"I'd scold like Xanthippe if I thought it would do any good," she said, with a faint smile; but her eyes were full of reproach. For a moment Mrs. Yocomb disappeared behind the door of her china closet, and Miss Warren added, in a low, hurried whisper to me, "You promised me to get well; you are not keeping your word." "That cuts worse than anything Xanthippe could have said." "I don't want to cut, but to cure." "Then become the opposite of what you are; that would cure me." "With such a motive I'm tempted to try," she said, with a half-reckless laugh, for Adah was entering with some delicate toast. "Miss Adah," I cried, "I owe you a supper at the Brunswick for this, and I'll pay my debt the first chance you'll give me." "If thee talks of paying, I'll not go with thee," she said, a little coldly; and she seemingly did not like the presence of Miss Warren nor the tell-tale color in my cheeks. "That's a deserved rebuke, Miss Adah. I know well enough that I can never repay all your kindness, and so I won't try. But you'll go with me because I want you to, and because I will be proud of your company. I shall be the envy of all the men present." "They'd think me very rustic," she said, smiling. "Quite as much so as a moss-rose. But you'll see. I will be besieged the next few days by my acquaintances for an introduction, and my account of you will make them wild. I shall be, however, a very dragon of a big brother, and won't let one of them come near you who is not a saint--that is, as far as I am a judge of the article." "Thee may keep them all away if thee pleases," she replied, blushing and laughing. "I should be afraid of thy fine city friends." "I'm afraid of a good many of them myself," I replied; "but some are genuine, and you shall have a good time, never fear." "I'll leave you to arrange the details of your brilliant campaign," said Miss Warren, smiling. "But thee hasn't scolded Richard," said Mrs. Yocomb, who was seemingly busy about the room. "My words would have no weight. He knows he ought to be ashamed of himself," she answered from the doorway. "I am, heartily," I said, looking into her eyes a moment. "Since he's penitent, Mrs. Yocomb, I don't see as anything more can be done," she replied, smilingly. "I don't think much of penitence unless it's followed by reformation," said my sensible hostess. "We'll see how he behaves the next few weeks." "Mr. Morton, I hope you will let Mrs. Yocomb see a daily change for the better for a long time to come. She deserves it at your hands," and there was almost entreaty in the young girl's voice. "She ought to know better than to ask it," I thought. My only answer was a heavy frown, and I turned abruptly away from her appealing glance.