An Unwilling Maid

ocker!" said

ch was painted white and bore a massive brass knocker. That same knocker was a source of much irritation to Peter Provoost; for although he was of fair size for his thirteen years, he could barely reach it when mounted on the very tips of his toes, and even then never dared touch its shining surface unless his fingers were clean-a desirable state of neatness which, alas! did not often adorn the luckless Peter. For though tidy and careful enough when ap

months before, when it was decided that he should go to New York and be under the Verplanck eye; and although Peter had rebelled much against the plan in the first place, he found himself much happier under Clarissa's gentle rule, and positively adored her in consequence.

front steps. Therefore Peter debated whether it would be wiser to skirt around the mansion and gain entrance by the area steps, where no doubt he would encounter Dinah, the cook (who objected to invasions of unclean shoes), or boldly ascend the front steps, struggle with that balefully glittering knocker, and trust to Pomp

ly for once have seen you stand absolutely still. In some scrape with the Vly boys, I'll warrant; do you wish

aid Peter, with a mischievous c

tified Kitty. She and

teps," quoth Peter w

side with Peter's heavier tracks. "Oh, what a shame," reaching up successfully to the brass knocker; "but I am sure P

etty well to-day, thank you, and ole madam is in the drawing-room-Law!" catching sight of Peter, who was skillfully slip

r reply as he vanished up a back stair-case and

n the door of the drawing-room; "I was detained by reason of the sewing-be

pleased to see thee. Clarissa is somewhat stronger to-day; thee knows she has been more like her old self since Gulian dispatched the letters asking th

s. Effingham's grandchildren, although her mother had been read out of meeting for having married one of the "world's p

"If thee had half Clarissa's pati

s (although she was nearly seventy), and her smooth white fingers flew rapidly in and out of the blue yarn as she resumed her knitting of Peter's stocking. Peter was rather a godsend to grand

comical sigh. "Nay, grandma, give

eye; "eighteen is full late to begin to learn to conform to thy

ver Sir Henry Clinton's gay officers as some-no doubt't is my Quaker blood-except for the officers, where are

ard the door; "do not talk of rebels in this ho

e of Pompey at the door, "will she walk

ed their bedroom, the happy idea had struck him to throw up a partition, corner-ways, which formed an irregularly shaped room opening on the passage, and gave Clarissa her own cherished den in that great house of square rooms and high ceilings. In it she had placed all her home belongings;

larissa Verplanck in that resembled none of her family, and the one reason for her father's and aunt's anxiety about her was that she was thought the image of a sister of her mother who fulfilled the prophecy. Be that as it may, Clarissa was anything but a mournful pe

ve you not been in this four days? I am truly glad to see you, for ever since Gulian and I dispatched our letters to my father

Kitty, laughing; "if ever there was a husband

voice, as a tall dark ma

e-Gulian is that benighte

who saw the tenderness behind the stern, reserved exterior. He really liked his cousin; but although Kitty was not, like most people, afraid of

rsued Kitty. "You sent for your sister,

it may be Betty. I only wish I might have Moppet as well," and the quickl

-is that the sist

seventeen now, and next my Betty. How I wonder if the girls have changed; five years makes a long

had sought reply to the same question in the past week,

nity to send his daughter at once, in which event you know t

, as a faint pink glow lit her pale face, "you d

aid Kitty en

await my sister at King's Bridge Inn. Surely you can

bled me to have the day free. I can easily go to King's Bridge and inquire at the Inn for dispatches; y

ied Kitty; "will you

rday (it is an eight days' pass, Clarissa) I found that Captain Yorke goes to-morrow to

d looking with grateful eyes up at him, as he stood beside her chair. "Is h

one of my father's old friends in England. You were dancing with him

frown, "he has the usual airs and graces of a

ed Gulian somewhat severely; but Clarissa gave his sleeve a

ian, but one must dance sometimes to keep up one's heart in those tim

cry arose in the hall, followed by the bump, bump of some heavy body rolling down

ut me; oh, what a proper old goose it

, picking himself up, with many groans and much rubbing of his shins, while Peter, rolling himself nearly do

tole a bit of wick out of Dinah's pantry and dipped it well in melted tallow, and than stuck it inside, when, as

e to find his skates, and dat awful face"-Pompey's teeth c

ome in the dark, you know) he never stopped, and he stumbled on the first step, and then he rolled-

s were an utter abomination, "and you deserve to be well punished. Pompey, stop gr

r the mischievous Peter and dreaded nothing so much as a scolding from his master. "Dose stairs don't 'mount to nuffin; ef it h

art touched with Pompey's defense of his prank, "and nobody helped me, so let's have the whipping right off before

ut the situation was too much for him, and a quee

on any member of my household, your skates will be confiscated for the remainder of the winter," and with a warning glance he followed Kitty back into his wife's room, leaving Pompey on the staircase, st