"St. Elmo, let me introduce you to Edna Earl."
He looked around, and fixed his keen eyes on the orphan, whose cheeks crimsoned as she looked down and said, quite distinctly:
"Good morning, Mr. Murray."
"Good morning, Miss Earl."
"No, I protest! 'Miss Earl,' indeed! Call the child Edna."
"As you please, mother, provided you do not let the coffee and chocolate get cold while you decide the momentous question."
Neither spoke again for some time, and in the embarrassing silence Edna kept her eyes on the china, wondering if all their breakfasts would be like this. At last Mr. Murray pushed away his large coffee-cup, and said abruptly:
"After all, it is only one year to-day since I came back to America, though it seems much longer. It will soon be time to prepare for my trip to the South Sea Islands. The stagnation here is intolerable."
An expression of painful surprise flitted across the mother's countenance, but she answered quickly:
"It has been an exceedingly short, happy year to me. You are such a confirmed absentee, that when you are at home, time slips by unnoticed."