Minnie was at a loss what to say. It was almost as startling to hear a man profess such a belief on a week-day, and in a quiet, matter-of-fact tone, as it would have been to find Madame Malibran conducting all her conversation in recitative, or to hear Mr. Dockett begin his sentences with a "whereas." "You wish to speak to me on behalf of some one, Mr. Diamond tells me?" said Minnie, after a slight hesitation. "Yes; you have been kind and gracious to a young girl beneath you in worldly station, named Rhoda Maxfield." "Rhoda! Is it of her you wish to speak?" cried Minnie, in great surprise. She felt a strange sick pang of jealousy. It was for Rhoda's sake, then, that Mr. Diamond had begged her to receive Powell! "You are kindly disposed towards the maiden?" said Powell, anxiously; for Minnie's change of countenance had not escaped him. For her life, Minnie could not cordially have said "yes" at that moment. "I--Rhoda is a very good girl, I believe; what would you have me do for her?" "I would have you dissuade her from resting her hopes--I speak now merely of earthly hopes and earthly prudence--on the attachment of one who is unstable, vain, and worldly-minded." "What do you mean? I--I do not understand," stammered Minnie, with fast-beating heart. "May I speak to you in full confidence? If you tell me I may do so, I shall trust you utterly." "What is this matter to me? Why do you come to me about it?" "Because I have been told by those whose words I believe, that you are gifted with a clear and strong judgment, as well as with all qualities that win love." "You are mistaken. I am not gifted with the qualities that win love," said Minnie, bitterly. Then she asked, abruptly, "Did Mr. Diamond advise you to speak to me about Rhoda?" "Nay; it was I who had recourse to his intercession to get speech of you." "But he knows your errand?" "In part he knows it. But I was not free to say to him all that I would fain say to you." Minnie's face had a hard set look. "Well," she said, after a short silence, "I cannot refuse to hear you. But I warn you that I do not believe I can do any good in the matter." "That will be overruled as the Lord wills." Then David Powell proceeded to set forth his fears and anxieties about Rhoda, more fully and clearly than he had done to Diamond. He declared his conviction that the girl was deceived by false hopes, and was fretting and pining because every now and then misgivings assailed her which she could not confess to any one, and because that her conscience was uneasy. "The maiden is very guileless and tender-natured," said Powell, softly. "Don't you think you a little exaggerate her tenderness, Mr. Powell? Persons capable of strong feelings themselves are apt to attribute all sorts of sentiments to very wooden-hearted creatures." He looked at her earnestly, and shook his head.