herself as she wrote her letters, and assured herself that so far from her having done enough in the wa

fferer, and Alethea's kindness to his daughter into a bosom friendship; while the aunts seemed to be absurdly fastidious and prejudiced. 'I don't wonder at Aunt Ada,' she said to

their possessions should be confiscated for the rest of the day when left about in the sitting-rooms and hall, were contingencies she could accept as natural, though they irritated her; but she agreed with Valetta that it was hard to insist on half an hour's regular work at the

iot; and in a cooler moment of reflection she was glad she had abstained, for she recollected that always was limited to mamma's having read mos

ed it in her own mind, of Aunt Jane that chiefly worried her, the way that the little lady knew everything that was done, and

hat he said it worse on the seventh repetition than on the first. After an evening, when Gillian had gone to a musical party with Aunt Ada, and Fergus did his lessons under Aunt Jane's superintendence, he utterly cast off his sister's aid. There was something in Miss Mohun's briskness that he found inspiring, and she put in apt words or illustrations, instead of only rousing herself from a book to listen, prompt, and sigh. He f

ffections. Yet she could not help being provoked when the boy followed his aunt to the doors of her cottages like a little dog, and waited outside whenever she would let him, for the sake of holding forth to her about something which wheels and plugs and screws were to do. Was it possible that Miss Mohun foll

nd had plenty of surface intercourse of a pleasant kind with both, it was a very poor sub

n her own room to rest after morning service. She might have been at the Sunday-school, but she did not love teachi

winds, the wall dividing the garden of Beechcroft Cottage from that of Cliff House became low, with only the iron-spiked railing on the top, as perhaps there was a desire not to overload the cliff. The sea was of a lovely colour that day, soft blue, and with exquisite purple shadows of clouds, with ripples of golden sparkles here and there near the sun,

s Gillian! Oh, I

me here? I thou

and quiet. Alexis has taken the younger ones for a walk

do so want to know about you all. I had no notion,

s Gillian stopped short, confused. 'I did write

re did y

ere she had wri

we were looking for houses; I suppose it was

w they were

if you do not mind. My f

utiful dark eyes, and a clear brown skin, who would have been very handsome if she had looked better fed and less hardworked. Her Sunday dress showed wear and adaptat

, when there began a terrible fever in our street-the drains were to blame, they said-and every one of us had it, except mother and Richard, who did not sleep at home. We lost poor little Mary f

ope! And we nev

and it ended by my father going away and enlisting. There was nobody nearer to him, and he never heard any more of his home; but when he was so ill, he thought he would like to be reconciled to "Jem," as he said, so he made me write from his dictation. Such a beautiful letter it was, and he add

he come n

nd Mr. Moore, the clergyman, and Richard, and he said he was willing to

in an unkind way

home, but that I could draw better than I would do anything else, and perhaps I might get Christmas cards to do, or something like that. Mr. Moore sent a card or two of m

ered dimly that Richard had not been he

tuation, so it was settled t

d y

rsuading Lady Merrifield to get mother to let me go to the School of Art? I began only as the girls do who are mere hands, and now I have to prepar

ou maintai

lexis is in the telegraph office, at the works; besides, it turned out that this hou

of you,' said Gillian, who wa

t. It is a great trial to my poor mother, but they do learn well there, and we may be ab

he conversation must be broken off. A few words-'I am so glad to have seen you,' and 'It

l? And as to Aunt Jane, I really don't see that I am bound to gratify her passion for knowing everything. I am not accountable to her, but to my own mother. My people know all about Kalliope, and she is prejudiced. Why should I be unkind and neglectful of an old fellow-soldier's family, because she cannot or will not understand what they really are? It would not be the slightest use to tell her the real st

rite a long and full account of the Whites and the

works at three o'clock. Valetta could not go, as she had her music lesson at that time, and she did not regret it, for she had an idea that blasting with powder or dynamite was always going on there. Gillian was not quite happy about the dynamite, but she did not lik

Nevertheless he was miserable till Gillian had put on her hat, and then she could do nothing that would content him and keep him out of Aunt Ada's way, but walk him u

had secured an order from Mr. Stebbing, the managing partner, without which they would n

much pleased with his intelligence and interest, letting him see what he wished, and even having the machinery slacked to enable him to perceive how it acted, and most delightful of all, in the eyes of Fergus, letting

e it was, with the weather-beaten rocks descending to the sea, overhung with wild thrift and bramble, and with the shore, the peaceful haunts of the white sea-birds; wh

more interesting to Miss Merrifield, and took them into the workrooms, where a number of young women were busy over the very beautiful work by which flowers and other devices were represented by inlaying di

ms of interest with all. From a little inner office Miss White was summoned, came out, and met an eager greeting from Gi

liope White,

the meeting, and her sister would be glad to hear of her, explaining to Mr. S

quiet and unassuming, as she explained and showed whatever Mr. Stebbing wished. It was her business to make the working dra

wing to the uncommon stones used in giving the tints, and Mr. Stebbing evidently did not regard it with so much favour as the jessamines and snowdrops, which, being of commoner marbles, could be sold at a

s's estimation, and perhaps Aunt Jane did not desire a long continuance of th

ge was gone off in attendance on his brother, who was fishing, and there was nothing to relieve the polite circle of the drawing-room-a place most aesthetically correct, from cornice to the little rugs on the slippery f

over her forehead, a terra-cotta dress, and a chain of watch cocks, altogether r

r a certain stiffness. By and by the subject of the Whites came up, an

'her father was in my father's

officer, I suppose,'

ian. 'He was lieutenant for six years,

ain,' said Mrs. Stebbing; 'but

n, with a tone of offence. 'Every one in th

aid Mrs. Stebbing. 'You are aware, Miss Mohun, that it was u

ape becomes an excellent soldier,

or discipline, and often turn out well under it. But their promotion is an

a great pity for them,' said Miss Mohun

r. Stebbing. 'She is us

it won't do to encourage her. She is an

oking volumes of repression at Gillian, whose brown eyes

one of those demure, proper-behaved sort that are

at that moment to admit some more visitors, for

on as they had accomplished their

s like it,' said Miss Mohun. 'S

eve all that about

or Mrs. Stebbin

and refute her. There m

ellent character for many years in the army, and you had better be satisfied with that,' s

eeling much injured for her hero's sake, and

of men, even in a small way of business, are no

it was all that horri

ontent yourself w

ergus, who thought all this very tire

f the pulley

discussed machinery, and

hat evening, talking it over with her sister. 'But her captain might ha

did would be greatly ex

meant by nature for heroes are apt to show some Be

d you think

o her classical extraction, and is modest and ladylike besides. Mrs. Stebbing is spiteful! I wonder whether it is jealousy. She calls her artful and designi

wish the acquaintance to be kept up. And if there is anything going on with young Stebbing, n