t be spared any longer; they could not do without me."

"And are you going to keep house for Harry, at Elphinstone house, or is
Mr Millar to have that?"

And so on, till she was tired, at last, and went away.

"What nonsense that woman talks, to be sure!" said Rose.

"Worse than nonsense, I am afraid, sometimes," said Graeme. "Really,
Harry's terror of her is not surprising. Nobody seems safe from her
tongue."

"But don't let us lose our walk, altogether. We have time to go round
the square, at any rate. It is not late," said Rose.

They went out, leaving, or seeming to leave, all thought of Mrs Gridley
and her news behind them. They met Fanny returning home, before they
had gone far down the street.

"Come with us, Fanny. Baby is all right. Are you tired?" said Rose.

"No, I am not tired. But is it not almost dinner time? Suppose we go
and meet Arthur."

"Well--only there is a chance of missing him; and it is much nicer up
toward S street. However, we can go home that way. There will be time
enough. How delightful the fresh air is, after a whole day in the
house!"

"And after Mrs Gridley," said Graeme, laughing.

"Have you had Mrs Gridley?" said Fanny.

"Yes, and columns of news, but it will keep. Is it not nice to be out?
I would like to borrow that child's skipping rope, and go up the street
as she does."

Fanny laughed. "Wouldn't all the people be amazed? Tell me what news
Mrs Gridley gave you."

Rose went over a great many items, very fast, and very merrily.

"All that, and more besides, which Graeme will give you, if you are not
satisfied. There is your husband. I hope he may be glad to see us
all."

"If he is not, he can go home by himself."

Arthur professed himself delighted, but suggested the propriety of their
coming one at a time, after that, so that the pleasure might last
longer.

"Very well, one at a time be it," said Rose. "Come, Fanny, he thinks it
possible to have too much of a good thing. Let him have Graeme,
to-night, and we will take care of ourselves."

They went away together, and Arthur and Graeme followed, and so it
happened that Graeme had lost sight of her sister; when she saw
something that brought some of Mrs Gridley's words unpleasantly to her
mind. They had turned into S street, which was gay with carriages, and
with people riding and walking, and the others were at a distance before
them under the trees, when Arthur spoke to some one, and looki