re in t

it be struck."-

ite late, Olivia sat up for him on pretence of finishing Dot's pelisse,

he had had no inducement to prolong his visit; he h

t illuminate that motto, Livy, 'Manners makyth man?' and we would frame it, and give it him as a Christmas present." But Oliv

like a gimlet; sometimes a vivid blue light seemed to dart from them. "When master has one of his awful looks on, I dare not face him," Phoebe would say, and

abooed subject, and had retired from the roo

ed housemaid, "or that he would have had a fit; I should have one myself if I

't hold with keeping too tight a hand over a young man, it fairly throttles all the goodness out of them. He was none so

Tom was a pickle before he went to sea, but neither his poor father nor me ever cast it at him. He ran away and took the Queen's shilling, though it nigh broke our hearts. Well

o had had a sleepless night of pain, looked more worn and languid than usual, but she brightened up at the sight of the

ty of such extravagance, even if it be my birthday! Don't I know what t

brought you nothing, nothing at all. Do let me explain," and the

hat I should just lie here missing Fergus. He always made such a fuss on my birthdays; they were red-letter days to him, and now this friendly mess

n a poor invalid a very happy day. Your beautiful flowers have come to m

been easy to you, it will sweeten your solitary hours to

ng, wakeful night of pain I have been counting up past blessings, and the new day s

sir, I

grate

BRODERIC

uch in the word widow," she would say; "if it were not for seeming odd or making people smile, I would always sign myself 'F

over her grievance of forge

said, with a long face, "but

eb and I will be delighted to welcome you. And Deb shall bake some sho

r Aunt Madge?" persisted

was always such a grand surprise. His last present to me was that revolving book-table. How splendid I thought it, and what a comfort it has been to me all these years. Don't look so

Galvaston House, and when she consulte

her message. He is rather ailing and out of sorts just now, and inclined to bristle up at

sertion of an opinion-would ruffle him. Once, when Marcus had proposed dis

se I may be allowed to have it," he had returned, t

covert sneer, answered, in h

pick your pocket, I thought it would be only honest to

less grimly. "By-the-bye, Dr. Luttrell, I want to ask you if you will kindly let me have your a

he was quite ready

ed to revisit it. She had described it so vividly and graphically to Aunt Madge, that Mrs. Broder

ot a new friend," she said one day, and Olivia was amused

s brought her a message. Mr. Gaythorne felt himself better, and would

the hall, the whole house seemed brightly illuminated. Mr. Gaythorne, who was on crutches, met her at the head

he foliage, looked more like fairyland than ever. And the deep ea

nted on their habits and peculiar beauties, Olivia listened with such intelligent interest, and asked

bject that it was almost an effort t

e various delicacies, the one drawback to her pleasure was that Marcus was not there to share it. At th

ce-the lean, cadaverous face had lost its fretful look, the melancholy dark eyes had grown bright and vivid,

s magnificent collections had been gathered from all parts of

he had asked him a question about a curious cactus. "If you will come with me, my dear," he had answered, "I could show you a better specimen"-an

e voice. "You were going to say that I remind you of someone?"-a

his eyes, "you remind me of my daughter. That first ev

orry! Does it pain you to speak of he

lways called her Olive. She was born at Beyrout, unde

oung Mrs. Luttrell, softly. "That is my name too, and

of fever at Rome-we were staying there. She was only two-and-twenty, and she was to have been marr

livia, with tears in her eyes. "What a trage

s a good wife, but I doubt if he has ever forgotten Olive. She was no

that I should remind him of her, and that she should be Olive too!" but when Mr. Gaythorne returned and placed a

erfully attractive and winning in her expression; the e

u lost her," murmured O

eyes, and then she felt a little frightened. There was a curious pallor on Mr. Gaythorne's

as Olive." And then she closed the case reverently and put it back in his hands. "I must go now," she said; "it has been such a lovely time, and you have taught me so much

s name?-forced her way in one day, but I do not think her reception pleased her. The Vicar himself is an honest

officious, as Marcus calls her, and I know

e flowers; will it be a trouble to you to take them, or s

leasure of taking them. If you ha

t to do that again, gratitude is for favours to come; you may remind her of th

nt Madge's whimsies; but you

it answer if one were to follow her example. John Alwyn Gaythorn

horne is a widower-and he has lost his only daughter, and her name was Olivia, and that is why he has taken to me, becaus

ivy-covered house next to Galvaston House. A child taken su

Marcus's tone had been quite cool and matter-of-fact, but there wa