mbination of employments, and I
must say that she certainly discharges both of them extremely well) is
particularly engaged just now, making up her housekeeping books."

"And how is Miss Alice Melville? She is not so invariably well as her
sister is."

"No, she mopes more. She has not half the spirit of Miss Melville; but
I believe she is quite well just now."

"Well", said Brandon, with a half sigh, "I have come to bid you all
goodbye; no one can tell when we may meet again."

"Oh! no fear," said Mrs. Phillips, "we will see you here again in a
year or two. Mr. Phillips is often grumbling about his affairs, but I
know it just ends in nothing."

"By the by, Emily," whispered Brandon, "you promised if I was a good
boy that you would give me a great treat. You will never have another
opportunity."

"Oh! yes," said Emily, "I recollect quite well--come along with me,"
and Brandon followed the child to the nursery. Elsie was singing
something to a tune that sounded like that of "Chevy Chase," a great
favourite with Brandon in his childhood--but she caught the sound of
footsteps at the door and stopped abruptly.

"This is our nursery," said Emily; "mamma says it is far better than
the old one at Wiriwilta, but I do not like it half so well. I have
brought Mr. Brandon here, Alice, to hear your songs and your stories,
as I promised him the night you would not sing in the drawing-room when
he asked you."

"Go on, Miss Alice, I beg of you; do not let me interrupt you. Indulge
me for once--that old air carries me back many years," said Brandon.

"Oh, no," said Alice; "I could not venture on a stanza before you. You
cannot imagine what doggerel I make to please the children."

"It is not doggerel; it is beautiful," said little Harriett; "it is the
best song of all, and the newest--the one that Alice has made about the
fire, when we were such tiny babies; and how poor mamma was so weak and
ill, and papa was away, and the flames were all around; and Peggy and
Jim--you recollect Jim, black Jim, Mr. Brandon--and Mrs. Tuck--Martha,
you know--were working so hard to save us; and then when Mr. Brandon
came up on his horse, Cantab--we told Alice his name was Cantab--she
knew all the rest of the story--and rode so fast and got off in such a
hurry, and fetched water and quenched the fire. Oh! Mr. Brandon, it is
a lovely song."

"And all made up after our talk of old times the other night; for I
thought it was just the thing for