e bright ready little spirit between them all and destitution; and
what could Nettie do to stave that wolf from the door? Once more Dr
Rider's countenance fell. If the household broke down in its attempt at
independence, who had they to turn to but himself?--such a prospect was
not comfortable. When a man works himself to death for his own family,
he takes the pleasure with the pain; but when another's family threatens
to fall upon his hands, the prospect is naturally appalling--and
even if Fred could do anything, what was Fred's life, undermined by
evil habit, to depend upon? Silence once more fell over the little
company--silence from all but Nettie and the children, who referred to
her naturally instead of to their mother. Fred was sullen, and his wife
took her cue from him. Edward was uneasy and dismayed. Family parties
suddenly assembled without due warning are seldom greatly successful;
and even Nettie could not make immediate reconciliation and fraternal
kindness out of this.

CHAPTER IV.

"Take me down this long pretty road. There must be delicious houses
inside the walls. Look here; drive slowly, and let us have a peep in at
this open door," said Nettie. "How sweet and cosy! and who is that
pretty young lady coming out? I saw her in the chapel this morning. Oh,"
added Nettie, with a little sharpness, "she knows _you_--tell me who she
is."

"That is Miss Lucy Wodehouse--one of our Carlingford beauties," said Dr
Rider.

"Do you know her very well?" asked the inquisitive Nettie. "How she
stares--why does she stare, do you suppose? Is there anything absurd
about my dress? Look here--don't they wear bonnets just like this in
England?"

"So far as I am able to judge," said the doctor, looking at the tiny
head overladen with hair, from which the bonnet had fallen half off.

"I suppose she is surprised to see me here. Drive on faster, Dr Edward,
I want to talk to you. I see Fred has been telling us a parcel of
stories. It would be cruel to tell Susan, you know, for she believes in
him; but you may quite trust me. Is your brother good for anything, Dr
Edward, do you suppose?"

"Not very much now, I fear," said the doctor.

"Not very much _now_. I suppose he never was good for much," said the
indignant Nettie; "but he was said to be very clever when he first came
out to the colony. I can't tell why Susan married him. She is very
self-willed, though you would fancy her so submissive. She is one of
those