e was very kind to Jessie
too,--so kind that she quite forgave Cecil from henceforth for thinking
Percy's notice a very grand sort of thing; it seemed as if he almost
included _her_ in the new respect he had begun to have for his younger
brother. And then, Cecil! Cecil was so entirely delightful on this
occasion, that she wondered how, even for a moment, she could have
thought him anything but the most perfect of all possible brothers. From
the noble way in which he dispensed the tart, only leaving himself a
very small piece, though she _knew_ he liked it better than anything,
down to the good-nature with which he gave his last bit of cheese to the
lame old setter, that had limped down to see after them, everything in
his behaviour was just according to her own heart, and totally unlike
the selfish greediness of what she called 'common schoolboys.' And then,
when, instead of going back to his fishing directly after dinner, he
asked her to walk with him as far as the bridge and watch the trout
leap, she was the very happiest and proudest of little sisters. If it
had not been for what her father had said, she would have lingered near
him the whole afternoon; but as it was, she came away quite contentedly
after she had watched his angling for a minute or two, and really felt
how nice it was that Percy and he should have become such allies,--how
much pleasanter for him than having only her for a companion. Percy's
vacation would be over before his, and then her time would come perhaps;
anyhow, she was much too sure of Cecil's love to have any excuse for
jealousy in seeing him taken up with others. He had opened his heart to
her when he was in trouble, she should never forget that. Oh! how dear
this had made him to her, both 'for then and for always!'

No after-trial worth recording shadowed Cecil's boyhood; and now he is a
man--just such a man as Jessie longed to see him. He very seldom thinks
of the incidents here related, but yet the lesson he learnt in that
memorable week is still bearing fruit in his life; and when any trial
comes to him, he does not say it is 'very hard,' but takes it as a new
proof of the fatherly love that watches over him, and, in dark seasons
as well as bright ones, is ready to sing with the psalmist, 'Every day
will I give thanks unto Thee, and praise Thy name for ever and ever.'

* * * * *

Transcriber's Notes:

Obvious punctuation errors repaired.

The origina