ery kind and considerate, and both
he and Charlotte were so sobered by anxiety, that there was no fear of
their spirits overpowering her.

Mary Ross used to come almost every afternoon to inquire. One day she
found Charles alone, crutching himself slowly along the terrace, and she
thought nothing showed the forlorn state of the family so much as to see
him out of doors with no one for a prop.

'Mary! Just as I wanted you!'

'What account?' said she, taking the place of one of the crutches.

'Excellent; the fever and drowsiness seem to be going off. It must have
been a light attack, and the elders will hardly come in time for mamma
to have any nursing. So there's Guy pretty well off one's mind.'

'And Amy?'

'This was such a long letter, and so cheerful, that she must be all
right. What I wanted to speak to you about was Laura. You know the state
of things. Well, the captain--I wish he was not so sorry, it deprives
one of the satisfaction of abusing him--the captain, it seems, was
brought to his senses by his illness, confessed all to Guy, and now has
written to tell the whole truth to my father.'

'Has he? That is a great relief!'

'Not that I have seen his letter; Laura ran away with it, and has not
said a word of it. I know it from one to papa from Amy, trying to make
the best of it, and telling how thoroughly he is cut up. She says he
all but fainted after writing. Fancy that poor little thing with a great
man, six foot one, fainting away on her hands!'

'I thought he was pretty well again.'

'He must be to have written at all, and a pretty tolerably bitter pill
it must have been to set about it. What a thing for him to have had to
tell Guy, of all people--I do enjoy that! So, of course, Guy takes up
his cause, and sends a message, that is worth anything, as showing he is
himself better, though in any one else it would be a proof of delirium.
My two brothers-in-law might sit for a picture of the contrast.'

'Then you think Mr. Edmonstone will consent?'

'To be sure; we shall have him coming home, saying--

It is a fine thing to be father in-law
To a very magnificent three-tailed bashaw.

He will never hold out against Guy and Amy, and Philip will soon set up
a patent revolver, to be turned by the little god of love on the newest
scientific principles.'

'Where is Laura?' said Mary, smiling.

'I turned her out to walk with Charlotte, and I want some counsel, as
mamma says I know n