Upon uncle's return, he brought us the unwelcome intelligence that Susan had been suddenly sent for by her aged mother, who was ill, and that consequently she could not come to us at present, but hoped to do so soon. I will here add that she was prevented from acting upon that wish until too late to be long of use to us at Rathfelder's Hotel. "And meanwhile," continued Uncle Rossiter, with a meaning smile, "Lotty must take care of herself, and Mechie will take care of us all."
"How will you like that arrangement, Lotty?" asked aunt, giving one of her gentle, anxious looks at Charlotte.
"Judging from past experience, and especially that of last night, I would rather take care of myself than trust to sister Mechie to do it for me, auntie," replied Charlotte, laughing.
I did not know to what experience she alluded, whether the troubles of our walk, which she still persistently laid at my door, or my keeping her awake when we went to bed.
"Why, what mischief has my little girl been at?" uncle said gayly.
Charlotte, seeing that her love of repartee was bringing her, as it too often did, into trouble, extricated herself by exclaiming, "Oh, by-the-bye, uncle, what about our clothes? Could you manage it with Susan from home?"
"Oh yes," he said; one of the other servants had packed a box full for us, and we should, he hoped, do very well.
Charlotte and I then went to our room to dress for dinner.
"As I walked by myself
I talked to myself,