meditatively up and down, hoping to see Kalliope; and just as she was giving up th

Gillian,

, I am

there was much rejoicing over the good news. Gillian had nearly made up her mind to confute the enemy by asking why Captain White h

ical concerts in the Masonic Hall. It being musical, Miss Mohun had nothing to do with it except the feeling it needful to give her presence to the performances. One of these

embering that her sisters had thought Ka

Oh,

t you use

ave no time t

in the c

nd there was a little glow

igning take up

at home in after hours. My mother is not strong

ribly hard-worked to hav

Kalliope, 'that relaxation does nothing but bring a

llian, quite excited; but Ka

; you have nothing to do

to be your friend,' said Gillian

ly touched, but still somewhat red, 'only you know when a gir

said Gillian, not at all satisfie

he has quite enough to do. Oh, Miss Gil

beautiful voice

there's the little bell! Good-bye, Miss Merrifield, I must run, o

ean by the scrapes of unprotected girls. It did not occur to her that Miss White was her elder by six or seven ye

letta, who had never been, as she said, 'to any evening thing but just stupid childish things, only trees and magic-lanterns'; and would not quite believe Gillian,

and everybody hates them! A

middle of lesson-

re some chairs apart; and therefore, though the members of the two families at Beechcroft and the Tamarisks were consecutive, Valetta was quartered between her aunt and Gillian, with Mrs. Varley on the other side of Miss Mohun, and Major Dennis flanking Miss Merrifield. When he had d

'll tell Fergus that is what he ought to be; he is so fond of making things-only I am sure he would spoil his apron. What's that curtain for? Will they sing up there? Oh, there's Emma Norton just com

' as the whole chorus trooped i

nstrumental performance afterwards, during which b

d Miss Berry, our singing-mistre

his critical moment; and she sat still through a good deal, only giving

ps no one without an eye for art would have remarked it, as he had the callow unformed air of a lad of seventeen or eighteen, and look

fter a good deal of popping her head about, she took advantage of the encores to excuse herself by saying, 'I wanted to see if Maura

n front, and talked to Miss Mohun; and after that Valetta grew sleepy, and nothing was to be got out of her till all was over, when she awoke into extra animation, and chattered

el from Aunt Jane, thought it could do no harm to beguile the brushing o

Mr. Frank wants to be her-to be her-her admirer,' said Valetta, cocking he

t do you and Maura

when you told me I was to make friends with Maura Whi

Maura, but not to talk a

t come to. Grown-up people do, as Lois says. I heard Aunt Ada

at sort of undesirable stuff. Gillian said to herself; but curiosity,

I shan't tell you. You

l, I ough

a se

ld not have to

Mrs. Curiosity, and at that moment Aunt Jane k

little sister rolling and tossing about a good deal, but made herself hard-hearted on principle, and acted sleep. On her own judgment, she would not waken the child in the morning, and

s over Valetta rushed in with her hat on, having scrambled into her clothes in a hurry, and consuming her breakfast in great haste, for she had no n

esides, Gillian had scruples, partly out of pride and partly out of conscientiousness, about encouraging Valetta in gossip or showing her curiosity about it. Could she make anything out from Kalliope

tionably precocious, for she returned Gillian's greeting without embarrassment, and was quite re

I think she used to sing ve

Maura; 'but s

Has not

ficant, and an interrogative sound suffice

ank Ste

n for I heard la mamma mia trying to persuade her to go on with the society, and she was determined, and would not. Alex said she was quit

does not

mamma said he would get over them, if she would not be so stupid, and he could make her qui

think she is very

inded Maura; 'and I should not have to help her make the beds, and darn, and

ladylike to act upri

ertain repugnance and contempt for the idea of love and lovers as an interruption to the higher aims of life and destruction to family joys. Romance in her eyes was the exaltation of woman out of re

om Kalliope herself, who surely would be grateful for some sympathy and friendship. Withal she recollected that it was Indian-mail day, and hurri

lian-' beg

see for herself

ter?' she exclaimed, seeing a

her the

it, came over Gillian as she tore open the le

ive you a new brother. Mother wil

E.

and looked a

and it is so delightful that mamma is charmed with him. He has got two medals and three clasps. There are so many to write to,

n a bewildered stat

ling a little, and saying, '

dful,' sai

sisters to yourself, you should not

re quite angry at the notion of b

till her time come

elf to her mother's lett

I wish I could write to you more at length; but time will not let me, scattered as are all my poor flock at home. So I must leave you to learn the bare public facts from Aunt Jane, and only say m

oving m

all about it, Aunt

ll you the names of these robbers? Well, I dare

Aunt Jane! May I tak

llian had just time for her first

sure one or both the girls would want their mother. Phyllis began it. Hers is a young merchant just taken into the great Underwood firm. Bernard Underwood, a very nice fellow, brother to the husband of one of Harry May's sisters-very much liked and respected, and, by the way, an uncommonly handsome man. That was

poor Claude trembled too much. He was an immense help through the nursing, and they came to know and depend on him as nothing else would have made them do; and they proved how sincerely right-minded and good he is. There is some connection with the Underwoods, though I have not quite fathomed it. There is no fear about home consent, for it seems that he is giv

come; I can't recollect or mention them now. I wish Reginald could come and tell you all, but the poor fellow has to go home full pelt about those Irish. Jasper is writing to William, and you must get business particulars from him, and let Gillian and the little ones hear, for there is hardly any time to write. Phyllis, being used to the idea, is very quiet and matter-of-fact about it. She hoped, indeed, that I guessed nothing till I was satisfied about papa, and had had time to rest. Alet

oving

M

and to Aunt Ada's kind 'Well, Gillian?

l the pretty double we

mean that,' hastil

an; 'that would be

hose who have gone through it all, my dear, wh

own, with whom she had corresponded about the consumptive home; and Aunt Ada regretted the not having called on Lady Liddesdale when she had spent some weeks at Rockstone, and consoled herself by recollecting that Lord Rotherwood would know all about the family. She had already looked it out in the Peerage, and discovered that Lord Fran

Jane; 'it is a very sore busines

veil at Silverfold was to be hunted up, o

Miss Vincent?' a

s, I don't like to set any one to

udge what could be avai

ave I a day? Saturday is never free, and Monday-I could ask Mrs. Habl

nabled each to divine the other's inquiring disposition, though it had different effects on the elder and younger character. Jane Mohun suspected that she had on her ferret l

day with Fanny,' she said. 'She c

eaking to nobody. Her aunt let her have her own way, and only sent a card to Macrae to provide for meeting and for food, not even letting Miss Vincent know that she was coming. That f

s hoped that they would ride to the wedding upon elephants, and Valetta thought it very hard to miss the being a bridesmaid, whe

Varley and all

are snobs, as girls al

ice word,' sai

e that expresses it, Aun

said Miss Mohun; 'but still I a

said Gillian. 'Mere worshippers of

e not going in for levell

o make more fuss about Alethea's concern than

of the individual man stands first of all, and nothing can be

; 'but there is no doubt that good

at them. I do not mean merely in the eyes of the world, though it is something to have a name that answers for your relations being respect

line. 'You know she used to tease Florence by saying the Bar

o the man who made h

own spurs, you can't get rid of his respectable M

m than horrid robber Borderers, such as

one's own Rodolf of Hapsburg, and in that light she held Captain White, who, in her present state of mind,