pathy, Harry thought, with the tall, bearded gentleman who had come
in with her.

It was evidently Harry's interest to be on good terms with the new
partner, and common politeness might have suggested the propriety of
some appearance of interest in him and his conversation. But he turned
his back upon the group by the fire, and devoted himself to the
entertainment of their young hostess who was by this time busy with her
tea-cups in another part of the room. There was some talk about the
weather and the voyage and sea-sickness, and in the first little pause
that came, the young lady looked up and said,--

"You don't live in the house opposite now, I think."

It was the first voluntary remark she had made, and thankful for a new
opening, Harry said,--

"No; my sisters were never quite contented there. We left it as soon as
possible; and we are quite at the other end of the town now."

"And is your little sister as fond of flowers as ever?"

"Rose? Oh, yes! She has a garden of her own now, and aspires to rival
the pansies and verbenas of Mr Stirling, even."

Miss Elphinstone smiled brightly.

"I remember the first time she came into the garden."

"Yes, that was a bright day in Rosie's life. She has the gowans you
gave her still. The garden was a great resource to her in those days."

"Yes; so she said. I was very glad. I never gathered gowans among the
hills at home, but I seemed to see that pretty shy face looking up at
me."

"Yes," said Harry, meditatively, "Rose was a very pretty child."

Mr Millar had drawn near by this time. Indeed, the other gentlemen
were listening too, and when Miss Elphinstone looked up it was to meet a
very wondering look from the new partner.

"By the by, Mr Elliott," said her father, breaking rather suddenly into
the conversation, "whom did your elder brother marry?"

"Marry!" repeated Charles.

"He is not married," said Harry.

"No? Well he is to be, I suppose. I saw him walking the other day with
a young lady. Indeed, I have often seen them together, and I thought--"

"It was my sister, I presume," said Harry.

"Perhaps so. She was rather tall, with a pale, grave face--but pretty--
quite beautiful indeed."

"It was Graeme, I daresay. I don't know whether other people think her
beautiful or not."

Harry did not say it, but he was thinking that his sister seemed
beautiful to them all at home, and his dark eyes took the tender look of
Graeme's own as he t