a way, so--so
miserable; and when he went West last winter, it was more to see Rose
than for anything else. But he came back quite downhearted. She was so
much run after, he said, and she was very distant with him. Not that he
said very much about it. But when I went out there afterwards, I took
her to task sharply about it."

"Harry! How could you?"

"Very easily. It is a serious thing when a girl plays fast and loose
with a man's heart, and such a man as Charlie. And I told her so
roundly."

"And how did she take it?" asked Graeme, in a maze between astonishment
and vexation.

"Oh! she was as high and mighty as possible, called my interference
rudeness and impertinence, and walked out of the room like an offended
princess--and I rather think I had the worst of it," added Harry,
laughing at the remembrance. "But I don't bear malice, and I don't
think Rose does."

"Of course, she does not. But Harry, dear, though I should not call
your interference impertinent in any bad sense, I must say it was not a
very wise thing to take her to task, as you call it. I don't believe
Mr Millar ever said a word to her about--about his feelings, and you
don't suppose she was going to confess, or allow you to scold her
about--any one."

"Now; Graeme, don't be missish! `Never said a word!'--Why, a blind man
might have seen it all along. I know we all looked upon her as a child,
but a woman soon knows when a man cares for her."

"No wise woman will acknowledge it to another till she has been told so
in words; at least she ought not," said Graeme, gravely.

"Oh, well!--there is no use talking. Perhaps I was foolish; but I love
Charlie, dearly. I daresay Rose thinks herself too good for him,
because he does not pretend to be so wonderfully intellectual as some of
her admirers do, and you may agree with her. But I tell you, Graeme,
Charlie is pure gold. I don't know another that will compare with him,
for everything pure and good and high-minded--unless it is our own Will;
and it is so long since we have seen him, we don't know how he may be
changed by this time. But I can swear for Charlie."

"You don't need to swear to me, Harry. You know well I have always
liked Charlie."

"Well, it can't be helped now. Charlie has got over it. Men _do_ get
over these things, though it doesn't seem possible to them at the time,"
added Harry, meditatively. "I was rather afraid of Rosie's coming home,
and I wanted Charlie t