ntly, whereupon Arthur suddenly discovered that it
was time to dress for dinner, and hurried her upstairs to her own room.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

On the night of Peggy's arrival in London, Eunice voluntarily made
several remarks at the dinner-table; at breakfast next morning she took
a distinct part in the conversation, and at lunch, meeting the roll of
Peggy's eyes, she laughed aloud, nor seemed the least alarmed at the
unexpected sound. Some one else was startled, however, and that was no
less a person than her father himself, who stared over his spectacles
with an expression which Peggy found it difficult to understand, for it
was both grave and glad, troubled and gratified. She wondered if he
approved of this unusual liveliness on the part of his quiet daughter,
but her doubts were put to rest before many hours were over. She had
dressed early for the garden-party to which she was invited in the
afternoon, and was wandering up and down the drawing-room, coaxing on
her gloves, and examining the different pictures and photographs on the
walls, when Mr Rollo entered the room, and stood regarding her
earnestly.

"I want to thank you, Miss Saville," he began at once, "for the good you
have done my daughter. You have been with us only a few hours, but
already I can trace a most happy effect. I have not seen her so bright
and happy for many a long day. It has often pressed on my mind that the
child suffered for the want of a companion of her own age, but it was
difficult to find a remedy. Now, if by chance you were one of half-a-
dozen daughters, we might have borrowed you from your parents, and kept
you with us most of the year, but as it is, you are a ewe lamb, and I
suppose no possible bribe--"

"Oh no! my price is above rubies!" cried Peggy, laughing; "but, Mr
Rollo, I shall be delighted to visit Eunice from time to time, and I
want her to come to me in return. I think we are going to be friends; I
hope so, at least, for I have taken a desperate fancy to her, and I am
rarely attracted by strangers!"

"She is a dear child, a good, unselfish child; but, alas, she has never
been young! She needs rousing, and I think," said Mr Rollo, smiling,
"I think you are the person to rouse her! I hope that you will see a
great deal of each other in the future, in which case I shall owe a
still larger debt of gratitude to your family than I do at present. I
realise my good fortune every day in having your brother's se