d hear of any advice till I brought him up here almost by
force.'

'I am sure it was time.'

'May it be in time, that's all.'

'Italy does so much! But what will become of the children?'

'They must go to my brother's of course. I have told him I will see him
there, but I will not have the children! There's not the least chance of
his mending, if they are to be always lugging him about--'

The captain was interrupted by the entrance of Mrs. Sandbrook, who looked
a good deal worried, though she tried to put it aside, but on the captain
saying, 'I'm afraid that you have troublesome guests, ma'am,' out it all
came, how it had been discovered late in the day that Master Owen _must_
sleep in his papa's room, in a crib to himself, and how she had been
obliged to send out to hire the necessary articles, subject to his
nurse's approval; and the captain's sympathy having opened her heart, she
further informed them of the inconvenient rout the said nurse had made
about getting new milk for them, for which Honor could have found it in
her heart to justify her; 'and poor Owen is just as bad,' quoth the old
lady; 'I declare those children are wearing his very life out, and yet he
will not hear of leaving them behind.'

She was interrupted by his appearance at that moment, as usual, with a
child in either hand, and a very sad picture it was, so mournful and
spiritless was his countenance, with the hectic tint of decay evident on
each thin cheek, and those two fair healthful creatures clinging to him,
thoughtless of their past loss, unconscious of that which impended.
Little Owen, after one good stare, evidently recognized a friend in Miss
Charlecote, and let her seat him upon her knee, listening to her very
complacently, but gazing very hard all the time at her, till at last,
with an experimental air, he stretched one hand and stroked the broad
golden ringlet that hung near him, evidently to satisfy himself whether
it really was hair. Then he found his way to her watch, a pretty little
one from Geneva, with enamelled flowers at the back, which so struck his
fancy that he called out, 'Cilly, look!' The temptation drew the little
girl nearer, but with her hands behind her back, as if bent on making no
advance to the stranger.

Honora thought her the prettiest child she had ever seen. Small and
lightly formed, there was more symmetry in her little fairy figure than
usual at her age, and the skin was exquisitely fine and whi