ildren, all at once, so as to be one trouble, but one after the other,
so as to keep Aunt Mary with them as long as possible; and Mr. Ross did
not know what would have become of the female department of his parish
but for Laura, who worked at school-keeping indefatigably.

Laura had some difficulty in shaking off Charlotte's company this
afternoon, and was obliged to make the most of the probability of rain,
and the dreadful dirt of the roads. Indeed, she represented it as so
formidable, that Mrs. Edmonstone, who had hardly time to look out of
window, much less to go out of doors, strongly advised her to stay
at home herself; and Charlotte grew all the more eager for the fun.
Luckily, however, for Laura, Dr. Mayerne came in, laughing at the
reports of the weather; and as he was wanted to prescribe for a poor
old man in an opposite direction, he took Charlotte with him to show the
way, and she was much better pleased to have him for a companion than
the grave Laura.

Philip, in the meantime, had walked all the way to Broadstone, timing
his return exactly, that he might meet Laura as she came out of the
school, and feel as if it had been by chance. It was a gray, misty
November day, and the leaves of the elm-trees came floating round them,
yellow and damp.

'You have had a wet walk,' said Laura, as they met.

'It is not quite raining,' he answered; and they proceeded for some
minutes in silence, until he said,--'It is time we should come to an
understanding.'

She looked at him in alarm, and his voice was immediately gentler;
indeed, at times it was almost inaudible from his strong emotion. 'I
believe that no affection has ever been stronger or truer than ours.'

'Has been!' repeated Laura, in a wondering, bewildered voice.

'And is, if you are satisfied to leave things as they are.'

'I must be, if you are.'

'I will not say I am satisfied with what must be, as I am situated; but
I felt it due to you to set the true state of the case before you. Few
would venture their love as I do mine with you, bound in reality, though
not formally, with no promise sought or given; yet I am not more assured
that I stand here than I am that our love is for ever.'

'I am sure it is!' she repeated fervently. 'O Philip, there never was a
time I did not love you: and since that day on Ashen Down, I have loved
you with my whole heart. I am sometimes afraid it has left no proper
room for the rest, when I find how much more I think