"But I want to know," said Mrs. Melrose, "what you are going to do about your nephew--is he coming here?" "I proposed he should; I don't know--very likely he may prefer London; indeed, it is rather difficult to decide for Horace; he has a great opinion of his own judgment," said the Colonel. "However, things are less complicated now; there is only himself to think of, since it appears whatever is to be done for him I must do." "Mind the boys in the first place, who have the best right, Edward," said the prudent old lady; "and mind, too, that I have a penny in the corner of my purse if you should be put to that; and then about your niece--is there any word of her coming to Milnehill?" "I fear it," said the Colonel, shaking his head; "but, by-the-bye, that reminds me--if I could persuade her father to let Susan come, will _you_ come to Milnehill, Elizabeth, and take charge of my little girl?" "For why?" said Mrs. Melrose; "do you think you are not a safe enough guardian for your niece at your age?--or that the young creature wants an old wife to be spying over her for propriety's sake? Nonsense!--and beside, Edward, if all's true the papers say, I'll want somebody to take care of me, a delicate young person that I am, when I go to your house. You do not suppose I would have gone to see you if I had thought you any less than a brother all this time? But look at the fellow's impudence, venturing to say, in the very Parliament itself, that the like of us are no relations, and might court and marry like strangers. I would just like to have a woman's Parliament for once in a way, to settle _them_, the filthy fellows!--if they got out of it with a hair upon their heads I can tell you it would be no fault of mine." "You were always a politician, Elizabeth," said the Colonel, rising with a smile. "Very true. I had to read up all the news by every mail to let my poor General know what he would be interested in," said the old lady; "little wonder if I came to like it myself; and speaking of that, Edward, go you your ways home and send me the _Times_. You would have brought it with you if you had been a thoughtful man." "Wait a wee," said the Colonel, in his kindly Scotch. "I had very near forgot it with your news; here it is, safe in my pocket all this time--and never deliver your judgment, Elizabeth, after this, till you're sure the pannel is duly convicted. Here it is!" So saying, the Colonel put down the paper, and took his leave of his sister-in-law. As he went downstairs her elder servant, who seemed to be on the watch, came out of the kitchen, followed by the pretty maid, to arrest the Colonel, and ask if he knew Mr. Charlie was married. "And the mistress is as pleased!" said that respectable functionary, "and pretends to be angry, and laughs wi' her heart grit--and him only three-and-twenty, and her eighteen! Cornel! did ye ever hear the like a' your days?"