"I am glad that wrinkle has gone, at all events," returned Mr. Carrollton laughingly, and laying his hand upon her forehead he continued: "Were you my sister Helen I should probably kiss you for having so soon got over your pet; but as you are Maggie Miller, I dare not," and he looked earnestly at her, to see if he had spoken the truth. Coloring crimson, as it became the affianced bride of Henry Warner to do, Maggie turned away, thinking Helen must be a happy girl, and half wishing she too were Arthur Carrollton's sister. It was a long, delightful excursion they took, and Maggie, when she saw how Anna Jeffrey enjoyed it, did not altogether regret her presence. On their way home she proposed calling upon Hagar, whom she had not seen for "three whole days." "And who, pray, is Hagar?" asked Mr. Carrollton; and Maggie replied, "She is my old nurse--a strange, crazy creature, whom they say I somewhat resemble." By this time they were near the cottage, in the door of which old Hagar was standing, with her white hair falling round her face. "I see by your looks you don't care to call, but I shall," said Maggie; and, bounding from her saddle, she ran up to Hagar, pressing her hand and whispering that it would soon be time to hear from Henry. "Kissed her, I do believe!" said Anna Jeffrey. "She must have admirable taste!" Mr. Carrollton said nothing, but with a half-comical, half-displeased expression he watched the interview between that weird old woman and the fair young girl, little suspecting how nearly they were allied. "Why didn't you come and speak to her?" said Maggie, as he alighted to assist her in again mounting Gritty. "She used to see you in England, when you were a baby, and if you won't be angry I'll tell you what she said. It was that you were the crossest, ugliest young one she ever saw! There, there; don't set me down so hard!" and the saucy eyes looked mischievously at the proud Englishman, who, truth to say, did place her in the saddle with a little more force than was at all necessary. Not that he was angry. He was only annoyed at what he considered Maggie's undue familiarity with a person like Hagar, but he wisely forbore making any comments in Anna Jeffrey's presence, except, indeed, to laugh heartily at Hagar's complimentary description of himself when a baby. Arrived at home, and alone again with Maggie, he found her so very good-natured and agreeable that he could not chide her for anything, and Hagar was for a time forgotten.