group before him. On a large ottoman sat Isabel, with
Amy on her knee, one arm encircling Alice, who was standing thoughtfully
by her side, her head resting on Isabel's shoulder, while behind was
Rose, half smiles, half tears.

"Oh, Everard!" cried Amy, "I won't say again that I hope Isabel will not
go with you. But she says that it is not naughty to be sorry. You are
not angry with me now?" she inquired, looking wistfully into his face.

"No, my little Amy," he replied, smoothing the glossy curls, as he
stooped as if to kiss her, but he didn't kiss Amy.

CHAPTER XXXI.

Mrs. Arlington was not one to do things by halves, so that when she
welcomed Isabel, on her return, it was no longer as "the governess," but
as her future daughter-in-law--as the bride-elect of her darling
son--indeed as one of them, the Arlingtons. She was glad, as he was so
determined upon being a missionary, that he was to marry before he went,
but she would rather--far rather--that he should have chosen any other
than "the governess," though she had nothing against Isabel--nothing.
Still it was a trial to the haughty mother that her only son--the hope
and pride of the family--should marry a governess. She knew that many
would say she had been imprudent in having so young and pretty a
governess, knowing how fond Everard was of the society of his young
sisters. And, indeed, she did feel she had been wrong when she got
Everard's letter announcing the engagement, and it was some little time
before she could be at all satisfied with the matter. Grace was
excessively annoyed, and, by her anger, tended greatly to stimulate her
mother's displeasure, saying that it was quite a disgrace to the family,
and that she would never receive Isabel as a sister. Fortunately her
consent was never likely to be asked, as her easy-going brother, the pet
of the house, had a pretty determined will, and her opinion would
certainly not influence him in the matter. Indeed, now that he had
Isabel's consent, he would have married her even though opposed by any
number of relations; and it was with no thought of obtaining their ideas
on the subject that he had written, but simply to inform them of the
fact, little suspecting the commotion it would cause at Elm Grove.

However, the course he pursued had the effect of reconciling his mother
to the match, and it was well that it was so, or Isabel would have met
with a sorry reception on her arrival.

Very quickly after