or arrangements to
make, and would have preferred walking home independently.

"No, thank you, I have a headache, and walking may take it off," said
Norman, taking off his hat and passing his fingers through his hair.

"A headache again--I am sorry to hear it."

"It is only that suffocating den of yours. My head ached from the moment
I looked into it. How can you take Ethel into such a hole, Richard? It
is enough to kill her to go on with it for ever."

"It is not so every day," said the elder brother quietly. "It is a warm
day, and there was an unusual crowd."

"I shall speak to my father," exclaimed Norman, with somewhat of the
supercilious tone that he had now and then been tempted to address to
his brother. "It is not fit that Ethel should give up everything, health
and all, to such a set as these. They look as if they had been picked
out of the gutter--dirt, squalor, everything disgusting, and summer
coming on, too, and that horrid place with no window to open! It is
utterly unbearable!"

Richard stooped to pick up a heavy basket, then smiled and said, "You
must get over such things as these if you mean to be a clergyman,
Norman."

"Whatever I am to be, it does not concern the girls being in such a
place as this. I am surprised that you could suffer it."

There was no answer--Richard was walking off with his basket, and
putting it into the carriage. Norman was not pleased with himself, but
thought it his duty to let his father know his opinion of Ethel's weekly
resort. All he wished was to avoid Ethel herself, not liking to show her
his sentiments, and he was glad to see her put into the gig with Aubrey
and Mary.

They rushed into the drawing-room, full of glee, when they came home,
all shouting their news together, and had not at first leisure to
perceive that Margaret had some tidings for them in return. Mr.
Rivers had been there, with a pressing invitation to his daughter's
school-feast, and it had been arranged that Flora and Ethel should go
and spend the day at the Grange, and their father come to dine, and
fetch them home in the evening. Margaret had been much pleased with the
manner in which the thing was done. When Dr. May, who seemed reluctant
to accept the proposal that related to himself, was called out of the
room, Mr. Rivers had, in a most kind manner, begged her to say whether
she thought it would be painful to him, or whether it might do
his spirits good. She decidedly gave her opinion in