characters, till at last Ethel, with a long breath, resumed her ordinary
tone, and said, "How well he has come to write with his left hand now."

"Yes. Did you know that he wrote himself to tell Ernescliffe Sir
Matthew's opinion of Margaret?"

"No: did he?"

"Do you know, Ethel," said Norman, as he knelt on the floor, and tumbled
miscellaneous articles out of his bag, "it is my belief that Ernescliffe
is in love with her, and that papa thinks so."

"Dear me!" cried Ethel, starting up. "That is famous. We should always
have Margaret at home when he goes to sea!"

"But mind, Ethel, for your life you must not say one word to any living
creature."

"Oh, no, I promise you I won't, Norman, if you'll only tell me how you
found it out."

"What first put it in my head was the first evening, while I was undoing
the portmanteau; my father leaned on the mantel-shelf, and sighed and
muttered, 'Poor Ernescliffe! I wish it may end well.' I thought he
forgot that I was there, so I would not seem to notice, but I soon saw
it was that he meant."

"How?" cried Ethel eagerly.

"Oh, I don't know--by Alan's way."

"Tell me--I want to know what people do when they are in love."

"Nothing particular," said Norman, smiling.

"Did you hear him inquire for her? How did he look?"

"I can't tell. That was when he met us at the station before I thought
of it, and I had to see to the luggage. But I'll tell you one thing,
Ethel; when papa was talking of her to Mrs. Mackenzie, at the other end
of the room, all his attention went away in an instant from what he was
saying. And once, when Harry said something to me about her, he started,
and looked round so earnestly."

"Oh, yes--that's like people in books. And did he colour?"

"No; I don't recollect that he did," said Norman; "but I observed he
never asked directly after her if he could help it, but always was
trying to lead, in some round-about way, to hearing what she was doing."

"Did he call her Margaret?"

"I watched; but to me he always said, 'Your sister,' and if he had to
speak of her to papa, he said, 'Miss May.' And then you should have seen
his attention to papa. I could hardly get a chance of doing anything for
papa."

"Oh, sure of it!" cried Ethel, clasping her hands. "But, poor man, how
unhappy he must have been at having to go away when she was so ill!"

"Ay, the last time he saw her was when he carried her upstairs."

"Oh, dear! I hope he will soon come here ag