n the
world, whom I have travelled a thousand miles to meet--travelled alone
and unprotected--you are not glad to see me? I will turn and go back
again--I will leave the house--I will--I"----

Her rapid speech ended in a burst of tears. Poor Meliora felt like a
guilty thing. "Miss Manners--Christal--my poor child! I didn't mean
that! Don't cry--don't cry! I am very glad to see you--so are we
all--are we not, Olive?"

Olive was almost as much puzzled as herself. She had a passing
recollection of the death of Mrs. Manners, and of the child's being sent
to school; but since then she had heard no more of her. She could hardly
believe that the elegant creature before her was the little ragged imp
of a child whom she had once seen staring idly down the river. However,
she asked no questions, but helped to soothe the girl, and to restore,
as far as possible, peace and composure to the household.

They all spent the evening together without any reference to the past.
Only once, Christal--in relating how, as soon as ever her term of
education expired, she had almost compelled her governess to let her
come to England, and to Miss Vanbrugh,--said, in her proud way,

"It was not to ask a maintenance--for you know my parents left me
independent; but I wanted to see you because I believed that, besides
taking charge of my fortune, you had been kind to me when a child. How,
or in what way, I cannot clearly remember; for I think," she added,
laughing, "that I must have been a very stupid little girl: all seems so
dim to me until I went to school. Can you enlighten me, Miss Vanbrugh?"

"Another time, another time, my dear," said the painter's sister,
growing very much confused.

"Well! I thank you all the same,'and you shall not find me ungrateful,"
said the young lady, kissing Miss Meliora's hand, and speaking in a tone
of real feeling, which would have moved any woman. It quite overpowered
Miss Van-brugh--the softest-hearted little woman in the world. She
embraced her _protegee_, declaring that she would never part with her.

"But," she added, with a sudden thought, a thought of intense alarm,
"what will Michael say?"

"Do not think of that to-night," interposed Olive. "Miss Manners is
tired; let us get her to bed quickly, and we will see what morning
brings."

The advice was followed, and Christal disappeared; not, however, without
lavishing on Mrs. and Miss Rothesay a thousand gracious thanks and
apologies, with an air an