and disappointed, and that made her head
ache, and the headache sent down her spirits again, and eclipsed the
brightness of the morning. If Aunt Margaret refused to call, she could
not make the acquaintance of the fair unknown, and it would be a
tantalising experience to see her every day, and, yet be as far removed
from friendship as if they lived a dozen miles apart!

During the weeks which followed, nurse and patient kept a close watch on
the little house over the road, and were rewarded by witnessing several
interesting domestic scenes.

On Saturday afternoon, for instance, Edwin came home early to show
himself in his turn. He was tall, dark, and handsome; dressed in the
height of the fashion, and bore himself with such an air of complacency
and benign patronage towards his fellows, that he looked far more like a
prince of the blood than an ordinary city man. He carried a little
bunch of flowers in his hand, and whistled as he drew near the gate in
orthodox, newly-married fashion, and the pretty girl flew to the door,
and nodded her head at him in happy welcome. He bent down to kiss her,
and she took the flowers and sniffed at them lovingly; then they walked
together down the little path to examine the growth of some sooty
chrysanthemums and three struggling creepers placed against the house.

Edwin shook his head after the inspection, as though it had been far
from promising, and then, instead of looking disappointed, they both
laughed, turned round and round to look over their twelve-yard domain,
and laughed again as if it were the best joke in the world. Then
Angelina said something in a low aside, whereupon Edwin strolled to the
gate, and in the most casual manner looked up the road and down the
road, and then straight across at the window where the invalid lay!

"She told him to look!" cried Sylvia breathlessly, and her pale cheeks
flushed until they were almost as red as the dressing-jacket itself.
"He is very handsome, Whitey. I don't dislike him as much as I
expected. Oh dear, they look disgustingly happy! I am sure they don't
want me a bit, and I want them dreadfully. He doesn't seem the sort of
man to coin false money, does he? Do please casually remark to Aunt
Margaret how very nice and distinguished they look! It's my one object
in life at present to make her call upon them."

The next day the situation developed still further, for a form was seen
seated at a window, who must, of course, b