y's writing.'

'It must wait, unless your curiosity will carry you out in search of
papa,' said Charles; 'he is somewhere about, zealously supplying the
place of Jenkins.'

'Really, Philip,' said Laura, 'there is no telling how much good you
have done him by convincing him of Jenkins' dishonesty. To say nothing
of the benefit of being no longer cheated, the pleasure of having to
overlook the farming is untold.'

Philip smiled, and came to the table where she was drawing. 'Do you know
this place?' said she, looking up in his face.

'Stylehurst itself! What is it taken from?'

'From this pencil sketch of your sister's, which I found in mamma's
scrap book.'

'You are making it very like, only the spire is too slender, and that
tree--can't you alter the foliage?--it is an ash.'

'Is it? I took it for an elm.'

'And surely those trees in the foreground should be greener, to throw
back the middle distance. That is the peak of South Moor exactly, if it
looked further off.'

She began the alterations, while Philip stood watching her progress,
a shade of melancholy gathering on his face. Suddenly, a voice called
'Laura! Are you there? Open the door, and you will see.'

On Philip's opening it, in came a tall camellia; the laughing face,
and light, shining curls of the bearer peeping through the dark green
leaves.

'Thank you! Oh, is it you, Philip? Oh, don't take it. I must bring my
own camellia to show Charlie.'

'You make the most of that one flower,' said Charles.

'Only see how many buds!' and she placed it by his sofa. Is it not a
perfect blossom, so pure a white, and so regular! And I am so proud of
having beaten mamma and all the gardeners, for not another will be out
this fortnight; and this is to go to the horticultural show. Sam would
hardly trust me to bring it in, though it was my nursing, not his.'

'Now, Amy,' said Philip, when the flower had been duly admired, 'you
must let me put it into the window, for you. It is too heavy for you.'

'Oh, take care,' cried Amabel, but too late; for, as he took it from
her, the solitary flower struck against Charles's little table, and was
broken off.

'O Amy, I am very sorry. What a pity! How did it happen?'

'Never mind,' she answered; 'it will last a long time in water.'

'It was very unlucky--I am very sorry--especially because of the
horticultural show.'

'Make all your apologies to Sam,' said Amy, 'his feelings will be more
hurt than mine. I dare say