hat makes you look so sad Everard; Isabel was not much hurt; not hurt at all I may say."
"I was not thinking of her just now Emmy," he answered smiling, but the smile passed away, and left his face very sad indeed.
"What is it Evvie," she asked in the old coaxing way, seating herself beside him on the seat round the old Elm tree.
"I was thinking of Grace," he replied "you can't think how her keeping away pains me."
"I wouldn't think of it, if I were you, it is very mean and ill-natured of her, but she will get over her huff after a while."
"That would be all very well, if I were going to remain here, but you know how soon I go and——"
"Oh Everard," (Emmy could not contemplate this event with composure) "Oh Everard, I can't bear you to go,
and she threw her arms round his neck, weeping passionately.
His sisters were not much given to tears, this one in particular, the brightest of them all, so that this genuine bust
of grief was the more perplexing.