without purpose or occupation."

"Fulfil my purpose, and I will find occupation."

"Don't say that."

"This once, Ermine. For one year I shall wait in the hope of convincing
you. If you do not change, your mind in that time, I shall look for
another staff appointment, to last till Rose is ready for me."

The gravity of this conclusion made Ermine laugh. "That's what you
learnt of your chief," she said.

"There would be less difference in age," he said. "Though I own I should
like my widow to be less helpless than poor little Lady Temple. So,"
he added, with the same face of ridiculous earnest, "if you continue to
reject me yourself, you will at least rear her with an especial view to
her efficiency in that capacity."

And as Rose at that critical moment looked in at the window, eager to be
encouraged to come and show Colinette's successful toilette, he drew
her to him with the smile that had won her whole heart, and listening to
every little bit of honesty about "my work" and "Aunt Ermine's work,"
he told her that he knew she was a very managing domestic character,
perfectly equal to the charge of both young ladies.

"Aunt Ermine says I must learn to manage, because some day I shall have
to take care of papa."

"Yes," with his eyes on Ermine all the while, "learn to be a useful
woman; who knows if we shan't all depend on you by-and-by?"

"Oh do let me be useful to you," cried Rose; "I could hem all your
handkerchiefs, and make you a kettle-holder."

Ermine had never esteemed him more highly than when he refrained from
all but a droll look, and uttered not one word of the sportive courtship
that is so peculiarly unwholesome and undesirable with children. Perhaps
she thought her colonel more a gentleman than she had done before, if
that were possible; and she took an odd, quaint pleasure in the idea
of this match, often when talking to Alison of her views of life and
education, putting them in the form of what would become of Rose as Lady
Keith; and Colin kept his promise of making no more references to
the future. On moving into his lodgings, the hour for his visits was
changed, and unless he went out to dinner, he usually came in the
evening, thus attracting less notice, and moreover rendering it less
easy to lapse into the tender subject, as Alison was then at home, and
the conversation was necessarily more general.

The afternoons were spent in Lady Temple's service. Instead of the
orthodox dowager britc