t
heartily for that lesson.'

'I do not know what you mean,' I faltered; but I felt a singular pleasure
at these words. 'I have done nothing. It is you that have been good to
me.'

'Pshaw!' impatiently. 'I thought you more sensible than to say that. Now,
I want you,' his voice softening again, 'to try and think better of me;
not to judge by appearances, or to take other people's judgments, but to
be as true and charitable to me as you are to others. Promise me this
before you go, Miss Garston.'

I do not know why the tears started to my eyes. I could hardly answer
him.

'Will you try to do this?' he persisted, stooping over me.

'Yes,' was my scarcely audible answer, but he was satisfied with that
monosyllable. He walked away after that, and joined Lady Betty. Miss
Darrell had not moved; she still lay back on the cushions, and I thought
her face looked drawn and old. When I spoke to her, for it was getting
late, she roused herself with difficulty.

'My head is very bad, and I shall have to go to bed, after all,' she
said, giving me her hand. 'I am afraid your beautiful singing has been
thrown away on me, for I was half asleep. I thought I heard you and Giles
talking by the piano, but I was not sure.'

Mr. Hamilton walked home with me. He had resumed his usual manner; he
told me he had had a letter that day that would oblige him to go to
Edinburgh for a week or so.

'I think I shall take the night mail to-morrow evening, though it will
give me a busy day: so, after all, I shall not miss you, Miss Garston.'
And after a little more talk about the business that had summoned him,
we reached the White Cottage and he bade me good-bye.

'I hope you will have a pleasant holiday. Take care of yourself, for all
our sakes.' And with that he left me.

It was long before I slept that night. I felt confused and feverish, as
though I were on the brink of some discovery that would overwhelm and
alarm me. I could not understand myself or Mr. Hamilton. His words
presented an enigma. I felt troubled by them, and yet not unhappy.

Had Miss Darrell overheard him? I wondered. I felt, if she had done so,
her manner would have been different. She seemed jealous of her cousin,
and always monopolised his words and looks. He had never spoken to me a
dozen words in her presence that she had not tried to interrupt us. Had
she really been asleep? These doubts kept recurring to me. Just before
I fell asleep a remembrance of Leah's sullen