and sister
returned, and Mr. Ferrers asked her playfully if she meant to take a
nap, or whether they should stay and talk to her.

"Oh, I would rather talk, please," with a wistful look at Margaret,
who had taken up her work, and placed herself near the window. She
wished she would not go so far away; but perhaps she wanted more
light. But Mr. Ferrers had taken possession of the arm-chair again and
seemed quite at her service, so Fay began chatting to him in her usual
fashion.

"I have always admired this old house so," she said, brightly; "but I
was afraid I should never see the inside, because--" but here she
hesitated and hurried on. "Redmond Hall is grander and larger of
course, but this seems more homelike. I liked the hall so when the
door opened, and Erle carried me in. It seemed like church, with that
great painted window so still and solemn, and full of scented
darkness."

Margaret listened silently, but her brother answered rather sadly,

"It is always full of scented darkness to me, Lady Redmond, and a
darkness that may be felt; but of course I know what you mean, for the
whole house is full of the perfume of Margaret's flowers. Sometimes
our friends declare that they can smell them half-way down the road,
but that is nonsense. Still flowers are my sister's hobby; she can not
live without having them about her."

"A very harmless hobby, Raby!"

"Oh, it is a pretty fancy enough," he answered, smiling. "If you could
walk, Lady Redmond, Margaret would show you our winter garden; the
gallery upstairs is a perfect conservatory, and we walk up and down
there on wet days, and call it our in-door garden."

"What a nice idea, and you live together in this dear old house; how
delightful!"

Raby's smile grew perceptibly sadder.

"We were not always alone. What is it Longfellow says?

"'There is no fireside, howsoe'er defended,
But has one vacant chair.'

But, as you say, we live together, the old bachelor and old maiden
brother and sister."

"Miss Ferrers is not an old maid," returned Fay, indignantly, on whom
Margaret's stately presence had made a deep impression. "You ought not
to speak so of your sister."

"Do you like the name of unappropriated blessing better, as I heard an
unmarried lady called once?" he asked, in an amused voice; "but, no,
that would not be true in Margaret's case, for her brother has
appropriated her."

A gentle smile passed over Margaret's face. "I shall be here as long