hands,
that trembled a little, as they drew her towards the light.

"My boy's best friend!" said Mr. Ferrers; and Hilda thought that the
gentle blue eyes were even kinder than those fierce gray ones of the
Colonel's, now twinkling with tears, which he brushed away with furious
impatience.

"My boy's kind sister and helper! God bless you, my dear! I owe you a
great debt, which only love can repay. And now take me to your mother. I
have not seen her for many a long year."

Hildegarde hardly knew how they all got up-stairs, she was so flurried,
so joyfully shaken and melted and confused. But it was only a moment
before the tall man was bending over her mother's chair, taking her
hands in turn, and gazing at her wistfully, tenderly.

"Mildred Bond!" said Raymond Ferrers. "Am I fifty years old, or fifteen,
Mildred? Where are the years gone, my child? You are utterly unchanged."

But this was more than the Colonel could bear.

"Raymond, you are as great an ass as ever!" he cried, bringing down his
hand with formidable violence on the slender, stooping shoulder. "Jack,
what did I tell you? I said he was a mixture of angel and idiot. Look at
him! Hear him! and contradict me if you dare." And then, as his brother
turned and laid an arm round his shoulder, the Colonel fairly broke
down, and was heard to mutter behind his handkerchief that the world
consisted principally of a parcel of fools, and that he was the biggest
of them.

CHAPTER XI.

THE BOYS.

"MAMMINA!"

"Yes, Hilda!"

"Are you quite sure you will not mind my asking?"

"I am not at all sure! Suppose you try it, and find out."

"Well,--I don't believe you will really mind. But--was not Mr. Raymond
Ferrers--very fond of you, dear?"

Mrs. Grahame coloured like a girl.

"Yes, dear, he was. He was--I am afraid--very fond of me, Hilda. It was
years and years ago, of course; he was only a lad. But,--well, it
happened that we had never met since, you see; I think we were both a
little overcome, for I, too, was very fond of him, Hilda, though not in
the way he wished. Poor Raymond!"

"You--you couldn't care for him, dear?"

"My child! I had seen your father; how could I think of any one else?
But Raymond did not know that; and--and it was hard for him. I trust I
did not appear foolish, Hilda?"

She spoke anxiously, and Hilda laughed outright.

"Darling, you appeared like an angel, and were perfectly calm. I never
should have guessed it from you