to
mask her dejection. One of the points of anxiety was whether one
shoulder were not outgrowing the other, but it was not easy to discover
whether the appearance were not merely owing to the child's feeble and
ungainly carriage. 'I cannot torment her about that,' said Flora.
'There are enough miseries for her already without making more, and as
long as it does not affect her health, it matters little.'

'No, certainly not,' said Ethel, who had hardly expected this from
Flora.

Perhaps her sister guessed her thought, for she said, 'Things are best
as they are, Ethel; I am not fit to have a beautiful admired daughter.
All the past would too easily come over again, and my poor Margaret's
troubles may be the best balance for her.'

'Yes,' said Ethel, 'it is bad enough to be an heiress, but a beautiful
heiress is in a worse predicament.'

'Health would improve her looks,' began the maternal instinct of
defence, but then breaking off. 'We met Lord H---- yesterday, and the
uniform is to be like the northern division. Papa will hear it
officially to-morrow.'

'The northern has gray, and green facings.'

'You are more up in it than I. All we begged for was, that it might be
inexpensive, for the sake of the townspeople.'

'I hear of little else,' said Ethel, laughing; 'Dr. Spencer is as hot
on it as all the boys. Now, I suppose, your party is to come off!'

'Yes, it ought,' said Flora, languidly, 'I waited to see how Harry was,
he is a great element towards making it go off well. I will talk it
over with Blanche, it will give somebody pleasure if she thinks she
manages it.'

'Will it give George no pleasure?'

'I don't know; he calls it a great nuisance, but he would not like not
to come forward, and it is quite right that he should.'

'Quite right,' said Ethel; 'it is every one's duty to try to keep it
up.'

With these words the sisters came within sight of the targets, and
found Margaret under Harry's charge, much interested, and considerably
in the way. The tidings of the colour of the uniform were highly
appreciated; Aubrey observed that it would choke off the snobs who only
wanted to be like the rifle brigade, and Leonard treated its
inexpensiveness as a personal matter, having apparently cast off his
doubts, under Hector's complimentary tuition. Indeed, before it grew
too dark for taking aim, he and the weapon were so thoroughly united,
that no further difficulty remained but of getting out his tha