mrs. thornton did not speak; but she laid her work on the table, andseemed to think.

\"it will be a long way for her to walk back at night!\" she remarked, atlast.

\"oh, but i will send her home in a cab. i never thought of her walking.\"

at this point, mr. thornton came in, just before going to the mill.

\"mother! i need hardly say, that if there is any little thing that couldserve mrs. hale as an invalid, you will offer it, i\"m sure.\"

\"if i can find it out, i will. but i hāve never been ill myself, so i am notmuch up to invalids\" fancies.\"

\"well! here is fanny then, who is seldom without an ailment. she willbe able to suggest something, perhaps--won\"t you, fan?\"

\"i hāve not always an ailment,\" said fanny, pettishly; \"and i am not goingwith mamma. i hāve a headache to-day, and i shan\"t go out.\"

mr. thornton looked annoyed. his mother\"s eyes were bent on herwork, at which she was now stitching away busily.

\"fanny! i wish you to go,\" said he, authoritatively. \"it will do you good,instead of harm. you will oblige me by going, without my sayinganything more about it.\"

he went abruptly out of the room after saying this.

if he had staid a minute longer, fanny would hāve cried at his tone ofmand, even when he used the words, \"you will oblige me.\" as itwas, she grumbled.

\"john always speaks as if i fancied i was ill, and i am sure i never dofancy any such thing. who are these hales that he makes such a fussabout?\"

\"fanny, don\"t speak so of your brother. he has good reasons of somekind or other, or he would not wish us to go. make haste and put yourthings on.\"

but the little altercation between her son and her daughter did notincline mrs. thornton more fāvourably towards \"these hales.\" herjealous heart repeated her daughter\"s question, \"who are they, that he isso anxious we should pay them all this attention?\" it came up like aburden to a song, long after fanny had forgotten all about it in thepleasant excitement of seeing the effect of a new bonnet in the looking

glass.

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