yed than he was willing to confess.

The rest sat silent. Rose was indignant, and it needed a warning
glance, from Graeme to keep her indignation from overflowing. Graeme
was indignant, but not surprised. Indeed, Nelly had given warning that
she was to leave; but she hoped and believed that she would think better
of it, and said nothing.

She was not indignant with Fanny, but with her mother. She felt that
there was some truth in Fanny's declaration, that Nelly looked upon her
as a child. She had Nelly's own word for that. She considered her
young mistress a child to be humoured and "no' heeded" when any serious
business was going on. But Fanny would not have found this out if left
to herself, at least she would not have resented it.

The easiest and most natural thing for Graeme, in the turn affairs had
taken, would be to withdraw from all interference, and let things take
their course; but just because this would be easiest and most agreeable,
she hesitated. She felt that it would not be right to stand aside and
let Fanny punish herself and all the rest because of the meddlesome
folly of Mrs Grove. Besides, it would be so ungrateful to Nelly, who
had served them so faithfully all those years. And yet, as she looked
at Fanny's pouting lips and frowning brow, her doubts as to the
propriety of interference grew stronger, and she could only say to
herself, with a sigh,--

"We must have patience and wait."

And the matter was settled without her interference, though not to her
satisfaction. Before a week, Nelly was on her way to the country to
make acquaintance of her sister's cows and children, and the estimable
Mrs Tilman was installed in her place. It was an uncomfortable time
for all. Rose was indignant, and took no pains to hide it. Graeme was
annoyed and sorry, and, all the more, as Nelly did not see fit to
confine the stiffness and coldness of her leave-takings to Mrs Elliott
as she ought to have done. If half as earnestly and frankly as she
expressed her sorrow for her departure, Graeme had expressed her
vexation at its cause, Nelly would have been content. But Graeme would
not compromise Fanny, and she would not condescend to recognise the
meddlesomeness of Mrs Grove in their affairs. And yet she could not
bear that Nelly should go away, after five years of loving service, with
such angry gloom in her kind eyes.

"Will you stay with your sister, Nelly, do you think? or will you come
back to