“Then I suppose you must have winter much earlier on these mountains than we ever have on the plains where I was brought up,” answered Em. “Well, you see, miss, I dunno nuffin’ ’tall ’bout de wedder ’way down dere. I nebber libbed on de plains, _my_se’f. Dunno how anybody can lib so far, far down below de sky! You was right to come up here, Miss Em. Well, I only just waited till you come, Miss Em., to see if you has everything you ’quire. _Has_ you?” “Oh, yes, indeed, Liza; thank you.” “Well, den, I must go. I got to go to Miss Melwiny Warde’s room and rub her feet till she goes to sleep, the Lord help her; She’s an awful bad sleeper, she is, and sometimes I has to set at de foot of her bed and rub her feet half de night ’fore she gets quiet. Wonder to me is how she can’t read her chapter in de Bible, and say her prayers, and go to sleep like a Christian. Well, good-night, Miss Em., I reckon _you_ can go to sleep ’dout having of your feet rubbed, can’t you?” “Oh, yes,” smiled Em. as the girl left the room. The bright fire shone on the portrait of Lonny Bruce, so that the merry, mischievous young face beamed out in full light. “Ah, you beautiful and happy boy, what a dreadful fate was yours!” murmured Em., standing before the picture. “And your poor, bereaved old father fancies that I look like you; and so he loves me for your sake! I wonder if I do look like you—I, who am so fair, while you are so dark—I, who am so steady, while you look so wild! But, perhaps, you had your grave seasons as I sometimes have my gay spells! Oh, dear me, I wonder why Ronald Bruce did not come in the drawing-room all the evening! And did not even try to bid me good-night! I know it is on his account that Mrs. Bruce gave me warning to leave her service so suddenly. But the dear old commodore, whom I love so much, likes me, and is kind to me. I wonder, oh, I wonder, if he will ever consent that his nephew may marry me! What is the use of thinking about that? I will say my prayers and go to sleep.” And so she did. CHAPTER XIII “OLD HEADS AND YOUNG HEARTS” I must be cruel only to be kind. SHAKESPEARE. The next morning Em. awoke to the memory of the preceding day’s events—her unkind dismissal by Mrs. Bruce; her immediate engagement by Commodore Bruce; Ronald’s unaccountable absence from his mother’s drawing-room circle, and his strange omission to appear somewhere about the halls of the staircases to bid Em. good-night on her way to her room. She felt a strong impulse to arise and dress quickly and hurry down to the breakfast-room, in the probability of seeing Ronald before any one else should be there.