, and Australia being a larger portion of the world
than Gowanbrae, Edinburgh, and London, his lordship would be incredulous
to the day of his death.

He paid his formal and gracious visits at Myrtlewood and the Homestead,
and then supposed that his brother would wish him to call upon "these
unfortunate ladies." Colin certainly would have been vexed if he had
openly slighted them; but Alison, whom the brothers overtook on their
way into Mackarel Lane, did not think the colonel looked in the most
felicitous frame of mind, and thought the most charitable construction
might be that he shared her wishes that she could be a few minutes in
advance; to secure that neither Rose's sports nor Colinette's toilette
were very prominent.

All was right, however; Ermine's taste for the fitness of things had
trained Rose into keeping the little parlour never in stiff array, but
also never in a state to be ashamed of, and she herself was sitting in
the shade in the garden, whither, after the first introduction, Colin
and Rose brought seats; and the call, on the whole, went off extremely
well. Ermine naver let any one be condescending to her, and conducted
the conversation with her usual graceful good breeding, while the
colonel, with Rose on his knee, half talked to the child, half listened
and watched.

As soon as he had deposited his brother at the hotel, he came back
again, and in answer to Ermine's "Well," he demanded, "What she thought
of his brother, and if he were what she expected?"

"Very much, only older and feebler. And did he communicate his views of
Mackarel Lane? I saw him regarding, me as a species of mermaid or syren,
evidently thinking it a great shame that I have not a burnt face. If he
had only known about Rose!"

"The worst of it is that he wants me to go home with him, and I am
afraid I must do so, for now that he and I are the last in the entail,
there is an opportunity of making an arrangement about the property, for
which he is very anxious."

"Well, you know, I have long thought it would be very good for you."

"And when I am there I shall have to visit every one in the family;" and
he looked into her eyes to see if she would let them show concern, but
she kept up their brave sparkle as she still said, "You know you ought."

"Then you deliver me up to Keith's tender mercies till--"

"Till you have done your duty--and forgiven him."

"Remember, Ermine, I can't spend a winter in Scotland. A cold always