is very wrong,' said Charlotte, looking frightened.'

'Wrong? Of course it is.'

'Philip won't do anything wrong. But how will they ever get on?'

'Don't you see? It must be our serious endeavour to keep the peace, and
prevent occasions of discord.'

'Do you think anything will happen?'

'It is much to be apprehended,' said Charles, solemnly.

At that moment the sound of wheels was heard, and Charlotte flew off to
her private post of observation, leaving her brother delighted at having
mystified her. She returned on tip-toe. 'Papa and Sir Guy are come, but
not Philip; I can't see him anywhere.'

'Ah you have not looked in Sir Guy's great-coat pocket.'

'I wish you would not plague me so! You are not in earnest?'

The pettish inquiring tone was exactly what delighted him. And he
continued to tease her in the same style till Laura and Amabel came
running in with their report of the stranger.

'He is come!' they cried, with one voice.

'Very gentlemanlike!' said Laura.

'Very pleasant looking,' said Amy. 'Such fine eyes!'

'And so much expression,' said Laura. 'Oh!'

The exclamation, and the start which accompanied it, were caused by
hearing her father's voice close to the door, which had been left partly
open. 'Here is poor Charles,' it said, 'come in, and see him; get over
the first introduction--eh, Guy?' And before he had finished, both he
and the guest were in the room, and Charlotte full of mischievous glee
at her sister's confusion.

'Well, Charlie, boy, how goes it?' was his father's greeting. 'Better,
eh? Sorry not to find you down-stairs; but I have brought Guy to
see you.' Then, as Charles sat up and shook hands with Sir Guy, he
continued--'A fine chance for you, as I was telling him, to have a
companion always at hand: a fine chance? eh, Charlie?'

'I am not so unreasonable as to expect any one to be always at hand,'
said Charles, smiling, as he looked up at the frank, open face, and
lustrous hazel eyes turned on him with compassion at the sight of
his crippled, helpless figure, and with a bright, cordial promise of
kindness.

As he spoke, a pattering sound approached, the door was pushed open,
and while Sir Guy exclaimed, 'O, Bustle! Bustle! I am very sorry,' there
suddenly appeared a large beautiful spaniel, with a long silky black and
white coat, jetty curled ears, tan spots above his intelligent eyes, and
tan legs, fringed with silken waves of hair, but crouching and looking
beseeching