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thoughts　seemed　chiefly　occupied　with　her　father。　　She　made　Richard
explain　to　her　the　injury　he　had　suffered；　and　begged　to　know　whether
his　constant　attendance　on　her　could　do　him　harm。　　She　was　much
rejoiced　when　her　brother　assured　her　that　nothing　could　be　better
for　him；　and　she　began　to　say；　with　a　smile；　that　very　likely　her
being　hurt　had　been　fortunate。　　She　asked　who　had　taken　care　of　him
before　Richard's　arrival；　and　was　pleased　to　hear　that　it　was　Mr。
Ernescliffe。　　A　visit　from　the　little　Gertrude　Margaret　was　happily
accomplished；　and；　on　the　whole；　the　day　was　most　satisfactoryshe
herself　declaring　that　she　could　not　see　that　there　was　anything　the
matter　with　her；　except　that　she　felt　lazy；　and　did　not　seem　able　to
move。

Thus　the　next　Sunday　morning　dawned　with　more　cheerfulness。　Dr。　May
came　downstairs　for　the　first　time；　in　order　to　go　to　church　with　his
whole　flock；　except　the　two　Margarets。　　He　looked　very　wan　and
shattered；　but　they　clustered　gladly　round　him；　when　he　once　more
stood　among　them；　little　Blanche　securing　his　hand；　and　nodding
triumphantly　to　Mr。　Ernescliffe；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃Now　I　have　him；
I　don't　want　you。〃

Norman　alone　was　missing；　but　he　was　in　his　place　at　church　among　the
boys。　　Again；　in　returning；　he　slipped　out　of　the　party；　and　was　at
home　the　first；　and　when　this　recurred　in　the　afternoon　Ethel　began
to　understand　his　motive。　　The　High　Street　led　past　the　spot　where
the　accident　had　taken　place；　though　neither　she　nor　any　of　the
others　knew　exactly　where　it　was；　except　Norman；　on　whose　mind　the
scene　was　branded　indelibly；　she　guessed　that　it　was　to　avoid　it　that
he　went　along　what　was　called　Randall's　Alley；　his　usual　short　cut　to
school。

The　Sunday　brought　back　to　the　children　that　there　was　no　one　to　hear
their　hymns；　but　Richard　was　a　great　comfort；　watching　over　the
little　ones　more　like　a　sister　than　a　brother。　　Ethel　was　ashamed　of
herself　when　she　saw　him　taking　thought　for　them；　tying　Blanche's
bonnet；　putting　Aubrey's　gloves　on；　teaching　them　to　put　away　their
Sunday　toys；　as　if　he　meant　them　to　be　as　neat　and　precise　as
himself。

Dr。　May　did　not　encounter　the　family　dinner；　nor　attempt　a　second
going　to　church；　but　Blanche　was　very　glorious　as　she　led　him　down　to
drink　tea；　and；　before　going　up　again；　he　had　a　conversation　with
Alan　Ernescliffe；　who　felt　himself　obliged　to　leave　Stoneborough
early　on　the　morrow。

〃I　can　endure　better　to　go　now；〃　said　he；　〃and　I　shall　hear　of　you
often；　Hector　will　let　me　know；　and　Richard　has　promised　to　write。〃

〃Ay；　you　must　let　us　often　have　a　line。　　I　should　guess　you　were　a
letter…writing　man。〃

〃I　have　hitherto　had　too　few　friends　who　cared　to　hear　of　me　to　write
much；　but　the　pleasure　of　knowing　that　any　interest　is　taken　in　me
here〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃mind　that　a　letter　will　always　be　welcome；
and　when　you　are　coming　southwards；　here　are　your　old　quarters。　　We
cannot　lose　sight　of　you　anyway；　especially〃and　his　voice　quivered…
…〃after　the　help　you　gave　my　poor　boys　and　girls　in　their　distress。〃

〃It　would　be　the　utmost　satisfaction　to　think　I　had　been　of　the
smallest　use；〃　said　Alan；　hiding　much　under　these　commonplace　words。

