s just one thing; I
want particularly to see Henry. I had a talk with Wright this morning,
and he tells me that young Baines, at Whitford, is going to the dogs,
and the practice coming in to him. He thinks of having a partner, and
I put out a feeler in case Henry Ward should choose to come back, and
found it might do very well. But the proposal must come from him, and
there's no time to be lost, so I thought of setting out as soon as I
hear my father is on his way back.'

'Not waiting to see Leonard?'

'I did see him not a month ago. Besides--' and his voice came to a
sudden end.

'Yes, the first news,' said Ethel. 'Indeed it is due to you, Tom.'

Ten minutes more of silence.

'Ethel, did she ever tell you?'

'Never,' said Ethel, her heart beating.

'Then how did you know all about it?'

'I didn't know. I only saw--'

'Saw what?'

'That you were very much distressed.'

'And very kind and rational you were about it,' said Tom, warmly; 'I
never thought any woman could have guessed so much, without making
mischief. But you must not put any misconstruction on my present
intention. All I mean to do as yet is to induce Henry to remove them
out of that dismal swamp, and bring them home to comfort and
civilization. Then it may be time to--'

He became silent; and Ethel longed ardently to ask further, but still
she durst not, and he presently began again.

'Ethel, was I very intolerable that winter of the volunteers, when
Harry was at home?'

'You are very much improved since,' she answered.

'That's just like Flora. Answer like yourself.'

'Well, you were! You were terribly rampant in Eton refinement, and
very anxious to hinder all the others from making fools of themselves.'

'I remember! I thought you had all got into intimacies that were for
nobody's good, and I still think it was foolish. I know it has done
for me! Well,' hastily catching up this last admission, as if it had
dropped out at unawares, 'you think I made myself disagreeable?'

'On principle.'

'Ah! then you would not wonder at what she said--that she had never
seen anything in me but contemptuous irony.'

'I think, sometimes feeling that you were satirical, she took all your
courtesy for irony--whatever you meant. I have heard other people say
the same. But when--was this on the day--the day you went to
remonstrate?'

'Yes. I declare to you, Ethel, that I had no conception of what I was
going to do! I never dreamt