ll, to see the end of what they do. When I look
at Godfrey, and think about how we planned for him, it seems so much,
much more than I deserve; do you know what that feels like, Bernard?'

'Betty, when I think of you two, keeping the remembrance of a
good-for-nothing brother all these years and training up for me such a
son as this is, and set that against my deserts, I'm not sure how I
could bear the shame of it if the thankfulness were not greater still.'

'Oh hush! you're not to talk like that any more, at any rate not to me.
I never should have done anything by myself, it was Angel who settled
first of all that we were to be good sisters. And then we thought that
was over, and we had to begin to be maiden aunts, and Martha told us
not to be afraid, for we never had a job set us without strength to do
it. I've made lots of mistakes, I'm not a perfect maiden aunt even
now, but Angel might have been born one. Bernard, why are you
laughing? I expect you think me a dreadful rattle, but, indeed, I'm
much older than I look. Here we are and here's Martha. Good morning,
Martha, is the captain up?'

'Up! Why, Miss Betty, my dear, he's gone by the fields to the cottage
this half-hour since.'

'All alone? Oh, Martha, that's very rash!' exclaimed Betty in her
motherly way. 'Over the brook with no one to lead him! Suppose he
missed his footing?'

'Oh, the captain's sight's a deal better this morning,' said Martha,
with her broadest smile. 'I don't think he'll come to any harm, Miss
Betty.'

'Well, we'll go after him,' Betty said, 'or we may meet him coming
back; for I do think it's rash, Martha, I do indeed!'

But Martha only went on smiling as if she were not at all alarmed. So
Betty and her brother, with Godfrey following them, went across the
meadows by the foot-path to the cottage. And about half way they met
the captain, walking erect and strong like his old self, and Angel
beside him. And Betty, who had never thought much whether her sister
were pretty or not, gave quite a start of surprise, for Angel looked so
beautiful at that moment that she wondered why she had never noticed it
before. And the captain looked quite radiantly happy, and altogether
forgot to say good morning.

'We've been to look for you at the Place,' Betty said; 'and Martha told
us you'd gone out all by yourself, and I rather scolded her for letting
you; but really I don't think you look as if you wanted taking care of.'

'Don'