ily of love as those dear young Wards!

'The happy family--in Trafalgar Square!' muttered Dr. Spencer.

The confidence of the happy family was on this wise. When Leonard came
home with his unpresentable face, he baffled all Ave's anxious
questions, and she was only enlightened by Henry's lamentations, in his
absence, over the hopelessness of a brother who was so low and vulgar
as to box! Her defence being met by a sneer, she flew to tell Leonard
of the calumny, and was laughed at for her innocence, but extorted that
he had fought with a fellow that talked impudently of some of the
Mays--cause fully sufficient in her eyes; nor did Henry utter any open
reproof, though he contrived to exasperate his brother into fierce
retort and angry gesture by an unnecessary injunction not to show that
ungentlemanly face.

Full consciousness of the difficulties presented by the characters of
the two brothers would have been far too oppressive; and perhaps it was
better for Averil that she had it not, but had her own engrossing
interests and employments drawing off her attention and enlivening her
spirits. Her church music was her object in life--the dedication of
the talent that had been cultivated at so much time and cost, and the
greatest honour and enjoyment she could imagine, and she had full
participation from Leonard, who had a hearty love for sacred music,
readily threw himself into her plans, and offered voice and taste to
assist her experiments. Nor had her elder brother any objection to her
being thus brought forward: he was proud of her performance, and
gratified with the compliments it elicited; and all went well till the
new hymnals arrived, and books upon books, full of new tunes, anthems,
and chants, were accumulating on the music-stand.

'What are you about there all the evening, not opening your lips?'

'Leonard is writing out his verses, and I am copying music.'

'I wonder you neither of you will remember that that table was never
meant to be littered over with all sorts of rubbish!'

'I thought tables were to put things on,' returned Leonard coolly.

'Drawing-room tables were not made to be inked! That cover will be
ruined in a day or two!'

'Very well--then we'll pay for it!' said Leonard, in the same
aggravating tone.

'Here are newspapers spread between it and the ink,' said Averil,
displaying them with an air of injured innocence that made Henry
subside; but he presently exclaimed:

'Is that copy