t been forgotten for one moment.

"Pshaw! What am I running on to? I'm all astray for want of her! My poor
girl--"

Mr Ernescliffe set out before sunrise. The boys were up to wish him
good-bye, and so were Etheldred and Mary, and some one else, for while
the shaking of hands was going on in the hall there was a call, "Mr
Ernthcliffe," and over the balusters peeped a little rough curly head, a
face glowing with carnation deepened by sleep, and a round, plump, bare
arm and shoulder, and down at Alan's feet there fell a construction of
white and pink paper, while a voice lisped out, "Mr Ernthcliffe, there's
a white rothe for you."

An indignant "Miss Blanche!" was heard behind and there was no certainty
that any thanks reached the poor little heroine, who was evidently borne
off summarily to the nursery, while Ethel gave way to a paroxysm of
suppressed laughter, joined in, more or less, by all the rest, and thus
Alan, promising faithfully to preserve the precious token, left Dr May's
door, not in so much outward sorrow as he had expected.

Even their father laughed at the romance of the white "rothe," and
declared Blanche was a dangerous young lady; but the story was less
successful with Miss Winter, who gravely said it was no wonder since
Blanche's elder sister had been setting her the example of forwardness
in coming down in this way after Mr. Ernescliffe. Ethel was very angry,
and was only prevented from vindicating herself by remembering there
was no peacemaker now, and that she had resolved only to think of Miss
Winter's late kindness, and bear with her tiresome ways.

Etheldred thought herself too sorrowful to be liable to her usual faults
which would seem so much worse now; but she found herself more irritable
than usual, and doubly heedless, because her mind was preoccupied. She
hated herself, and suffered more from sorrow than even at the first
moment, for now she felt what it was to have no one to tame her, no eye
over her; she found herself going a tort et a travers all the morning,
and with no one to set her right. Since it was so the first day, what
would follow?

Mary was on the contrary so far subdued, as to be exemplary in goodness
and diligence, and Blanche was always steady. Flora was too busy to
think of the school-room, for the whole house was on her hands, besides
the charge of Margaret, while Dr. May went to the hospital, and
to sundry patients, and they thought he seemed the better for the
occ