ow you will do all that is kind."

"Mind, you must not consider it an engagement, unless all be
satisfactory."

"I will do as you please."

Ethel perceived that something was in agitation, but the fact did not
break upon her till she came to Margaret, after the schoolroom reading,
and heard Dr. May declaiming away in the vehement manner that always
relieved him.

"Such a cub!" These were the words that met her ear; and she would have
gone away, but he called her. "Come in, Ethel; Margaret says you guessed
at this affair!"

"At what affair!" exclaimed Ethel. "Oh, it is about Flora. Poor man; has
he done it?"

"Poor! He is not the one to be pitied!" said her father.

"You don't mean that she likes him?"

"She does though! A fellow with no more brains than a turnip lantern!"

"She does not mean it?" said Ethel.

"Yes, she does! Very submissive, and proper spoken, of course, but bent
on having him; so there is nothing left for me but to consent--provided
Mr. Rivers does, and he should turn out not to have done anything
outrageous; but there's no hope of that--he has not the energy. What can
possess her? What can she see to admire?"

"He is good-natured," said Margaret, "and rather good-looking--"

"Flora has more sense. What on earth can be the attraction?"

"I am afraid it is partly the grandeur--" said Ethel. She broke off
short, quite dismayed at the emotion she had excited. Dr. May stepped
towards her, almost as if he could have shaken her.

"Ethel," he cried, "I won't have such motives ascribed to your sister!"

Ethel tried to recollect what she had said that was so shocking, for the
idea of Flora's worldly motives was no novelty to her. They had appeared
in too many instances; and, though frightened at his anger, she stood
still, without unsaying her words.

Margaret began to explain away. "Ethel did not mean, dear papa--"

"No," said Dr. May, his passionate manner giving way to dejection. "The
truth is, that I have made home so dreary, that my girls are ready to
take the first means of escaping."

Poor Margaret's tears sprang forth, and, looking up imploringly, she
exclaimed, "Oh, papa, papa! it was no want of happiness! I could not
help it. You know he had come before--"

Any reproach to her had been entirely remote from his thoughts, and he
was at once on his knee beside her, soothing and caressing, begging
her pardon, and recalling whatever she could thus have interpreted.
Meanwhile, Ethel