"It is just three years to-night since we came to M. Did you remember
it, Arthur?" said Graeme, looking up from her work.
"Is it possible that it can be three years?" said Arthur, in surprise.
"It has been a very happy time," said Graeme.
Rose left her book, and came and seated herself on the arm of her
brother's chair. Arthur took the cigar from his lips, and gently puffed
the smoke into his sister's face. Rose did not heed it.
"Three years!" repeated she. "I was quite a child then."
The others laughed, but Rose went on without heeding.
"It rained that night, and then we had a great many hot, dusty days.
How well I remember the time! Graeme was ill and homesick, and we
wished so much for Janet."
"That was only at first, till you proved yourself such a wonderful nurse
and housekeeper," said Graeme; "and you were not at all homesick
yourself, I suppose?"
"Perhaps just a little at first, in those hot, dreary days," said Rose,
gravely; "but I was not homesick very long."
"I am afraid there were a good many dreary days about that time--more
than you let me know about," said Arthur.
Graeme smiled and shook her head.
"I am afraid you had a good many anxious days about that time. If I had
known how hard you would have to work, I think I would have stayed in
Merleville after all."
"Pooh! Nonsense! Hard work is wholesome. And at the very worst time,
what with one thing and another, we had a larger income than my father
had in Merleville."
"But that was quite different--"
"Did I tell you that I have got a new client? I have done business for
Mr Stone before, but to-day it was intimated to me, that henceforth I
am to be the legal adviser of the prosperous firm of `Grove & Stone.'
It will add something to our income, little woman."
Rose clapped her hands, and stooping down, whispered something in her
brother's ear.
"Don't be planning any extravagance, you two, on the strength of `Grove
& Stone.' You know any superfluous wealth we may have, is already
appropriated," said Graeme.
"To the Merleville visit. But this is not at all an extravagance, is
it, Arthur?" said Rose.
"That depends--. I am afraid Graeme is the best judge. But we won't
tell her to-night. We must break the matter to her gently," said
Arthur.
"Graeme is so dreadfully prudent," sighed Rose.
Graeme laughed.
"It is well there is one prudent one among us."
"I don't believe she would at all approve of your smoking another cigar,
for instance. They are nicer than usual, are they not?" said Rose,
inhaling the fragrance from her brother's case.
"Yes. I treated myself to a few of the very best, on the strength of
Grove & Stone. They are very nice. Have one?"
Rose took it with great gravity.
"Suppose we take a little walk first, and smoke afterwards," said she,
coaxingly.
Arthur made a grimace.
"And where will you beguile me to, when you get me fairly out?"
"There is no telling, indeed," said Rose. "Graeme, I am going to put on
my new hat. When Mr Elliott honours us with his company, we must look
our very best, you know."
"But, Arthur, you have an engagement to-night. Don't you remember?"
asked Graeme.
"To Mrs Barnes'," said Rose. "Miss Cressly brought home my dress
to-day, and she told me all about it. Her sister is nurse there. The
party is to be quite a splendid affair. It is given in honour of Miss
Grove, who has just come home. I wish I were going with you."
"You may go without me! I will give you my invitation. It is a great
bore, and I don't believe I shall go. I don't see the good of it."
"But you promised," said Graeme.
"Well, I suppose I must go for a while. But it is very stupid."
"Just as if you could make us believe that. It must be delightful. I
think it's very stupid of you and Graeme, not to like parties."
"You forget. I was not asked," said Graeme.
"But you might have been, if you had returned Mrs Barnes' call soon
enough. How nice it would have been! I wish I were Miss Grove, to have
a party given for me. She is a beauty, they say. You must notice her
dress, Arthur, and tell me all about it."
"Oh! certainly," said Arthur, gravely. "I'll take particular notice.
But come, get your hats. There is time enough for a walk before I go.
Haste, Rosie, before the finest of the evening is past. Are you coming,
Will? Man! you shouldna read by that light. You will blind yourself.
Put away your book, you'll be all the better for a walk."
They lingered a moment at the gate.
"Here is Harry!" exclaimed Rose. "And some one with him. Charlie
Millar, I think."
"We will wait for them," said Arthur.
The look that came to Graeme's face, as she stood watching her brother's
coming, told that the shadow of a new care was brooding over her, and
the light talk of her brother and sister told that it was one they did
not see. She stood back a little, while they exchanged greetings, and
looked at Harry with anxious eyes.
"Are you going out, Graeme?" asked he, coming within the gate.
"Only to walk. Will you go with us? Or shall I stay?"
"Miss Elliott," interposed Charlie Millar, "I beg you will not. He
doesn't deserve it at your hands. He is as cross as possible. Besides,
we are going to D street, by invitation, to meet the new partner. He
came yesterday. Did Harry tell you?"
"Harry did not come home last night. What kept you, Harry?" asked Rose.
"We were kept till a most unreasonable hour, and Harry stayed with me
last night," said Charlie.
"And of course Graeme stayed up till all hours of the night, waiting for
me," said Harry, with an echo of impatience in his voice.
"Of course she did no such foolish thing. I saw to that," said Arthur.
"But which is it to be? A walk, or a quiet visit at home?"
"Oh! a walk, by all means," said Charlie Millar.
"I have a great mind not to go," said Harry.
"Nonsense, man! One would think you were about to receive the reward of
your evil deeds. I refer to you, Miss Elliott. Would it be respectful
to the new firm, if he were to refuse to go?"
"Bother the new firm," said Harry, impatiently.
"The new partner, you mean. He has taken a most unreasonable dislike to
my brother at first sight--calls him proud, and a snob, because he
happens to be shy and awkward with strangers."
"Shy! A six-footer, with a beard enough for three. After that I'll
vanish," said Harry.
"I don't think Harry is very polite," said Rose.
