d, though she
is not clever, she is so amiable that nothing ever puts her out; and
visiting the poor and sick-nursing are more in her line than in
Grace's. Mrs. Blair finds her invaluable. She wanted her for one of
her district visitors, and I said she had too much to do at home."

Archie shrugged his shoulders. Mrs. Blair was the wife of the vicar of
All Saints', where the Drummonds attended, and from a boy she had been
his pet aversion. She was a bustling, managing woman, and of course
Mattie was just to her taste. He did not see much use in continuing
the conversation; with all his affection for his mother,--and she was
better loved by her sons than by her daughters,--he knew her to be as
immovable as a rock when she had once made up her mind. He thought at
first of appealing to his father on Grace's behalf, but abandoned this
notion after a few minutes' reflection. His father was decided and
firm in all matters relating to business, but for many years past he
had abandoned the domestic reins to his wife's capable hands. Perhaps
he had proved her worth and prudence; perhaps he thought the
management of seven daughters too much for any man. Anyhow, he
interfered less and less as the years went on; and if at any time he
differed from his wife, she could always talk him over, as her son
well knew.

When the subject had been first mooted in the household, he had said a
word or two to his father, and had found him very reluctant to
entertain the idea of parting with Grace. She was his favorite
daughter, and he thought how he should miss her when he came home
weary and jaded at night.

"I don't think it will do at all," he had said, in an undecided
dissatisfied tone. "Won't one of the other girls serve your turn?
There's Mattie, or that little monkey Isabel, she is as pert and
lively as possible. But Grace; why, she is every one's right hand.
What would the mother or the young ones do without her?"

No; it was no use appealing to his father, Archie thought, and might
only make mischief in the house. He and Grace must make up their mind
to a few more years' separation. He turned away after his mother's
last speech, and finally left the room without saying another word.
There was a cloud on his face, and Mrs. Drummond saw that he was much
displeased; but, though she sighed again as she took up a pair of
Clyde's socks and inspected them carefully, there was no change in her
resolution that Mattie, and not Grace, should g