disappointed
affection" should tempt the poor little girl to throw herself away on
such an ass! It would be sad, indeed.

And then he wondered if Miss Grove really cared for him in that way.
Surely her stepmother would not have spoken as she had done to him on a
mere suspicion. As he kept on thinking about it, it began to seem more
possible to him, and then more pleasant, and what with one thing, and
what with another, Miss Fanny began to have a great many of his thoughts
indeed. He visited Grove House a good many times--not to seem odd--and
saw a good deal of Miss Fanny. Mamma was prudent still, and wise, and
far-seeing, and how it came about I cannot tell, but the result of his
visits, and the young lady's smiles, and the old lady's management was
the engagement of these two; and the first intimation that Graeme had of
it was given by Arthur on the night that Norman went away.

Time passed on. The wedding day was set, but there were many things to
be brought to pass before it should arrive. Graeme had to finish the
task she had set for herself on the night, when Arthur had bespoken her
love and care for a new sister. She had to reconcile herself fully to
the thought of the marriage, and truly the task did not seem to her
easier as time went on. There were moments when she thought herself
content with the state of affairs, when, at least, the coming in among
them of this stranger did not seem altogether like the end of their
happy life, when Miss Grove seemed a sweet and lovable little thing, and
Graeme took hope for Arthur. This was generally on those occasions when
they were permitted to have Fanny all to themselves, when she would come
in of her own accord, in the early part of the day, dressed in her
pretty morning attire, without her company manners or finery. At such
times she was really very charming, and flitted about their little
parlour, or sat on a footstool chattering with Rose in a way that quite
won her heart, and almost reconciled the elder sister to her brother's
choice.

But there were a great many chances against the pleasure lasting beyond
the visit, or even to the end of it. On more than one occasion Graeme
had dispatched Nelly as a messenger to Arthur, to tell him that Fanny
was to lunch with them, though her magnanimity involved the necessity of
her preparing the greater part of that pleasant meal with her own hands;
but she was almost always sorry for it afterward. For Fanny never