"Tom, dear," she said, laying her head upon his shoulder, "come what may, you will always think kindly of me." "Why of course, my dear," he said, "always. I shall think of you as the dearest and best of sisters, who always stuck up for me, and kept herself poor by lending me--no, hang it, I won't be a humbug--giving me nearly all her allowance. Maude, old girl: I'm afraid we young fellows are terribly selfish beasts. Look here," he cried, excitedly, to hide the tears that would come into his eyes, "I tell you what; I can get half a dozen fellows together who'll help me burke old Wilters if you'll say the word." "Don't be foolish, Tom dear," sighed Maude. "I must go now to papa. I want to stay with him all day. Thank you, dear Tom; be kind to him when I'm gone." "That I will, dear," he said; and, embracing him fondly, Maude hurried away out of the room. "Tom," said Tryphie, coming behind him as he stood, rather moist of eye, gazing after her. "Tryphie," he cried excitedly, facing round, "I feel such a scoundrel; and as if I ought to put a stop to this cursed marriage. Here's a set out: she detests him, that's evident; and if Charley Melton had been a trump, hang me if he shouldn't have had her. Curse it all! her ladyship's too bad. There, I can't stand it, and must be off. This place chokes me--What were you going to say!" "I was only going to say, Tom," she said, softly, "that I'm very sorry I've behaved so unkindly to you sometimes, and snubbed you, and been so spiteful." "Don't say any more about it, Tryphie," said the little fellow, sadly. "I'd forgive you a hundred times as much for being so good to the old man. Good-bye, Tryphie, I'm off." "But you'll come back for the wedding, Tom!" "I'll be there, somethinged if I do," he said. "What! See a second sister sold by auction?--Knocked down by my lady to the highest bidder? No, that I won't. I can't, I tell you. Hang it all, Tryphie, you chaff me till I feel sore right through sometimes. I'm a little humbug of a fellow, but I've got some feeling." "Yes, Tom," said Tryphie, looking at him strangely, though he did not see it. "But I was going to say something else to you." "Well, look sharp then," he said. "What is it!" "Only, Tom, that I don't think I ever quite knew you before; and you have pleased me so by what you said to poor Maude." "Tryphie!" he cried, with his eyes sparkling. "Yes, Tom, dear," she said, looking up in his face. "Don't let aunt marry me to any one." "If I do!" he cried, clasping her in his arms, and her pretty little rosebud of a mouth was turned up to his for the kiss that was placed there, just as the drawing-room door opened, and her ladyship sailed in to stand as if petrified. "Lord Diphoos! Tryphie!" she cried in a deep contralto. "What are you doing?"