ora, and that
she must consider Mr. George Rivers as her brother.

"Never my brother like Harry!" exclaimed Mary indignantly.

"No, indeed; nor like Alan!" exclaimed Blanche. "And I won't call him
George, I am determined, if it is ever so!"

"It will not matter to him what such little girls call him," said
Margaret.

Blanche was so annihilated, that the sound of a carriage, and of the
door bell, was a great satisfaction to her.

Meta Rivers came flying into the room, her beautiful eyes dancing,
and her cheeks glowing with pleasure, as, a little timidly, she kissed
Margaret; while Ethel, in a confused way, received Mr. Rivers, in
pain for her own cold, abrupt manner, in contrast with his gentle,
congratulating politeness.

Meta asked, blushing, and with a hesitating voice, for their dear Flora;
Mary offered to call her, but Meta begged to go herself, and thus was
spared the awkwardness that ensued. Ethel was almost vexed with herself,
as ungrateful, when she saw Mr. Rivers so mildly kind, and so delighted,
with the bland courtesy that seemed fully conscious of the favour that
Flora had conferred on his son, and thankful to the Mays for accepting
him.

Margaret answered with more expression of gratification than would have
been sincere in Ethel; but it was a relief when Flora and Meta came in
together, as pretty a contrast as could be seen; the little dark-eyed
fairy, all radiant with joy, clinging to the slender waist of Flora,
whose quiet grace and maidenly dignity were never more conspicuous than
as, with a soft red mantling in her fair cheek, her eyes cast down, but
with a simple, unaffected warmth of confidence and gratitude, she came
forward to receive Mr. Rivers's caressing affectionate greeting.

Stiffness was over when she came in, and Dr. May, who presently made his
appearance, soon was much more at his ease than could have been hoped,
after his previous declarations that he should never be able to be
moderately civil about it to Mr. Rivers. People of ready sympathy, such
as Dr. May and Margaret, have a great deal of difficulty with their
sincerity spared them, by being carried along with the feelings of
others. Ethel could not feel the same, and was bent on avoiding any
expression of opinion; she hoped that Meta's ecstasies would all be
bestowed upon her future sister-in-law; but Meta was eager for an
interview with Ethel herself, and, as usual, gained her point.

"Now then, you are property of my ow