t person from the giddy and
worldly girl who compelled our admiration of late in the days of her
triumphant youthful beauty, of her wayward generous humour, of her
frivolities and her flirtations.

Did Ethel shed tears in secret over the marriage which had caused
Laura's gentle eyes to overflow? We might divine the girl's grief, but
we respected it. The subject was never mentioned by the ladies between
themselves, and even in her most intimate communications with her
husband that gentleman is bound to say his wife maintained a tender
reserve upon the point, nor cared to speculate upon a subject which
her friend held sacred. I could not for my part but acquiesce in this
reticence; and, if Ethel felt regret and remorse, admire the dignity
of her silence, and the sweet composure of her now changed and saddened
demeanour.

The interchange of letters between the two friends was constant, and in
these the younger lady described at length the duties, occupations,
and pleasures of her new life. She had quite broken with the world, and
devoted herself entirely to the nurture and education of her brother's
orphan children. She educated herself in order to teach them. Her
letters contain droll yet touching confessions of her own ignorance and
her determination to overcome it. There was no lack of masters of all
kinds in Newcome. She set herself to work like a schoolgirl. The little
piano in the room near the conservatory was thumped by Aunt Ethel until
it became quite obedient to her, and yielded the sweetest music under
her fingers. When she came to pay us a visit at Fairoaks some two years
afterwards she played for our dancing children (our third is named
Ethel, our second Helen, after one still more dear), and we were in
admiration of her skill. There must have been the labour of many
lonely nights when her little charges were at rest, and she and her sad
thoughts sat up together, before she overcame the difficulties of the
instrument so as to be able to soothe herself and to charm and delight
her children.

When the divorce was pronounced, which came in due form, though we know
that Lady Highgate was not much happier than the luckless Lady Clara
Newcome had been, Ethel's dread was lest Sir Barnes should marry again,
and by introducing a new mistress into his house should deprive her of
the care of her children.

Miss Newcome judged her brother rightly in that he would try to marry,
but a noble young lady to whom he offere