\"for joy or grief, for hope or fear,for all hereafter, as for here,in peace or strife, in storm or shine.\"

anon.

edith went about on tip-toe, and checked sholto in all loud speakingthat next morning, as if any sudden noise would interrupt theconference that was taking place in the drawing-room. two o\"clockcame; and they still sate there with closed doors. then there was aman\"s footstep running down stairs; and edith peeped out of thedrawing-room.

\"well, henry?\" said she, with a look of interrogation.

\"well!\" said he, rather shortly.

\"e in to lunch!\"

\"no, thank you, i can\"t. i\"ve lost too much time here already.\"

\"then it\"s not all settled,\" said edith despondingly.

\"no! not at all. it never will be settled, if the \"it\" is what i conjectureyou mean. that will never be, edith, so give up thinking about it.\"

\"but it would be so nice for us all,\" pleaded edith. \"i should always feelfortable about the children, if i had margaret settled down near me.

as it is, i am always afraid of her going off to cadiz.\"

\"i will try, when i marry, to look out for a young lady who has aknowledge of the management of children. that is all i can do. misshale would not hāve me. and i shall not ask her.\"

\"then, what hāve you been talking about?\"

\"a thousand things you would not understand: investments, and leases,and value of land.\"

\"oh, go away if that\"s all. you and she will be unbearably stupid, ifyou\"ve been talking all this time about such weary things.\"