question of a chop.

"Cold meat,--that is just what I should like," replied Archie, with
excellent _sang-froid_. He detested that stock-dish of the Lowder
Street larder, ham and eggs. The eggs were dubious, he
considered,--not actually new-laid, but a little suggestive of lime.
"But there! you must not give me all your attention, mother," he
continued. "I have brought Mattie home, you see, and you have never
told her even how she looks."

"She looks very well," replied Mrs. Drummond. In spite of her anxiety
about Archie, she had been looking at her daughter more than once with
puzzled eyes. There was something different about her, she thought. It
was hardly like Mattie to come in so quietly among them all and take
her place beside her father. Mattie seldom did anything without a
fuss: it was her ordinary way to stand among them chattering as fast
as her tongue would go, until some one reminded her that it was time
for her to take off her hat and jacket or she would be late for tea.
But to-night Mattie had hardly opened her lips, except to answer her
father's questions about the journey. She had kissed her sisters very
quietly, and had asked after Isabel, and had then proposed of her own
accord to go upstairs.

"Clara, go up with your sister. No, not Laura; you will all get
chattering, and then we shall be kept waiting. Isabel is upstairs,
Archie: she has come in to sit with us this evening, as Ellis has to
go to a business dinner. He will call for her on his way."

"I am very glad she is here," returned Archie, "for I have to go back
by the early train to-morrow. Ah, there she is. Well, how are you,
Belle?" greeting her affectionately as she came up to him rather
shyly. Archie could hardly help smiling at the contrast between
Isabel's brilliant evening toilet and his other sister's brown stuff
dress. It was a little trying to his gravity to see her putting on
such pretty little airs of matronly dignity. Mrs. Ellis Burton was an
important person now; that was sufficiently obvious; the plump little
figure was most lavishly adorned. But the round childish face was
certainly very pretty; and, as every other sentence brought in
"Ellis," and as Ellis's opinion appeared always right in her eyes,
Archie deduced that his sister was satisfied with her choice.

"Oh, dear, Mattie! how droll it is to see you home again!" exclaimed
Susie, who was noted for making awkward speeches. "And how funny you
look beside Isabel!"

"We