"From papa!" she said.
Mrs. Arundel opened it in silence; while the children looked on expectantly.
"Oh, Nellie!" said Mrs. Arundel, "Who do you think has come? Oh, Nellie!"
Nellie turned pale; and Mrs. Arundel read—
"Prepare yourselves for a great surprise. When I was seated at my solitary tea on Saturday evening, the door opened, and Walter walked in! Yes, my dear son from India! But he must tell you all about it himself. When he has finished his business, he will come down to South Bay, about Wednesday, I suppose; so tell Nellie to keep back her impatience till then. I am too busy to say more to-day."
Nellie's colour came again; but she burst into tears.
Mrs. Arundel rose quickly, and putting her arm round her shoulder, kissed her affectionately. "Dear Nellie, how nice it will be," she said; "don't cry; I am afraid I did not prepare you enough."
Nellie's tears caused general consternation; and when she looked up and saw the woe-begone faces of her little sisters, she could not help laughing, which astonished them much. So she soon recovered, and once more they settled to their tea, and to the joyful anticipations of Walter's visit.
Arthur and Ada were very full of it, and, to judge by what they said, intended to monopolise him entirely. Nellie looked radiant after her first agitation was over, and Mrs. Arundel sympathised so thoroughly with her, that she looked radiant too. The children were so excited with this news that they soon finished tea, and almost without asking permission set off for a walk inland, leaving everything scattered about.
Their mother began to put the room to rights. "They will have to be tidy," she said emphatically, half aloud; "for if everyone throws everything down, we shall not be able to move."