"Let her alone," said Kate, gaily; "she is well enough now; she fainted because she was glad to see you, and she got well at once for the same reason precisely. All she wants is to look at your face."
He turned it towards me; it was as kind and handsome as ever, not in the least altered. I could not take my eyes from it, and in the overflowing joy of my heart I exclaimed—
"Oh, Kate! Kate! I shall be too happy now, shall I not?"
"You see the poor child is as mad as ever," said Kate.
"I hope she has been a good girl in my absence," he observed, rather gravely.
"Of course she has."
"Learnt her lessons well?"
"Bless the boy!" exclaimed Kate, "does he think she is still a little girl? Don't you find her altered?"
"Oh yes, she has grown."
"Grown! grown!" impatiently said his sister, "of course she has! do you not think she has improved?"