〃More　than　I　know；〃　said　Dr。　May；　〃too　much　to　speak　of。　　Well；　we
shall　see　you　again；　though　it　is　a　changed　place；　and　you　must　come
and　see　your　god…daughterpoor　childmay　she　only　be　brought　up　as
her　sisters　were！　　They　will　do　their　best；　poor　things；　and　so　must
I；　but　it　is　sad　work！〃

Both　were　too　much　overcome　for　words；　but　the　doctor　was　the　first
to　continue；　as　he　took　off　his　dimmed　spectacles。　　He　seemed　to　wish
to　excuse　himself　for　giving　way；　saying；　with　a　look　that　would　fain
have　been　a　smile；　〃The　world　has　run　so　light　and　easy　with　me
hitherto；　that　you　see　I　don't　know　how　to　bear　with　trouble。　　All
thinking　and　managing　fell　to　my　Maggie's　share；　and　I　had　as　little
care　on　my　hands　as　one　of　my　own　boyspoor　fellows。　　I　don't　know
how　it　is　to　turn　out；　but　of　all　the　men　on　earth　to　be　left　with
eleven　children；　I　should　choose　myself　as　the　worst。〃

Alan　tried　to　say　somewhat　of　〃Confidenceaffectiondaughters；〃　and
broke　down；　but　it　did　as　well　as　if　it　had　been　connected。

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃they　are　good　children　every　one　of
them。　　There's　much　to　be　thankful　for；　if　one　could　only　pluck　up
heart　to　feel　it。〃

〃And　you　are　convinced　that　Margathat　Miss　May　is　recovering。〃

〃She　has　made　a　great　advance　today。　　The　head　is　right；　at　least；〃
but　the　doctor　looked　anxious　and　spoke　low　as　he　said；　〃I　am　not
satisfied　about　her　yet。　　That　want　of　power　over　the　limbs；　is　more
than　the　mere　shock　and　debility；　as　it　seems　to　me；　though　Ward
thinks　otherwise；　and　I　trust　he　is　right；　but　I　cannot　tell　yet　as
to　the　spine。　　If　this　should　not　soon　mend　I　shall　have　Fleet　to　see
her。　　He　was　a　fellow…student　of　mine　very　clever；　and　I　have　more
faith　in　him　than　in　any　one　else　in　that　line。〃

〃By　all　means　Yes；〃　said　Alan；　excessively　shocked。　　〃But　you　will
let　me　know　how　she　goes　onRichard　will　be　so　kind。〃

〃We　will　not　fail；〃　said　Dr　May　more　and　more　touched　at　the　sight　of
the　young　sailor　struggling　in　vain　to　restrain　his　emotion；　〃you
shall　hear。　　I'll　write　myself　as　soon　as　I　can　use　my　hand；　but　I
hope　she　may　be　all　right　long　before　that　is　likely　to　be。〃

〃Your　kindness〃　Alan　attempted　to　say；　but　began　again。　　〃Feeling
as　I　must〃　then　interrupting　himself。　　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　'tis　no
fit　time；　nor　fit　But　you'll　let　me　hear。〃

〃That　I　will；〃　said　Dr　May；　and　as　Alan　hastily　left　the　room；　he
continued；　half　aloud；　to　himself；　〃Poor　boy！　poor　fellow。　　　I　see。
No　wonder！　　Heaven　grant　I　have　not　been　the　breaking　of　their　two
young　hearts；　as　well　as　my　own！　　Maggie　looked　doubtfulas　much　as
she　ever　did　when　my　mind　was　set　on　a　thing；　when　I　spoke　of
bringing　him　here。　　But　after　all；　she　liked　him　as　much　as　the　rest
of　us　didshe　could　not　wish　it　otherwisehe　is　one　of　a　thousand；
and　worthy　of　our　Margaret。　　That　he　is！　and　Maggie　thinks　so。　　If　he
gets　on　in　his　profession；　why　then　we　shall　see〃　but　the　sigh　of
anguish　of　mind　here　showed　that　the　wound　had　but　been　forgotten　for
one　moment。

