he doctor, who was of a more conservative nature, but he did not mingle his astonishment with any appearance of chagrin, so Frank took heart,

rtment. Both sisters were present, and in the moment which followed the younger's introduction, he had leisure to n

ts unmistakable lines of sadness, the slow assurance gained upon the mind that beneath her quiet smile and gentle self-contained air lay the same force of will which spoke at once in the firm lip and steady g

hich he acknowledged the scar which offended all eyes but his own. They were both dressed in white, and Emma wore a cluster of snowy pinks in her belt, but Hermione was without ornament.

To-night cheer and an emanation from the large outside world had come into it with their young visitor, and both girls seemed sensible of it, and brightened visibly. The talk was, of course, upon business, and while he noticed that Hermione led the conversation, he a

ing for them unless one or both of t

nswered that for no other reason than illness could he excuse you from appearing before him. So if

. She was, perhaps, too much engaged in maintaining her own self-control, for the lines deepened in her face, and she all at once assumed that air of wild

st be dropped." And she rose, as if she could not bear the weight of her thoughts, and moved sl

with a strange pathos upon Fran

seemed to say. "Do not urge her; i

the woman upon whose happiness he had fixed his own, though neither of these two knew it as yet. So, wi

man might have done better. Let me send an older man to you, then, or p

and saying gently, "The matter is at end, Mr. Etheridge," came back to the seat she had vacated, and motioned to

own youth that gradually the depth of shadow departed from their faces and a certain grave sort of pleasure appeared there, giving

ecome the most talkative of the two, whether there was not somethin

other moment, Hermione having

e did a minute ago, and you will

ad a promise in it which made the young girl's dreams lighter that night