ith superior compassion.

"If he would only read our books, and enter into poetry and delight
in it; but it is all nonsense to him," said Ethel. "I can't think how
people can be so different; but, oh! here he comes. Ritchie, you should
not come upon us before we are aware."

"What? I should have heard no good of myself?"

"Great good," said Margaret--"she was telling me you would make a
neat-handed woman of her in time."

"I don't see why she should not be as neat as other people," said
Richard gravely. "Has she been telling you our plan?"

And it was again happily discussed; Ethel, satisfied by finding him
fully set upon the design, and Margaret giving cordial sympathy and
counsel. When Ethel was called away, Margaret said, "I am so glad you
have taken it up, not only for the sake of Cocksmoor, but of Ethel. It
is good for her not to spend her high soul in dreams."

"I am afraid she does not know what she undertakes," said Richard.

"She does not; but you will keep her from being turned back. It is just
the thing to prevent her energies from running to waste, and her being
so much with you, and working under you, is exactly what one would have
chosen."

"By contraries!" said Richard, smiling. "That is what I was afraid of. I
don't half understand or follow her, and when I think a thing nonsense,
I see you all calling it very fine, and I don't know what to make of
it--"

"You are making yourself out more dull than you are," said Margaret
affectionately.

"I know I am stupid, and seem tame and cold," said Richard, "and you
are the only one that does not care about it. That is what makes me wish
Norman was the eldest. If I were as clever as he, I could do so much
with Ethel, and be so much more to papa."

"No, you would not. You would have other things in your head. You would
not be the dear, dear old Ritchie that you are. You would not be a calm,
cautious, steady balance to the quicksilver heads some of us have got.
No, no, Norman's a very fine fellow, a very dear fellow, but he would
not do half so well for our eldest--he is too easily up, and down
again."

"And I am getting into my old way of repining," said Richard. "I don't
mind so much, since my father has at least one son to be proud of, and I
can be of some use to him now."

"Of the greatest, and to all of us. I am so glad you can stay after
Christmas, and papa was pleased at your offering, and said he could not
spare you at all, though he would h