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Nothing would have given us more pleasure, said Miss Browning, drawing herself up in gratified dignity. 'Oh, yes, we quite understand, Mr. Roger; and we fully recognize Mrs. Hamley's kind intention. We will take the will for the deed, as the common people express it. I believe that there was an intermarriage between the Brownings and the Hamleys, a generation or two ago.

For the moment she felt grateful for the diversion, and busied herself in picking up the fragments: 'bits of glass were so dangerous, she said. But she was startled by a voice of command, such as she had never yet heard from her husband. 'Never mind the glass. I ask you again, Hyacinth, who told you anything about Osborne Hamley's state of health?

Gibson went away, heavy at heart at the thought of Mrs. Hamley's approaching death, but thinking little enough of the squire's speeches. He had almost forgotten them, in fact, when about nine o'clock that evening, a groom rode in from Hamley Hall in hot haste, with a note from the squire. DEAR GIBSON, For God's sake forgive me if I was rude to-day. She is much worse. Come and spend the night here.

From what he told me, I was afraid he had been giving you a little lecture. He has a good heart, but he isn't so tender in his manner as Osborne. Roger is a little rough sometimes. 'Then I like roughness. It did me good. It made me feel how badly oh, Mrs. Hamley, I did behave so badly to papa this morning. She rose up and threw herself into Mrs. Hamley's arms, and sobbed upon her breast.

Molly still breakfasted in bed, but had just come down, and was now well enough to arrange the flowers for the drawing-room, and as she did so with these blossoms, she made some comments on each. 'Ah! these white pinks! They were Mrs. Hamley's favourite flower; and so like her! This little bit of sweetbrier, it quite scents the room. It has pricked my fingers, but never mind.

One was talking about the pretty muslin gown which Molly had sent to the wash only that morning, and contriving how it could be had back again in time for Molly to wear; and the other, Miss Phoebe, totally inattentive to her sister's speaking for a wonder, was piping out a separate strain of her own, and singing Roger Hamley's praises. 'Such a fine-looking young man, and so courteous and affable.

Gibson's wardrobe; doing it all in a sort of contemptuous manner, the source of which Molly could not quite make out. Day after day the course of these small frivolities was broken in upon by the news Mr. Gibson brought of Mrs. Hamley's nearer approach to death.

Gibson, meanwhile, counting her stitches aloud with great distinctness and vigour. During all the months that had elapsed since Mrs. Hamley's death, Molly had wondered many a time about the secret she had so unwittingly become possessed of that last day in the Hall library.

Hamley's dressing-room would have changed in the ten years that had elapsed since the likeness was taken; if he would read poetry aloud; if he would even read his own poetry.

"What about that, Daddy?" asked Laddie, in his earnest fashion. "Are there toys in heaven, do you think?" "Of course there are. Everything that can make children happy." "As many toys as in Hamley's shop?" asked Dimples. "More," said Daddy, stoutly. "Oo!" from all three. "Daddy, dear," said Laddie. "I've been wondering about the deluge." "Yes, dear. What was it?" "Well, the story about the Ark.