The slamming together of the door as ’Lena left the room brought the young gentleman’s remarks to a close, and wishing to escape the lecture which he saw was preparing for him, he, too, made his exit.

Christmas was coming, and with it Durward Bellmont, and about his coming Mrs. Livingstone felt some little anxiety.  Always scheming, and always looking ahead, she was expecting great results from this visit.  Durward was not only immensely wealthy, but was also descended on his father’s side from one of England’s noblemen.  Altogether he was, she thought, a “decided catch,” and though he was now only sixteen, while Carrie was but thirteen, lifelong impressions had been made at even an earlier period, and Mrs. Livingstone resolved that her pretty daughter should at least have all the advantages of dress with which to set off her charms.  Concerning Anna’s appearance she cared less, for she had but little hope of her, unless, indeed—­but ’twas too soon to think of that—­she would wait, and perhaps in good time ’t would all come round naturally and as a matter of course.  So she encouraged her daughter’s intimacy with Captain Atherton, who, until Malcolm Everett appeared, was in Anna’s estimation the best man living.  Now, however, she made an exception in favor of her teacher, “who,” as she told the captain, “neither wore false teeth, nor kept in his pocket a pair of specks, to be slyly used when he fancied no one saw him.”

Captain Atherton coughed, colored, laughed, and saying that “Mr. Everett was a mash kind of a boy,” swore eternal enmity toward him, and under the mask of friendship—­watched!  Eleven years before, when Anna was a baby, Mrs. Livingstone had playfully told the captain, who was one day deploring his want of a wife, that if he would wait he should have her daughter.  To this he agreed, and the circumstance, trivial as it was, made a more than ordinary impression upon his mind; and though he as yet had no definite idea that the promise would ever be fulfilled, the little girl was to him an object of uncommon interest.  Mrs. Livingstone knew this, and whenever Anna’s future prospects were the subject of her meditations, she generally fell back upon that fact as an item not to be despised.

Now, however, her thoughts were turned into another and widely different channel.  Christmas week was to be spent by Durward Bellmont partly at Captain Atherton’s and partly at her own house, and as Mrs. Livingstone was not ignorant of the effect a becoming dress has upon a pretty face, she determined that Carrie should, at least, have that advantage.  Anna, too, was to fare like her sister, while no thought was bestowed upon poor ’Lena’s wardrobe, until her husband, who accompanied her to Frankfort, suggested that a certain pattern, which he fancied would be becoming to ’Lena should be purchased.

With an angry scowl, Mrs. Livingstone muttered something about “spending so much money for other folks’ young ones.”  Then remembering the old delaines, and knowing by the tone of her husband’s voice that he was in earnest, she quickly rejoined, “Why, ’Lena’s got two new dresses at home.”