“Catherine! You have a second habit even worse than the first! Lately you have taken up the practice of not replying to me when I ask you a question—and when you are obliged to raise your eyes to mine, you drop them instantly as if mine burnt them. Now I have always disliked and suspected eyes that cannot look freely into _other_ eyes!” At this the very forehead of the girl burned with a crimson flush. Clifton took hold of her hand, which fluttered in his own like a frightened bird, and said, in a kinder tone— “Come, my child! see now if you can look me honestly in the face, and tell me why you will not talk to me?” But Kate’s distress became so great that Mrs. Clifton interposed, and said— “_Do_, Archer, leave her alone! It does seem to me, son, that you take a malicious pleasure in tormenting that poor girl because she is so shy! Don’t mind him, Kate! He has been a tease ever since he was a boy, when he used to pull the ears of kittens and puppy dogs. Take up your work, child, and hurry on with it. And you, Archer! I am as much surprised as pleased to see you back here to-night. To what am I indebted for the pleasure?” “My dear mother, I will tell you after awhile—let me be quiet now a little time.” And Mrs. Clifton looked up in surprise, and noticed, for the first time, how deeply troubled was Archer Clifton’s face. After watching him a few minutes as he sat and watched Kate, she said, suddenly— “Oh! I have a letter for you—arrived by the afternoon mail. Henry brought it from the post-office this evening after you left. Perhaps it was in quest of that you came, and its contents may dispel your uneasiness,” and rising, the lady went to the card rack, hanging above the mantle-piece, and brought him a letter, which he tore open and read hastily. Then starting up, he exclaimed, “Good! Good! Most excellent, most opportune!” “What is it, my dear Archer? I am very glad it gives you such satisfaction, at any rate! What is it?” “An order from head-quarters to join my regiment immediately, to take command of a detachment to march within ten days for the Indian frontier—to put down an insurrection there!” “No!” exclaimed the lady, in amazement. “Yes, indeed, my good mother!” replied Archer Clifton, exultingly. “_No!_ You astonish me! Ordered upon active duty—upon distant and dangerous service at the very time you are about to be married! Call you that opportune—fortunate? I call it most _in_opportune, _un_fortunate!” “Ah! madam, you do not know! What, and if my marriage were already broken off! Is it not lucky—I mean providential, that I can join my regiment immediately, and depart for a distant scene, and active service, in which I may forget the sorrow and the humiliation!” “Your marriage broken off? What? Now, at the last moment? A marriage that has been looked forward to for so many years? To be broken off when every thing is ready! Impossible, it cannot be!” “I assure you upon my word, madam, it is but too true!”