mber?"
asked Graeme.

"To Mrs Barnes'," said Rose. "Miss Cressly brought home my dress
to-day, and she told me all about it. Her sister is nurse there. The
party is to be quite a splendid affair. It is given in honour of Miss
Grove, who has just come home. I wish I were going with you."

"You may go without me! I will give you my invitation. It is a great
bore, and I don't believe I shall go. I don't see the good of it."

"But you promised," said Graeme.

"Well, I suppose I must go for a while. But it is very stupid."

"Just as if you could make us believe that. It must be delightful. I
think it's very stupid of you and Graeme, not to like parties."

"You forget. I was not asked," said Graeme.

"But you might have been, if you had returned Mrs Barnes' call soon
enough. How nice it would have been! I wish I were Miss Grove, to have
a party given for me. She is a beauty, they say. You must notice her
dress, Arthur, and tell me all about it."

"Oh! certainly," said Arthur, gravely. "I'll take particular notice.
But come, get your hats. There is time enough for a walk before I go.
Haste, Rosie, before the finest of the evening is past. Are you coming,
Will? Man! you shouldna read by that light. You will blind yourself.
Put away your book, you'll be all the better for a walk."

They lingered a moment at the gate.

"Here is Harry!" exclaimed Rose. "And some one with him. Charlie
Millar, I think."

"We will wait for them," said Arthur.

The look that came to Graeme's face, as she stood watching her brother's
coming, told that the shadow of a new care was brooding over her, and
the light talk of her brother and sister told that it was one they did
not see. She stood back a little, while they exchanged greetings, and
looked at Harry with anxious eyes.

"Are you going out, Graeme?" asked he, coming within the gate.

"Only to walk. Will you go with us? Or shall I stay?"

"Miss Elliott," interposed Charlie Millar, "I beg you will not. He
doesn't deserve it at your hands. He is as cross as possible. Besides,
we are going to D street, by invitation, to meet the new partner. He
came yesterday. Did Harry tell you?"

"Harry did not come home last night. What kept you, Harry?" asked Rose.

"We were kept till a most unreasonable hour, and Harry stayed with me
last night," said Charlie.

"And of course Graeme stayed up till all hours of the night, waiting for
me," said Harry, with an ec