such a true and pure heart— such a cultivated
mind— as yours! Besides, if they were blind
to your merit, do you think they set no
value on. my happiness— that they have no
regard to my wishes? Put such unworthy
thoughts away from you! My mother may
sometimes seem capricious— she may be
uncertain in trifles, but her own affections are
too strong to allow her to endanger the
happiness of both our lives for a prejudice. I
am sure both she and my father will welcome
with delight a prospect so full of reasonable
happiness for both of us."

But Catherine could not think so. In the
midst of her tremulous joy her heart remained
heavy with foreboding. She felt that Lady
Irwin would disapprove of their union, and a
prescience of sorrow weighed upon her spirit.

Frank, though not entirely free from the
same instinctive apprehension, could not
restrain his delight at the acknowledgment he
had drawn from her, he overwhelmed her
with endearing words, demanded explanations
of a thousand trifles which had pained
him, as evidences of indifference, and learned,
with rapture, that they were so many tokens
of conscious love. Then he had arguments—
unanswerable arguments— to prove the
absurdity of her apprehension of Lady Irwiii's
disapproval, till Catherine, though unconvinced,
was soothed into a sympathy in his delight;
and when they parted, at her father's gate,
it would have been hard to tell which was
the happier of the two.

CHAPTER VIII.

SIR EDWARD was reading when his son
entered the dining-room. He was not a man
who habitually wasted much of his
conversation on his children; and he hardly looked
up on Frank's entrance, merely showing his
consciousness of his presence, and his
satisfaction thereat by a commonplace question
about the weather. Having replied to this,
and taken a seat on the opposite side of the
fire, Frank began to cast about in his mind
how to introduce the great subject which
engrossed his thoughts. He did not doubt
that his father would hear him with indulgence
and interest; but it was with considerable
difficulty that he at length stammered
out a request that he would give him his
serious attention for a few minutes.

" What, again, Frank! " said Sir Edward,
laying down his book, with a look of amazement.
"You seem very impatient. Not that
I blame you. I think travel does a young
man good, provided he travels with a purpose,
and not merely for the sake of wasting
time and money. I was speaking to your
mother about your plan just now. She thinks
I ought to have taken time to consider it
before I consented to your undertaking a
journey so long and perilous; but, as I proved
to her, it's nothing to the Argonautic expedition.
Notwithstanding the danger of the
adventure, I confess I am not sorry you
have fixed on the Rocky Mountains as your
Ultima Thule; for I shall be glad to have
some geological specimens from them; and
an authentic account of Mormonism,— one of
the most remarkable phenomena of the age.
The accounts we have must be, to a certain
extent, partial. Now, you will take a clear
head and young eyes with you. All I would
warn you against is too strong a leaning
to the old-world prejudices, with which our
good friend. Birkby, has taken such pains to
fortify you."

"I have just parted from Kitty, sir," said
Frank, breaking in, at last, with desperate
resolution.

" Why didn't you bring her up here? The
little puss, I don't wonder she's ashamed to
show her face. Your mother is by no means
pleased, I can tell you. She never was very
fond of poor Kitty. Very strange, though I
don't know— perhaps it's natural, after all.
I daresay Portia would have thought Imogen
rather milk-and-waterish. I really begin to
apprehend that my little friend is putting on
her womanhood. Kitty, the sweetest piece
of Nature's handiwork that ever gladdened
human heart,— it is too bad for her to be
having her whimsies and caprices."

Here was a good opening for Frank. These
warm expressions of tenderness and affection
loosened the powers of speech. He defended
Catherine from the charge of caprice. He
then, with more difficulty, explained the
motive which had led her to refuse Lady
Irwin's invitation, and concluded with an
earnest avowal of his own passion, and an
entreaty that his father would aid him with
his countenance.

" So I am to remain in my present benighted
ignorance of the real state of the Mormon,
colony," said Sir Edward, when his son at
length ended;" and I shall not be able to
enrich my collection with specimens from the
Rocky Mountains! Do you think that Kitty
could be persuaded to make it her bridal,
tour? But seriously, Master Frank, this is
a grave matter. You and Kitty are over
young to be running your heads into the
yoke matrimonial. Kitty is a wife for an
emperor; and you'll be a lucky fellow if you
get her. Still, you know it is a matter to be
carefully considered for both your sakes."

" Certainly, sir, if you will only give us your
countenance, we shall be willing to wait,"

" Oh, yes! I dare say! As willing as
the hoar-frost when the sun is shining. I
wasn't many months older than you when I
married your mother. I was very happy
' bonæ sub Cynaræ regno.' Kitty is not unlike
her in many things. But I'll tell you what,
Frank, we must talk to Lady Irwin; she does
not like to have things done without her. I
wish Kitty hadn't had her pretty fit of
prudery just now. Helen does not like to have
her invitations refused, especially when she
fancies she is conferring a favour in giving
them."