turned
his address into a sudden caress, or blow on the shoulder, and tried to
laugh. Little Gertrude, not understanding; the confusion, had taken up
her station under the table, and peeped out from beneath the cover.

There was more composure as they sat at dinner, and yet there was very
little talking or eating. Afterwards Dr. May and Norman exultingly
walked away, to show their Harry to Dr. Spencer and Mr. Wilmot; and
Ethel would gladly have tried to calm herself, and recover the balance
of her mind, by giving thanks where they were due; but she did not know
what to do with her sisters. Blanche was wild, and Mary still in so
shaky a state of excitement, that she went off into mad laughing, when
Blanche discovered that they were in mourning for Harry.

Nothing would satisfy Blanche but breaking in on Margaret, and climbing
to the top of the great wardrobe to disinter the coloured raiment,
beseeching that each favourite might be at once put on, to do honour
to Harry. Mary chimed in with her, in begging for the wedding
merinos--would not Margaret wear her beautiful blue?

"No, my dear, I cannot," said Margaret gently.

Mary looked at her and was again in a flood of tears, incoherently
protesting, together with Ethel, that they would not change.

"No, dears," said Margaret. "I had rather you did so. You must not be
unkind to Harry. He will not think I do not welcome him. I am only too
glad that Richard would not let my impatience take away my right to wear
this."

Ethel knew that it was for life.

Mary could not check her tears, and would go on making heroic protests
against leaving off her black, sobbing the more at each. Margaret's
gentle caresses seemed to make her worse, and Ethel, afraid that
Margaret's own composure would be overthrown, exclaimed, "How can you
be so silly? Come away!" and rather roughly pulled her out of the room,
when she collapsed entirely at the top of the stairs, and sat crying
helplessly.

"I can't think what's the use of Harry's coming home," Gertrude was
heard saying to Richard. "It is very disagreeable;" whereat Mary
relapsed into a giggle, and Ethel felt frantic.

"Richard! Richard! what is to be done with Mary? She can't help it, I
believe, but this is not the way to treat the mercy that--"

"Mary had better go and lie down in her own room," said Richard,
tenderly and gravely.

"Oh, please! please!" began Mary, "I shall not see him when he comes
back!"

"If you can't behav