The Clever Woman of the Family

tr

parent did

in its contr

which had indeed

chair" and "the stuffy chair," she turned pensively homeward, and was speeding down Mackarel Lane, when she was stayed by the words, "

, gazing up with her pret

u are the child of a very old friend of mine! Did you ne

ck her neck to get a full view of his

your aunt if she would l

he manly tread, and the words sounded in her ears, "Aunt Ermine, there's a gentlem

s though she had sprung forward. "I thought you would c

and they gazed into each other's faces in the untr

eak silence. "Oh, Colin, y

h the dear brown glow I never thought to have seen aga

n?" she asked, supposing

just now at luncheon, when our looks met,

ows you are

er till I had recovered you! On

how she has only lived and worked for me,

ou," he repeated, taking up her words; "but that is ended now-" and as

to dear Lady Alison, written from the hospital at Cape Town, after your woun

l the family for our sake; and when she was g

at you were not sent home on sick

hould be welcome only if I had laid aside a certain foolish fancy, and as lying o

te of all that tanned skin, that your health

gives me no trouble in general. I was such a spectacle when I returned to duty, that good old Sir Stephen Temple, a

up when I saw no Keith among those that came home from India. I did believe then that you were the Colonel Alexander Ke

o me he was, and he left me in charge of his son and daughter. A very good a

gs of a Keith; but I was afraid he had died, as there

s to be nursed by Lady Temple and her mother, and he was sent home as soon a

through all t

th Sir S

r medals! How much you ha

e had come to depend on me so much that I could not well leave him; and in five years there was the way to promotion and to claiming you at once. We were just se

d was abroad, all

in in town. I went home, and found my brother lonely and dispirited. He has lost his son, his daughters are married, and he and I are all the brothers left out of the six! He was urgent that I should come and live with him and marry. I told him I

like retrenching among their neighbours, so they went

r treasure of a governess! Last night I had nearly opened, on another false scent; I fell in with a description that I co

knew the scent

was no fa

escription that I might live in the place in fancy; and one day, when the contribution was wanted

ing you! And in other papers of the seri

y-hole, he answered that a circumscribed view gained in distinctness. Most kind and helpful he has been, and what began between sport and need to say out on

estraint on inquiries, but she eagerly availed herself of the pause. "Aunt Ermine, please what shall I say about the chairs? W

u had better take a run in the garden when you come back;" and Rose replied with a nod of assent that made

will be the same to her dear father. Oh, Colin! it is too much to hope tha

was also told that his sisters were unconvinced; and besides, I had

fortable word I have heard since it happened. Yes, indeed, many a time before I saw you, had I heard of 'K

u and Edward. Besides, is it not almost invariable that th

she answered; "that throve

n excellent ma

danger in embarking all the available capital of the f

ey had made a mistake after all, and missed a fortune for me! It was an

re, half killed by London. In process of time he fell in with a man named Maddox, plausible and clever, who became a sort of manager, especially while Edward was in his trances of invention; and at all times knew more about his accounts than he did himself. Nothing but my father's authority had ever made him really look into them, and this man took them all off his hands. T

e the letters were written in i

knowledge of them. Alison saw Dr. Long's, most ingeniously man

pect thi

abled so ingenious a person easily to imitate Edward's letters. I do not wonder at their having been taken in; bu

en at home! Were n

She was unable to move, and he could not leave her; she took from him an unhappy promise not to put himself in what she fancied danger from the law, and

s absolute pain, but pain that was a relief to feel. "Madness, madness!" he

showed Edward's receipt for the ￡6000 that had been advanced, and besides, there was a large sum not accounted for, which was, of cour

One notion is as likely as the othe

confusion would have justified them in thinking him a dishonest one. Things had been done in his name by Maddox that might have made a stranger think h

ned upon hi

ad enough, but in a court of justice, his whole character would have been shown, and besides, a pros

s by the deception wou

their heads at our we

ne of those letters.

eep up a knowledge of his movements, or something might have turned up to justify Edward. Oh, what it is to be helpless women! You

y love could blind them," he said. "Yes, Ermine, I was certain that unless Edward were more cha

all! Then he wrote from a little German town, where he was getting his bread as a photographer's assistant. And since that he has cast about the world,

I could see him. One might find some means of cle

Maddox had written to me the day before to ascertain where Edward was, so as to be sure of the date. It was a little country village, and I made a blunder in copying the spelling from Lucy's writing. Ailie found that ve

rt that the engraver had made it a Sarac

ie could get no one to believe her, but she is certain that the letter was sea

wished for

bout you," she said, looking

what fixed

e thought he would recommend Ailie as daily governess to visitors, and that Sarah would be a comfortable landlady. It has answered very well; Rose

ly mean that you are

have been! If it had not been for Edward, this would in many ways have been our happiest time. Since the old days the little frets have told less, and Ailie has been infinitely happier and brighter since she has had to work instead of only

e, extremely amazed to find, not Mr. Touchett, but a much greater foe and rival in that unexpected quarter. Ermine, the least disconcerted, was the first to speak. "You are su

ant, but she was still unready with talk for the occasion, and Ermine continued: "We had heard so much of the Major before-hand,

and unnecessary, and if it had come from any one else, would have a

Keith. "I am rather proud of Conrade, my pu

division or two to show m

y unruly and unmanageable," sa

trial of strength against the hand over them, and they yield when they find it is really a h

ine tried to put it aside and converse, but Rachel never permitted any petty consideration to interfere with a useful design, and as there was a press of time for the things, she felt herself justified in driving th

