ring himself to a resolution. At last he did so, and one may say that it was not altogether a bad one, if only he could carry it out. He would ascertain in what bank that bill of his had

e intelligence would frighten her into illness. But on the next morning there came to him tidings by the hands of Robin postman, which for a long while upset all his plans. The letter was from Exeter. His father had been taken ill, and had very quickly been pronounced to be in danger. That evening - the evening on which his sister wrote - the old man was much worse, and it was desirable that Mark should go off to Exeter as quickly as possible. Of course he went to Exeter - again leaving the Fram

, therefore, that he had received his patrimony early in life. For Gerald Robarts, the second brother, a commission had been bought in a crack regiment. He also had been lucky, having lived and become a captain in the Crimea; and the purchase-money was lodged for his majority. And John Robarts, the youngest was clerk in the Petty Bag Office, and was already assistant private secretary to Lord Petty Bag himself - a place of considerable trust, if not hitherto of large emolument: and on his education money had been spent freely, for in these days a young man cannot get into the Petty Bag Office without knowing at least three modern languages; and he must be well up in trigonometry too, in

looking into the squire's face, one might have thought that his heart fell a little also; for he had not so full a command of his feelings as his brother-inlaw, who had been so much more before the world. To John, the assistant private secretary, was left a legacy of a thousand pounds; and to Jane and Lucy certain sums in certain four per cents., which were quite sufficient to add an efficient value to the hands of those young ladies in the eyes of the most prudent young would be Benedicts. Over and beyond this there was nothing but the furniture, which he desired might be sold, and the proceeds divided among them all. It might come to sixty or seventy pounds a piece, and pay the expenses incidental on is death.

ining the circumstances, of course, and paying him due interest. But he had not liked to broach the subject when they were there in Exeter, standing, as it were, over their father's grave, and so the matter was postponed. There was still ample time for arrangement before the bill wou

definite term of girl - for girls are girls from the age of three up to forty-three, if not previously married - dropping that generic word, we may say that then, at that wedding of her brother, she was a child; and now, at the death of her father, she was a woman. Nothing, perhaps, adds so much to womanhood, turns the child so quickly into a woman, as such death-bed scenes as these. Hitherto but little has fallen to Lucy to do in the way of woman's duties. Of money transactions she had known nothing, beyond a jocose attempt to make her annual allowance of twenty-five p

ow, Mrs Pole?'- for as the daughters had become fine women, so had the sons grown into stalwart men. And then Mrs Pole had answered: 'Not a bit; is she, now? Only think what Blanche was at her age. But she has fine eyes, for all that; and they do say she is the cleverest of them all.' And that, too, is so true a description of her that I do know that I can add much to it. She was

but in that other respect she must be held as having wasted her opportunities. But then what eyes she had! Mrs Pole was right there. They flashed upon you, not always softly; indeed not often softly if you were a stranger to her; but whether softly or savagely, with a brill

when she laughed she was all teeth; as she was all neck when she sat at the piano. But Lucy's teeth!--it was only now and again, when in some sudden burst of wonder she would sit for a moment with her lips apart, that the fine finished lines and dainty pearl-white colour of that perfect set of ivory could be seen. Mrs Pole would have said a word of her teeth also, but that to her they had never been made visible. 'But they do say that she is the cleverest o

This had been said by Mrs Robarts within a few hours of her hav

Mark had answered in

his wife's pet. Neither of the sisters had since been at Framley; and though Fanny had spent a week at Exeter on the occasion of Blanche's marriage, it could hardly be said that she was very intimate with them. Nevertheless, when it became expedient that one of them should go to Framley, the remembrance of

made ready for her; and she should be allowed her share of driving the pony - which was a great sacrifice of self on the part of Mrs Robarts - and Lady Lufton's best good-will should be bespoken. In fact, Lucy was not unfortunate in the destination that was laid out for her. Lady Lufton had of course heard of the doctor's death, and had sent all manner of kind messages to Mark, advising him not to hurry home by any means until everything was settled at E

very retiring. W

small, and some at least ought to be retiring.

nlaw very well,' said Lord Luft

l consider Lucy a beau

Robarts finished by the work 'plain'. She had liked Lucy's f

r very well, and can say that she is not plain. I was very much taken with her manner at

the weather, Mark's gig had been nearly filled with cloaks and shawls when it was sent over to Silverbridge. And a cart was sent for Lucy's luggage, and all manner of preparations had been made. Three times had Fanny gone herself to see that the fire burned brightly in the little room over the porch, and at the moment that the sound of the wheels was heard she was engaged in opening her son's mind as to the nature of an aunt. Hitherto papa an

she could not do or undo anything. They were all in black, of course; but the sombreness of Lucy's clothes struck Fanny much more than her own. They seemed to have swallowed he

th her to her room. We won't do much in the dressing way to-night; eh, Lucy?' In the bedroom Lucy thawed a little, and Fa

en tender enough. 'I am sure I shall be happy here,' she said, 'with you. But - but - dear papa!' And then they got into each other's arms, and had a great bout of kissing and crying. 'P

aid to Mark, as they talked her over al

e's a very good girl, and clever

lovely. I never such

r hands, then; you sha

asy. I don't think s

e exactly cut out for an old maid;- to be A

ng. I have no doubt she will be hard to please; but if I were a man I sho

think I e

er any one had a tooth i

my dear; and I know

re a g

ll go to roost.' And thus there was nothing m

at she cannot believe but what other people will rejoice to behold it. I would not, however, be held to regarding this tendency as evil. It leads to conversation of some sort among people, and perhaps to a kind of sympathy. Mrs Jones will look at Mrs White's linen chest, hoping that Mrs White may be induced to look at hers. One can only pour out of a jug that which is in it. For the most of us, if we do not talk of ourselves, or at any rate of the individual circles of which we are the centre, we can talk of nothing. I cannot hold with those who wish to put down the insignificant chatter of the world. As for myself, I am always happy to look at Mrs

nd, she could not hide it, even though she tried to do so, and fancied herself successful;- no more than she could hide her warm, constant, overflowing woman's love. She could not walk through a room laughing on her husband's arm without seeming to pro

was quiet as a child. While we were smashing

ys, Lady Lufton called; of course it may be supposed that Fanny had said a good deal to her new inmate about Lady Lufton. A neighbour of that kind in the country exercises so large an influence upon the whole tenor of one's life, that to abstain from such talk is out of the question. Mrs Robarts had been

she especially endeavoured to throw the two together during that visit. But in this she was unwise. Lady Lufton, however, had woman-craft enough not to be

ay. We never have many

at stepping over to Framley Court is no more going out, than when you go from one room to another in the parsonage. Is it, Fanny?' Fanny laughed

id at that moment was inaudible. It was plain, however, that she could not bring herself even to go as far as Framley Court for her dinner at present. 'It was very kind of lady Lufton,'she said to Fanny; 'but i