"Never mind. There are better things in the world than politeness. He
will be more reasonable by and by," said Harry's friend.
"So your brother has come," said Graeme. "How long is it since you have
seen him?"
"Oh! not for ten years. He was home once after he came out here, but I
was away at school, and did not see him. I remembered him quite well,
however. He is not spoiled by his wanderings, as my mother used to fear
he might be;" then he added, as Harry reappeared, "the fact is, Miss
Elliott, he expected to be asked to dinner. We must overlook his
ill-temper."
"By all means," said Graeme, laughing.
"Thank you," said Harry. "And I'll try to be patient."
"Well, shall we go now?" said Arthur, who had been waiting patiently
through it all. The others followed him and Will.
"Is your brother going to remain here?" asked Graeme. "That will be
nice for you."
"Yes, on some accounts it would be nice. But if they send Harry off to
fill his place at the West, I shall not like that, unless, indeed, they
send us both. And I am not sure I should like that long."
"Send Harry!" exclaimed Graeme.
"Nonsense, Graeme!" said Harry. "That is some of Charlie's stuff."
"I hope so; but we'll see," said Charlie. "Miss Elliott, I had a letter
from my mother to-day." The lad's eyes softened, as he turned them on
Graeme.
"Have you?" said Graeme, turning away from her own thoughts to interest
herself in his pleasure. "Is she quite well?"
"Yes, she is much better than she was, and, Miss Elliott, she sends her
love to you, and her best thanks."
"For what?" said Graeme, smiling.
"Oh! you know quite well for what. What should I have done, if it had
not been for you and Harry? I mean if you had not let me come to your
house sometimes."
"Stuff!" said Harry.
"Truth!" said Charlie. "I never shall forget the misery of my first
months, till Harry came into our office. It has been quite different
since the night he brought me to your house, and you were so kind as to
ask me to come again."
"That was no great self-denial on our part," said Graeme, smiling.
"You minded Graeme on some one she used to know long ago," said Rose.
"And, besides, you are from Scotland."
Both lads laughed.
"And Graeme feels a motherly interest in all Scottish laddies, however
unworthy they may be," said Harry.
And so they rambled on about many things, till they came to the gate of
Mr Elphinstone's garden, beyond which Arthur and Will were loitering.
"How pretty the garden is!" said Rose. "Look, Graeme, at that little
girl in the window. I wonder whether the flowers give her as much
pleasure, as they used to give me."
"I am afraid she does not get so many of them as you used to get," said
Graeme.
"Come in and let me gather you some," said Charlie.
"No, indeed. I should not venture. Though I went in the first time
without an invitation. And you dare not pick Mr Stirling's flowers."
"Dare I not?" said Charlie, reaching up to gather a large spray from a
climbing rose, that reached high above the wall.
"Oh! don't. Oh! thank you," said Rose.
As far down as they could see for the evergreens and horse-chestnuts a
white dress gleamed, and close beside the little feet that peeped out
beneath it, a pair of shining boots crushed the gravel.
"Look," said Rose, drawing back.
"The new partner," said Harry, with a whistle. "A double partnership--
eh, Charlie?"
"I shouldn't wonder," said Charlie, looking wise.
"He knows what he's about, that brother of yours. He's cute. He knows
a thing or two, I guess."
"Harry," said Rose, gravely, "don't talk slang. And I don't think it
very polite to speak that way to Mr Millar about his brother."
"My dear Rosie, I am not talking slang, but the pure American language;
and I think you are more considerate about other people's brothers than
you are of your own. Twice this night I have heard your brother called
cross and disagreeable, without rebuke."
"You deserved it," said Rose, laughing.
"Miss Rose," said Charlie, "let your smile beam on him for one moment,
and he can't look cross for the rest of the evening."
Rose turned her laughing face to her brother.
"Be a good boy, Harry. Good bye."
As they returned, Will and Rose went on before, while Graeme lingered
with Arthur.
"Did you hear what Mr Millar said about the possibility of Harry's
being sent West? It must be to take the new partner's place, I
suppose," said Graeme, after a little.
"No; did he say so? It would be a capital good thing for Harry."
"Do you think so? He would have to leave home."
"Yes; that would be a pity, of course; but the opening for him would be
a very good one. I doubt whether there is much in it, however. Harry
has been for so short a time in the employment of the firm, and he is
very young for a place so responsible. Still, it may be. I know they
have great confidence in him."
There was a pause, and they walked slowly on.
"Arthur," said Graeme, in a low voice. "Do you think Harry is--quite
steady?"
"Steady," repeated Arthur in a surprised and shocked tone. "Why should
you doubt it?"
Graeme strove to speak quietly, but her hand trembled on her brother's
arm, and he knew it cost her an effort.
"I dare say there is no cause for doubt. Still, I thought I ought to
speak to you. You will know better than I; and you must not think that
I am unkind in speaking thus about Harry."
"You unkind! No; I should think two or three things before I thought
that. But tell me why you have any fears?"
"You know, Arthur, Harry has been very late in coming home, a good many
times lately; and sometimes he has not come at all. And once or twice--
more indeed--he has been excited, more than excited--and--"
Graeme could not go on.
"Still, Graeme, I do not think there is any real cause for apprehension.
He is young and full of spirit, and his society is sought after--too
much for his good, I dare say. But he has too much sense to give us any
real cause for uneasiness on that ground. Why, Graeme, in P street
Harry is thought much of for his sense and talent."
Graeme sighed. There came into her mind something that her father had
once said, about gallant ships being wrecked at last. But she did not
speak.
"Shall I speak to him, Graeme? What would you like me to do? I don't
think there is much to fear for him."
"Well, I will think so, too. No; don't speak to him yet. It was
hearing that he might be sent away, that made me speak to-night. I dare
say I am foolish."