from the table,

Before Mr Lee left the house, he took his wife aside, and said, in a serious voice,

once.

"Anna, you must not let this matter go to rest at An offer of marriage, such as this, can never be had again for our daughter. Think-Herbert Gardiner is the only son of one of our wealthiest and most esteemed citizens! The character of the family is untainted, and that of the young man, as far as my knowledge goes, unexceptionable. What folly, then, for our child to refuse such an offer,"

HAN 2 Ang man was pechos the most Mt Lee would net Esten patas Am Ajet, mi s les qualy im in suxaining her laugher ne position she had taken. The discussion was kept up fr s long time, and ceased su, i de stiement of de ference, but in the unsatisded and unhappy sience of both parties. The morning, it has been seen, presented the affair in no better aspect.

Still unreconciled to his daughter's objection to Gardiner, Mr Lee left home, and went to his office. Nothing more passed between Anna and her mother on the subject during the morning. Both avoided speaking about

At dinner-time Mr Lee was grave and silent. His manner affected Anna so painfully that she was obliged to leave the table. As she did so, her father glanced at

her, and saw that her eyes were not only full of tears, but that large drops were falling over her cheeks.

Anxiously did Anna wait for his return at evening, in order, once more, to look into his face, in the hope that its coldness would have passed away. But the more Mr Lee thought about the matter, the more he was dissatisfied. There was, therefore, no light in his countenance for his daughter's eye. There still rested a heavy cloud

upon his brow.

This continued for three days; at the end of which period he was to give an answer to the application made by Gardiner. The nearer the time approached for meeting the young man, the more unhappy did Mr Lee appear in the presence of his family. On the morning of the day on which a reply to Gardiner's proposition was to be given, he seemed unsually grave. Poor Anna was wretched. Never in her life had she suffered so acutely. She loved her father with the purest feelings with the deepest tenderness; there was no sacrifice that she dared make, that would not have been cheerfully made for his sake. But more had been asked than she could in conscience do; for with her the marriage-rite was felt to be a religious obligation, and the marriage union one that should be made in the sight of Heaven,—thus she had been taught to regard them by her mother, who, since she anticipated such a proposition, had sought, gently and almost unconsciously to her child, to lead her to think of marriage as one of the most sacred acts of a woman's life.

There were times, it is true, when she felt like yielding to her father's wishes, or to what she had the strongest reasons for believing were his wishes-of giving her

self up, passively, if her heart were crushed in doing so. But the precepts of her mother had been too deeply stored in her mind. She understood clearly, that, in the sight of Heaven, she dared not make such a sacrifice. That marriage was too holy a thing to be perverted.

Anna knew that on this day an answer would have to be given to Mr Gardiner-and she therefore understood why her father seemed more than usually oppressed in his feelings. After he had gone out, she went up to her own room, and there spent the whole morning alone. Anxiously did she await his return at dinner-time. As the hour of his coming approached, the unhappy girl became more and more wretched. An undefined fear took hold of her a dread of some impending evil. When the clock struck three, and she heard, soon after, her father's well-known footstep along the passage, and on the stairs, her heart stood almost still. Mr Lee went direct to his wife's chamber. Ten minutes more of anxious suspense passed, when Anna heard the ringing of her mother's bell. A domestic went up to her room; then the steps of the same domestic were heard ascending to her chamber. The door opened.

“Your mother wishes to see you."

The maiden started, and turned as pale as death; but she obeyed the summons, though with a sinking heart. At her mother's door she paused for nearly a minute, and strove, by a powerful effort, to subdue her agitated feelings; but she strove in vain. When she entered, she was hardly conscious of anything beyond a fear of something undefined. But her eyes sought instantly her father's face. A great change had taken place. Instead

of the stern, cold, offended look that his countenance had worn for three days, it was subdued, and tender, and full of affection. He reached his hand towards her, and she sprang into his arms, and sunk weeping upon his

bosom.

"Dear father! you love me still!" she at length murmured, lifting her head, and looking him in the face.

"Love you, my child! I have always loved you; but now more deeply than ever."

"Then I am happy-happy!" she said again, letting her head fall upon his breast. I want no other love but the love that makes this home so sweet. It is the first love-the best love--and the most unselfish of all."

Mr Lee drew his arm tightly around his child, as a response to the sentiment she had just uttered.

66 Yes, my daughter," he said, "the loves that make our childhood's home happy are the most unselfish. May they be long continued to us!"

"Amen," was the solemn response, breathed half involuntarily, yet sweetly, by the maiden, as she clasped. tightly her father's hand.

Mrs Lee's eyes were full of tears; but her whole face was elevated and glad. She looked calmly on the scene passing before her, silently lifting her heart in thankfulness for so good a child.

"Will you pardon the late strangeness of my manner towards you, Anna ?" Mr Lee said, after a little while, raising his daughter up, and looking into her face.

"Do not speak of it father," she returned, quickly. "If you love me-if you do not blame me-if you will