xpect her to come and keep my house.'"

"They said Mr Green was going to carry off the heiress himself!"
exclaimed Rose.

"Listen!" continued Will. "`Unless, indeed, Graeme should make up her
mind to smile on Mr Green and take possession of the "palatial
residence," of which he has just laid the foundation near C---.'"

"Here is a bit for you, Graeme. Nobody is to be left out, it seems. It
will be your turn next, Rosie," said Arthur, as he went away laughing.

"But that is all nonsense about Arthur and little Miss Grove?" said
Rose, half questioningly.

"I should think so, indeed! Fancy Arthur coming to that fate," said
Graeme. "That would be too absurd."

And yet the thought came uncalled several times that day, and her
repetitions of "too absurd," became very energetic in her attempts to
drive it quite away. The thought was unpleasantly recalled to her when,
a day or two after, she saw her brother, standing beside the Grove
carriage, apparently so interested in his conversation with the pretty
Fanny that she and Rose passed quite close to them unobserved. It was
recalled more unpleasantly still, by the obliging care of Mrs Gridley,
who was one of their first visitors after their return. The Grove
carriage passed as she sat with them, and, nodding significantly toward
it, she said:

"I don't know whether I ought to congratulate you or sympathise with
you."

Graeme laughed, but she was very much afraid she changed colour, too, as
she answered:

"There is no haste. When you make up your mind as to which will be most
appropriate, you will be in time."

"Ah! you are not to commit yourself, I see. Well, you are quite right.
She is a harmless little person, I believe, and may turn out very well
if withdrawn from the influence of her stepmother."

Something in Graeme's manner stopped the voluble lady more effectually
than words could have done, and a rather abrupt turn was given to the
conversation. But Graeme could not forget it. Not that she believed in
the truth of what Mrs Gridley had hinted at, yet she could not help
being annoyed at it. It was rather foolish, she thought, for Arthur to
give occasion for such gossip. It was so unlike him, too. And yet so
little was enough to raise a rumour like that, especially with so kind a
friend as Mrs Gridley to keep the ball rolling. Very likely Arthur
knew nothing at all about this rumour, and, as the thought passed
through her mind, Graeme determined