hat he repents of his harshness to the
poor boy. He told the colonel once that he wished he had tried milder
treatment.'

'One can understand Mr. Hamilton's feelings so well. You are right, Mrs.
Maberley: he is much to be pitied.'

'Yes, and, to make matters worse, Gladys was very ill, and refused to see
or speak to him in her illness. I believe the breach is healed between
them now; but she is not all that a sister ought to be to him.'

'Perhaps Miss Darrell usurps her place,' I replied a little incautiously,
but I saw my mistake at once. Mrs. Maberley was evidently a devout
believer in Miss Darrell's merits.

'Oh, my dear, you must not say such things. Mr. Hamilton has told me over
and over again that he does not know how he would have got through that
miserable time but for his cousin Etta's kindness. She did everything for
him, and nursed Gladys in her illness. I am sure she would have died but
for Etta. Dear me! Flossie looks restless. I do believe she hears her
master's step outside.--Yes, Flossie, that is his knock.--But I wonder
whom he is bringing in with him.' And Mrs. Maberley straightened herself
and smoothed the folds of her satin gown, and tried to look as usual,
though there were tears in her bright eyes and her hands were a little
tremulous. I do not know why I felt so sure that it would be Mr.
Hamilton, but I was not at all surprised when he followed the tall old
colonel into the room. But he certainly looked astonished when he saw me.

'Miss Garston!' he ejaculated, darting one of his keen looks at me. But
when he had shaken hands he sat down by Mrs. Maberley somewhat silently.

I was rather sorry to see Mr. Hamilton, for our talk had unsettled me
and made me feel nervous in his presence. I was afraid he would read
something from our faces. And I certainly saw him look at me more than
once, as though something had aroused his suspicion. For the first time
I was unwilling to encounter one of those straight glances. I felt
guilty, as though I must avoid his eyes, but all the more I felt he
was watching me.

I was anxious to put a stop to this uncomfortable state of things, but
I could not silence Mrs. Maberley, who was relating to her husband the
story of poor Flossie's accident. My presence of mind and skill were so
much lauded, and the colonel said so many civil things, that I felt
myself getting hotter every moment.

Mr. Hamilton came at last to my relief.

'I think Miss Garston resembles me