ut she could not. Dr. Cairnes too
was absent from Wiglands at this time; and Eleanor had to think and
wait all by herself. She had her Bible, it is true; but she did not
know how to consult it. She took care not to go near Mr. Rhys again;
though she was sorry to hear through Julia that he was not mending. She
wished herself a little girl, to have Julia's liberty; but she must do
without it. And what would Mr. Carlisle say to her thoughts? She must
not ask him. He could do nothing with them. She half feared, half
wished for his influence to overthrow them.

He came; but Eleanor did not find that he could remove the trouble, the
existence of which he did not suspect. His presence did not remove it.
In all her renewed engagements and gaieties, there remained a secret
core of discomfort in her heart, whatever she might be about.

They were taking tea one evening, half in and half out of the open
window, when Julia came up.

"Mr. Carlisle," said she, "I am going to pay you my forfeit." He had
caught her in some game of forfeits the day before. "I am going to give
you something you will like very much."

"What can it be, Julia?"

"You don't believe me. Now you do not deserve to have it. I am going to
give you something Eleanor said."

Eleanor's hand was on her lips immediately, and her voice forbade the
promised forfeit; but there were two words to that bargain. Mr.
Carlisle captured the hand and gave a counter order.

"Now you don't believe me, but you believe Eleanor," said the lawless
child. "She said,--she said it when you went away,--that she had not
thought of anything disagreeable in a long while!"

Mr. Carlisle looked delighted, as well he might. Eleanor's temples
flushed a painful scarlet.

"Dear me, how interesting these goings away and comings home are, I
suppose!" exclaimed Miss Broadus, coming up to the group. "I see! there
is no need to say anything. Mr. Carlisle, we are all rejoiced to see
you back at Wiglands. Or at the Lodge--for you do not honour Wiglands
much, except when I see you riding through it on that beautiful brown
horse of yours. The black and the brown; I never saw such a pair. And
you do ride! I should think you would be afraid that creature would
lose a more precious head than its own."

"I take better care than that, Miss Broadus."

"Well, I suppose you do; though for my part I cannot see how a person
on one horse can take care of a person on another horse; it is
something I do no