surely the Harpers. I had quite forgotten Major
Harper and the bears."

"An odd conjunction," observed Agatha, smiling.

"Major Harper, who yesterday, for the fifth time, promised to take Missy
to the Zoological Gardens to see the bears. He has remembered it at
last."

No, he had not remembered it; it would have been a very remarkable
circumstance if he had; being a person so constantly full of
engagements, for himself and others. The visitor was only his younger
brother, who had often daundered in at Mrs. Thornycroft's house,
possibly from a liking to Emma's friendly manner, or because, cast
astray for a fortnight on the wide desert of London, he had, like
Agatha, "nothing to do."

If Nathanael had other reasons, they, of course, never came near the
surface, but lay buried under the silent waters of his quiet mind.

Agatha was half pleased, half disappointed at seeing him. Mrs.
Thornycroft, good soul, was always charmed to have a visitor, for
her society did not attract many. Only betraying, as usual, what was
uppermost in her simple thoughts, she could not long conceal her regret
concerning little Missy and the bears.

To Agatha's great surprise, Mr. Harper, who she thought, in his
dignified gravity, would never have condescended to such a thing,
volunteered to assume his brother's duty.

"For," said he, with a slight smile, "I have had too many perilous
encounters with wild bears in America, not to feel some curiosity in
seeing a few captured ones in England."

"That will be charming," cried Mrs. Thornycroft, looking at him with a
mixture of respect and maternal benignity. "Then you can tell Missy all
those wonderful stories, only don't frighten her."

"Perhaps I might She seems rather shy of me." And the adventurous young
gentleman eyed askance a small be-ribboned child, who was creeping about
the room and staring at him. "Would it not be better if"----

"If mamma went?"

"There, Missy, don't cry; mamma will go, and Agatha, too, if she would
like it?"

"Certainly," Miss Bowen answered, with a mischievous glance at
Nathanael. "I ought to investigate bears, if only to prove myself
descended from a Pawnee Indian."

So, once more, the heavy nut-brown curls were netted up into the crown
of her black bonnet, and her shawl pinned on carelessly--rather too
carelessly for a young woman; since that gracious adornment, neatness,
rarely increases with years. Agatha was quickly ready. In the ten
minutes she ha