to have seen more of him. But that
Major Harper should contrive to saunter up to the Regent's Park to visit
the Thornycrofts, and never find time to turn a street-corner to say
"How d'ye do" to _her_! she thought neither courteous nor kind.

There was little inducement to spend the day with Emma, who, in her
present mood and the state of her household, was a mere conversational
Dr. Buchan--a walking epitome of domestic medicine. So Miss Bowen
extended her progress; took an early dinner with Mrs. Hill, and stayed
all the afternoon at that good old lady's silent and quiet lodgings,
where there was neither piano nor books, save one, which Agatha
patiently read aloud for two whole hours--"The life of Elizabeth Fry."
A volume uninteresting enough to a young creature like herself, yet
sometimes smiting her with involuntary reflections, as she contrasted
her own aimless, useless existence with the life of that worthy
Quakeress--the prison-angel.

Having tired herself out, first with reading and then with singing--very
prosy and lengthy ballads of the old school, which were the ditties Mrs.
Hill always chose--Agatha departed much more cheerful than she came.
So great strength and comfort is there in having something to do,
especially if that something happens to be, according to the old
nursery-rhyme--

Not for ourself, but our neighbour.

Another day passed--which being rainy, made the Doctor's dull house seem
more inane than ever to the girl's restless humour. In the evening, at
his old-accustomed hour, Major Harper "dropped in," and Agatha forgot
his sins of omission in her cordial welcome. Very cordial it was, and
unaffected, such as a young girl of nineteen may give to a man of forty,
without her meaning being ill-construed. But under it Major Harper
looked pathetically sentimental and uncomfortable. Very soon he moved
away and became absorbed in delicate attentions towards the sick and
suffering Jane Ianson.

Agatha thought his behaviour rather odd, but generously put upon it
the best construction possible--viz. his known kind-heartedness. So she
herself went to the other side of the invalid couch, and tried to make
mirth likewise.

Asking after Mr. Harper, she learnt that her friend had been acting as
sick-nurse, to his brother for some days.

"Poor fellow--he will not confess that he is ill, or what made him so.
But I hope he will be about again soon, for they are anxiously expecting
him in Dorsetshire. Nathana