78 ALL IS NOT GOLD THAT GLITTERS.

Mrs. Howard’s companion, and one or two
strangers from the hall, at your cottage—so she
is not at all lonesome.”

“* Who did you say?” inquired Helen, eager-
ly, now really losing her self-command.

‘¢ Oh, some of Mrs. Howard’s fine friends. I
never,” he continued, “ see those sort of people
in an humble village, without thinking of the
story of the agitation of all the little hedgerow
birds, when they first saw a paroquet amongst
them, and began longing for his gay feathers.
Do not go, dear Helen—they will soon be gone ;
_and Ido so want you to walk as far as Fairmill
Lawn. [have planted with my own hands this
morning the silver firs you said you admired,
just where the bank juts over the stream. Do
come.”

“‘ Rose will go, and tell me all about it, but J
must get home. Granny cannot do without
me; besides, Mrs. Howard is so kind to me,
that I cannot suffer her friends to be neglected.
Nay, Edward, you may look as you please, but
I certainly shall go.” Edward Lynne remon-
strated, implored, and, finally, flew into a pas-
sion. At any other time Helen’s ‘proud spirit
would have risen so as to meet this outburst of
temper with one to the full as violent; but the
knowledge of what had grown to maturity in
her own mind, and the presence of Rose, re-
strained her, and she continued to walk home
without reply.