“Miss Willis is at home,” coldly answered Mr. Belden.
Auburn’s heart throbbed tumultuously.
“Can I see her for a moment?” he eagerly demanded.
“No, sir, you cannot!” exclaimed Mr. Belden now rising, and angrily confronting his visiter; “and by what right, sir, do you longer intrude upon my family? Your conduct at least warrants suspicion. You first inquire for Miss Belden—you equivocate—you acknowledge yourself mistaken, and then demand an interview with my niece. Pray, what authority have you for such proceedings—you are not acquainted with the young lady, I believe?”
“No, sir, I am not,” replied Auburn, now fully restored to his senses, “and until to-day I acknowledge I never saw either this lady (bowing to Miss Belden,) or Miss Willis. Again I ask pardon for my intrusion. I know appearances are much against me; but the interest awakened in my bosom for your lovely niece, even in those few brief moments when it was my happiness to see her, and the fact that I am forced to leave the city to-morrow, is all I can urge in favor of my rashness; it was this alone which inspired me with boldness to call here.”
“Boldness, indeed! If this is all you have to say in extenuation, I, young sir, shall have the boldness to show you the door, and request a speedy retreat therefrom,” cried Mr. Belden.
Forgetting in his anger that Mr. Belden had any grounds for such uncourteous treatment, mortified, and disappointed, Auburn turned indignantly upon his heel and left the house—a merry laugh from the drawing-room ringing discordantly in his ear as he passed out.
——
CHAPTER III.
It was evening of the same eventful day in the history of our hero, that a merry little circle of young girls were assembled at Kate Kennedy’s; and to the amused group Miss Belden related the adventures of the morning, giving to the whole scene an effect so truly ludicrous, as elicited many a merry peal of laughter from her joyous listeners. Even Emma Willis, though made to figure so largely in the story, could not resist a smile at the ridiculous light in which she was shown up by her provokingly mischievous cousin.