〃Pshaw！　　What　am　I　running　on　to？　　I'm　all　astray　for　want　of　her！
My　poor　girl〃

Mr　Ernescliffe　set　out　before　sunrise。　　The　boys　were　up　to　wish　him
good…bye；　and　so　were　Etheldred　and　Mary；　and　some　one　else；　for
while　the　shaking　of　hands　was　going　on　in　the　hall　there　was　a　call；
〃Mr　Ernthcliffe；〃　and　over　the　balusters　peeped　a　little　rough　curly
head；　a　face　glowing　with　carnation　deepened　by　sleep；　and　a　round；
plump；　bare　arm　and　shoulder；　and　down　at　Alan's　feet　there　fell　a
construction　of　white　and　pink　paper；　while　a　voice　lisped　out；　〃Mr
Ernthcliffe；　there's　a　white　rothe　for　you。〃

An　indignant　〃Miss　Blanche！〃　was　heard　behind　and　there　was　no
certainty　that　any　thanks　reached　the　poor　little　heroine；　who　was
evidently　borne　off　summarily　to　the　nursery；　while　Ethel　gave　way　to
a　paroxysm　of　suppressed　laughter；　joined　in；　more　or　less；　by　all
the　rest；　and　thus　Alan；　promising　faithfully　to　preserve　the
precious　token；　left　Dr　May's　door；　not　in　so　much　outward　sorrow　as
he　had　expected。

Even　their　father　laughed　at　the　romance　of　the　white　〃rothe；〃　and
declared　Blanche　was　a　dangerous　young　lady；　but　the　story　was　less
successful　with　Miss　Winter；　who　gravely　said　it　was　no　wonder　since
Blanche's　elder　sister　had　been　setting　her　the　example　of
forwardness　in　coming　down　in　this　way　after　Mr。　Ernescliffe。　　Ethel
was　very　angry；　and　was　only　prevented　from　vindicating　herself　by
remembering　there　was　no　peacemaker　now；　and　that　she　had　resolved
only　to　think　of　Miss　Winter's　late　kindness；　and　bear　with　her
tiresome　ways。

Etheldred　thought　herself　too　sorrowful　to　be　liable　to　her　usual
faults　which　would　seem　so　much　worse　now；　but　she　found　herself　more
irritable　than　usual；　and　doubly　heedless；　because　her　mind　was
preoccupied。　　She　hated　herself；　and　suffered　more　from　sorrow　than
even　at　the　first　moment；　for　now　she　felt　what　it　was　to　have　no　one
to　tame　her；　no　eye　over　her；　she　found　herself　going　a　tort　et　a
travers　all　the　morning；　and　with　no　one　to　set　her　right。　　Since　it
was　so　the　first　day；　what　would　follow？

Mary　was　on　the　contrary　so　far　subdued；　as　to　be　exemplary　in
goodness　and　diligence；　and　Blanche　was　always　steady。　　Flora　was　too
busy　to　think　of　the　school…room；　for　the　whole　house　was　on　her
hands；　besides　the　charge　of　Margaret；　while　Dr。　May　went　to　the
hospital；　and　to　sundry　patients；　and　they　thought　he　seemed　the
better　for　the　occupation；　as　well　as　gratified　and　affected　by　the
sympathy　he　everywhere　met　with　from　high　and　low。

The　boys　were　at　school；　unseen　except　when　at　the　dinner　play…hour
Norman　ran　home　to　ask　after　his　father　and　sister；　but　the　most
trying　time　was　at　eight　in　the　evening；　when　they　came　home。　　That
was　wont　to　be　the　merriest　part　of　the　whole　day；　the　whole　family
collected；　papa　at　leisure　and　ready　for　talk　or　for　play；　mamma
smiling　over　her　work…basket；　the　sisters　full　of　chatter；　the
brothers　full