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willing step opened the door； and bade her old friend welcome。
〃How are the ladies？〃 asked Aaron； trying to gather something from
the face and voice of the domestic。
〃Miss Hetta and Mr。 Beckard be gone off to Utica； just man…and…wife
like！ and so they are； more power to them。〃
〃Oh indeed； I'm very glad；〃 said Aaronand so he was； very glad to
have Hetta the demure out of the way。 And then he made his way into
the parlour； doubting much； and hoping much。
Mrs。 Bell rose from her chair； and tried to look grave。 Aaron
glancing round the room saw that Susan was not there。 He walked
straight up to the widow； and offered her his hand； which she took。
It might be that Susan had not thought fit to tell； and in such case
it would not be right for him to compromise her； so he said never a
word。
But the subject was too important to the mother to allow of her
being silent when the young man stood before her。 〃Oh； Mr。 Dunn；〃
said she； 〃what is this you have been saying to Susan？〃
〃I have asked her to be my wife；〃 said he； drawing himself up and
looking her full in the face。 Mrs。 Bell's heart was almost as soft
as her daughter's； and it was nearly gone； but at the moment she had
nothing to say but； 〃Oh dear； oh dear！〃
〃May I not call you mother？〃 said he； taking both her hands in his。
〃Oh dearoh dear！ But will you be good to her？ Oh； Aaron Dunn； if
you deceive my child！〃
In another quarter of an hour； Susan was kneeling at her mother's
knee； with her face on her mother's lap； the mother was wiping tears
out of her eyes； and Aaron was standing by holding one of the
widow's hands。
〃You are my mother too； now；〃 said he。 What would Hetta and Mr。
Beckard say； when they came back？ But then he surely was not a
wolf！
There were four or five days left for courtship before Hetta and Mr。
Beckard would return； four or five days during which Susan might be
happy； Aaron triumphant； and Mrs。 Bell nervous。 Days I have said；
but after all it was only the evenings that were so left。 Every
morning Susan got up to give Aaron his breakfast； but Mrs。 Bell got
up also。 Susan boldly declared her right to do so； and Mrs。 Bell
found no objection which she could urge。
But after that Aaron was always absent till seven or eight in the
evening； when he would return to his tea。 Then came the hour or two
of lovers' intercourse。
But they were very tame； those hours。 The widow still felt an
undefined fear that she was wrong； and though her heart yearned to
know that her daughter was happy in the sweet happiness of accepted
love； yet she dreaded to be too confident。 Not a word had been said
about money matters； not a word of Aaron Dunn's relatives。 So she
did not leave them by themselves； but waited with what patience she
could for the return of her wise counsellors。
And then Susan hardly knew how to behave herself with her accepted
suitor。 She felt that she was very happy； but perhaps she was most
happy when she was thinking about him through the long day；
assisting in fixing little things for his comfort； and waiting for
his evening return。 And as he sat there in the parlour； she could
be happy then too； if she were but allowed to sit still and look at
him；not stare at him； but raise her eyes every now and again to
his face for the shortest possible glance； as she had been used to
do ever since he came there。
But he； unconscionable lover； wanted to hear her speak； was desirous
of being talked to； and perhaps thought that he should by rights be
allowed to sit by her； and hold her hand。 No such privileges were
accorded to him。 If they had been alone together； walking side by
side on the green turf； as lovers should walk； she would soon have
found the use of her tongue；have talked fast enough no doubt。
Under such circumstances； when a girl's shyness has given way to
real intimacy； there is in general no end to her power of chatting。
But though there was much love between Aaron and Susan； there was as
yet but little intimacy。 And then； let a mother be ever so
motherlyand no mother could have more of a mother's tenderness
than Mrs。 Bellstill her presence must be a restraint。 Aaron was
very fond of Mrs。 Bell； but nevertheless he did sometimes wish that
some domestic duty would take her out of the parlour for a few happy
minutes。 Susan went out very often； but Mrs。 Bell seemed to be a
fixture。
Once for a moment he did find his love alone； immediately as he came
into the house。 〃My own Susan； you do love me？ do say so to me
once。〃 And he contrived to slip his arm round her waist。 〃Yes；〃
she whispered； but she slipped like an eel from his hands； and left
him only preparing himself for a kiss。 And then when she got to her
room； half frightened； she clasped her hands together； and bethought
herself that she did really love him with a strength and depth of
love which filled her whole existence。 Why could she not have told
him something of all this？
And so the few days of his second sojourn at Saratoga passed away；
not altogether satisfactorily。 It was settled that he should return
to New York on Saturday night； leaving Saratoga on that evening； and
as the BeckardsHetta was already regarded quite as a Beckardwere
to be back to dinner on that day； Mrs。 Bell would have an
opportunity of telling her wondrous tale。 It might be well that Mr。
Beckard should see Aaron before his departure。
On that Saturday the Beckards did arrive just in time for dinner。
It may be imagined that Susan's appetite was not very keen； nor her
manner very collected。 But all this passed by unobserved in the
importance attached to the various Beckard arrangements which came
under discussion。 Ladies and gentlemen circumstanced as were Hetta
and Mr。 Beckard are perhaps a little too apt to think that their own
affairs are paramount。 But after dinner Susan vanished at once； and
when Hetta prepared to follow her； desirous of further talk about
matrimonial arrangements； her mother stopped her； and the disclosure
was made。
〃Proposed to her！〃 said Hetta； who perhaps thought that one marriage
in a family was enough at a time。
〃Yes； my loveand he did it； I must say； in a very honourable way；
telling her not to make any answer till she had spoken to me；now
that was very nice； was it not； Phineas？〃 Mrs。 Bell had become very
anxious that Aaron should not be voted a wolf。
〃And what has been said to him since？〃 asked the discreet Phineas。
〃Whynothing absolutely decisive。〃 Oh； Mrs。 Bell！ 〃You see I know
nothing as to his means。〃
〃Nothing at all；〃 said Hetta。
〃He is a man that will always earn his bread；〃 said Mr。 Beckard； and
Mrs。 Bell blessed him in her heart for saying it。
〃But has he been encouraged？〃 asked Hetta。
〃Well； yes； he has；〃 said the widow。
〃Then Susan I suppose likes him？〃 asked Phineas。
〃Well； yes； she does；〃 said the widow。 And the conference ended in
a resolution that Phineas Beckard should have a conversation with
Aaron Dunn； as to his worldly means and position； and that he；
Phineas； should decide whether Aaron might； or might not be at once
accepted as a lover； according to the tenor of that conversation。
Poor