Elizabeth glanced at the date.
"The letter has been delayed," she said; "he may be here already."
"Oh, it will be beautiful to see him," said Elsie; "why, he will give all he is worth to the person that asks first. Won't it be fun!"
"You shall not tease him, Elsie, as you formerly did," said Elizabeth; "I will not have it."
"But I will," said Elsie. "Thirty thousand a year! Good gracious, it will seem as if he had fallen from the moon. Of course I'll tease him half to death."
CHAPTER XXX.
THE WIDOW'S FASCINATIONS.
About midday Mrs. Harrington arrived with a little party of friends; she would not allow Mellen to escape her till she had overwhelmed him with compliments and congratulations, all of which he received with becoming resignation. When they went upstairs she said to Elsie:
"I haven't seen anything of that mysterious creature, North, in an age; what can have become of him?"