hn! Do you know, Val, the last time I
saw him he was very cross."

"Indeed! why was he cross?"

"It was about a month ago. He laughed, but I know he was cross. St.
George and I went over at his breakfast-time to get the key of this
house, which had been left with him; and, while I ran up-stairs to see
the children, he told St. George how, drawing up his blind to shave that
morning, he had seen you chasing Barbara and Miss Green (that little
temporary governess of theirs) about the garden. Barbara threw some
snowballs at you, but you caught her and kissed her."

"She is a kind of cousin," Valentine murmured; "besides, she is a mere
child."

"But she is a very tall child," said Emily. "She is within two inches as
tall as I am. Miss Green is certainly no child."

Valentine did not wish to enter on that side of the question. "I'm sure
I don't know how one can find out when to leave off kissing one's
cousins," he observed.

"Oh! I can give you an easy rule for that," said Emily; "leave off the
moment you begin to care to do it: they will probably help you by
beginning, just about the same time, to think they have bestowed kisses
enough."

"It all arose out of my kindness," said Valentine. "John had already
begun to be anxious about the dear old man, so I went over that morning
before breakfast, and sent him up a message. His father was decidedly
better; and as he had to take a journey that day, I thought he should
know it as soon as possible. But Emily----"

"Yes, dear boy?"

"I really did come to say something important." And instantly as he
spoke he felt what a tragical circumstance this was for some one else,
and that such would be Emily's first thought and view of it.

"What is it?" she exclaimed, now a little startled.

Valentine had turned rather pale. He tasted the bitter ingredients in
this cup of prosperity more plainly now; and he wished that letter was
at the bottom of the sea. "Why--why it is something you will be very
sorry for, too," he said, his voice faltering. "It's poor little Peter
Melcombe."

"Oh!" exclaimed Emily, with an awestruck shudder. "There! I said so."

"WHAT did you say?" cried Valentine, so much struck by her words that he
recovered his self-possession instantly.

"Poor, poor woman," she went on, the ready tears falling on her cheeks;
"and he was her only child!"

"But what do you mean, Emily?" continued Valentine, startled and
suspicious. "_What_ did you say?"

"Oh!" she