“Your sister will never, I hope, echo the peevish complaint of an idle girl, who had not energy enough to nail up her peaches,” observed Captain Arrows. “If Emmie go to Wiltshire, it will be, I trust, to lead there an active, useful, and happy life.”
“I wonder on what course papa will decide,” said Emmie; “we are very anxious to know. A great deal will depend on what Bruce thinks desirable,—papa has such an opinion of the judgment of Bruce.”
“Bruce has a precious good opinion of his own,” said Vibert, with something like scorn.
“For shame!—how can you!” cried Emmie, in a tone of playful reproof.
“Here they are! here come my father and Bruce!” cried Vibert, rising from his easy-chair as he caught sight of two figures at the gate.
Emmie had started up, and was out of the room to receive the travellers, before Vibert had finished the sentence.
CHAPTER II.
COMING TO A DECISION.