, pausing in her unfolding of the Master Temp

is name. He was al

like those of Red Riding Hood's grandmother, that Ermine involuntarily gave a backward impulse to her wheele

, "that accounts for it. So much the worse.

his appointment began on account of a woun

said Rachel; "people make such a fuss

forget it if you like," said Ermine

el, edging forward on her knees, so as to br

r twelve years," said

you saw him last. The twelve years befor

e have told, but I did not think it

t you tell me what amounts to nothing! You should consider how important it is to

arantee in the very fact of

rted old soldier always mea

usual amusement in tracing Rachel's dicta to their s

"I am not foolishly suspicious, but it is not pleasant to see great inf

quietly, "that you can hardly understand the terms they are on with

magine my one attempt at rational conversation last night. Asking his views on female emigration,

f the question would ha

, there will not be much provocation to them to come here. Now this great event of the Major's coming is over, we will try to put Fanny upon a definite system, and I look to you and your sister as a great assistance to me, in counteracting the follies and nonsenses that her situati

id

sert it; but in the meantime I will bring down my 'Human Reeds,' and show them

of calling again-thank you,"

le to interruptions in the most intere

and the shining glance of her eyes was almost more than Alison could bear. So happy as the sisters had been together, so absolutely united, it did seem hard to disturb that calm life with hopes and agitations that must needs be futile; and Alison, whose whole life and soul were in her sister, could not without a pang see that sister's heart belonging to another, and not for hopeful joy, but pain and grief. The yearning of jealousy was sternly reproved and forced down, and told that Ermine had long been Colin Keith's, that

ee her through and through. She went with Rachel to the door, and stood taking a last instruction, hearing it not at all, but answering, and relieved by the delay, hardly knowing whether to

picture you drew of Robert Bruce for me. And he is so kind. I n

hair, kissed her, and looked up with an arch, blushing, glittering

re, with a great brown beard like a picture. And he is papa's old friend, and kissed me because I am papa's little gir

What will you do if I send you out next time? No, I won't then, my

alk of anything very pa

ison, smiling being happily made very easy to her.

him loving Rose for her father's sake, undoubting of him throu

the same?"

It was just like the morrow of the day he walked down the lane with me and gat

rruption did not

time to tell what we most wanted to know, and I know a little more of what he is. I feel as if it were

said Alison, scarcely able to

to have him back again with the same looks, only deeper-to find that he clung to those weeks so long a

so that more than once she laughed at herself, begged her sister's pardon, and said that it seemed to her that she could not hear anything for the one glad voice that rang in her ear, "Colin is come home." That was su

side of him, communicating to him the great grievance of living in a poky place like this, where nobody had ever been in t

" said Conrade, sto

mamma to shut you

lucky. But I don't mind that; only don't you see, Colonel, they don't know how to treat mamma!

to your mother not being at the head of everything, as she used to be in your father's time. She

ow I would give it to Aunt Rachel! But why

ding with them. The motion was so transcendant that, no sooner had the ponies been seen, than the boys raced home, and had communicated it at the top of their voices to mamma long before their friend m

a quiet animal, and to have you with Conrade would be such a prot

begin alone; it is so long since I rode.

going to

ry glad! But if you wished to go, pray don't think about us! I

down by her; "I have found what I was goi

ere going to see Miss William

used, and added slowly, as if merely for the sa

said Fanny, wit

ot seen since the day after her accide

t I am sorry!" cried the much confused Fanny,

ffered, and of late she has been brought to this grievous state of poverty, and yet the spirit is as brave and cheerful as

ed Fanny; "is it so lo

ellow. For one summer, when I was quartered at Hertford, I was with her constantly, but my family would not e

er from joking you in her way about young ladies, he told me that once, when he was young, he had liked some one who died or was married, I don't qu

be accepted as a sign that I gave her up. So that was an additi

onsideration. At last Fanny said, "I am sure it was well for us! What would he have done wi

to Melbourne, when I heard in general terms of the ruin

I persuaded you because we saw he would have missed you so much, and mamma was quite hurt at your thinkin

in going home till I had my promotion, and could offer her a home; and I had no notion how utter the ruin was, or that she had lost

all I do? Pray, tell me what you would like. If I might only keep her a little while till I can find some

with you, and there can be n

und of satisfaction, doubt, and surpris

t as I can do no more than make a home for Ermine and

our br

e my father insist on," said the Colonel sternly. "For my own part, I only esteem bo

s so fond of the sick-I mean of your-Miss

y had time as yet to know what Ermine w

ing out her hand in congratulation. "When may I go to her? I sho

w how kind you would be-indee

e dear boys never were so good. And perhaps she may sta

riend," said the Colonel, smil

to-night. It is so dull for the boys when I dine out, and I had so much to ask you. One thing was ab

and very good for her, but you must b

nd all the boys to amuse her; but, if you think it would be tiresome for her, a

Colonel Keith, smiling, "but of h

ke her out. But I will talk to Alick. He spoke of coming to-morrow. And don't you think I mig

tain

colouring up, "I never can forget the old day

," he said, smiling, "though I am afraid I c

not let me or the boys be troublesome; but to have you here makes me so much less

added Colonel Keith, and both moved away with the startled precision of members o