e have found a pleasant cousin. There is nothing
serious in it, I dare say. How silly of us to argue on such an idea!"

Meta came in before Flora could say more, but Ethel, with burning
cheeks, repeated, "It will be safer!"

Ethel had, meantime, been dressed by her sister; and, as Bellairs came
to adorn Meta, and she could have no solitude, she went downstairs,
thinking she heard Norman's step, and hoping to judge of his mood.

She entered the room with an exclamation, "Oh, Norman!"

"At your service!" said the wrong Norman, looking merrily up from behind
a newspaper.

"Oh, I beg your pardon; I thought--"

"Your thoughts were quite right," he said, smiling. "Your brother
desires me to present his respects to his honoured family, and to inform
them that his stock of assurance is likely to be diminished by the
pleasure of their company this morning."

"How is he?" asked Ethel anxiously.

"Pretty fair. He has blue saucers round his eyes, as he had before he
went up for his little go."

"Oh, I know them," said Ethel.

"Very odd," continued her cousin; "when the end always is, that he says
he has the luck of being set on in the very place he knows best. But I
think it has expended itself in a sleepless night, and I have no fears,
when he comes to the point."

"What is he doing?"

"Writing to his brother Harry. He said it was the day for the Pacific
mail, and that Harry's pleasure would be the best of it."

"Ah!" said Ethel, glancing towards the paper, "is there any naval
intelligence?"

He looked; and while she was thinking whether she ought not to depart,
he exclaimed, in a tone that startled her, "Ha! No. Is your brother's
ship the Alcestis?"

"Yes! Oh, what?"

"Nothing then, I assure you. See, it is merely this--she has not come
into Sydney so soon as expected, which you knew before. That is all."

"Let me see," said the trembling Ethel.

It was no more than an echo of their unconfessed apprehensions, yet it
seemed to give them a body; and Ethel's thoughts flew to Margaret. Her
going home would be absolutely necessary now. Mr. Ogilvie kindly began
to talk away her alarm, saying that there was still no reason for
dread, mentioning the many causes that might have delayed the ship, and
reassuring her greatly.

"But Norman!" she said.

"Ah! true. Poor May! He will break down to a certainty if he hears it. I
will go at once, and keep guard over him, lest he should meet with this
paper. But pray, don'