ve, as Nan once observed, thinking of Dick; and the
evening's sunshine was stealing in, but not too obtrusively. Mrs.
Challoner tried not to think it dull, and endeavored to say a word of
praise at the arrangements Dulce pointed out to her; but the thought
of Glen Cottage, and her pretty drawing-room, and the veranda with its
climbing roses, and the shady lawn with the seat under the
acacia-trees, almost overpowered her. That they should come to this!
That they should be sitting in this mean little parlor, where there
was hardly room to move, looking out at the little strip of grass, and
the medlar-tree, and the empty greenhouse! Nan saw her mother's lip
quiver, and adroitly turned the subject to their neighbors. She had so
much to say about Mr. Drummond and his sister that Mrs. Challoner grew
quite interested; nevertheless, it was a surprise even to Nan when
Dorothy presently opened the door, and Mr. Drummond coolly walked in
with a magnificent basket of roses in his hand.

Nan gravely introduced him to her mother, and the young man accosted
her; but there was a little surprise on his face. He had taken it into
his head that Mrs. Challoner would be a far older-looking and more
homely person; but the stately-looking woman before him might have
been an older and faded edition of Nan. Somehow, her appearance
confused him; and he commenced with an apology for his intrusion:

"I ought not to have been so unceremonious. I am afraid, as you have
just arrived, my visit will seem an intrusion; but my sister thought
you would like some of our roses,"--he had obliged poor Mattie to say
so,--"and, as we had cut some fine ones, we thought you ought to have
them while they are fresh."

"Thank you; this is very kind and neighborly," returned Mrs.
Challoner; but, though her tone was perfectly civil, Nan thought her
manner a little cold, and hastened to interpose with a few glowing
words of admiration.

"The roses were lovely; they were finer than those at Longmead, or
even at Fitzroy Lodge, though Lady Fitzroy prided herself on her
roses." Archie pricked up his ears at this latter name, which escaped
quite involuntarily from Nan. "And was it not good of Miss Drummond to
spare them so many, and of Mr. Drummond to carry them?" all of which
Nan said with a sweet graciousness that healed the young man's
embarrassment in a moment.

"Yes, indeed!" echoed Mrs. Challoner, obedient, as usual, to her
daughter's lead. "And you must thank y