by the pose of the a invalid the profound silence that followed this remark was broken by a suppressed sigh the book continued miss dart gravely � though to be sure he is not reading it � is rather it is not the sort of book to judge from the outside i should have expected to see him with it is the history of the saxon observed miss mary just so well he doesn t care about the book you see but is only trying to read it perhaps to please his friend mr a witch a witch cried miss mary clapping her hands go on oh please go on i well i am not sure proceeded miss dart with deliberation i may lose my reputation as a by such a monstrous suggestion but the within me mo to pronounce this young gentleman to ft � � o � it � it is amazing � o i x c tv d the heir of the ages exclaimed miss mary in a breath hush i � they are coming in from the dining room in an instant she had put back the photograph in its place and turning to the piano affected to be busied with her music book the echoing hall was at the same time filled with voices and the three gentlemen in vi asks a favour mr looked in high spirits and slightly flushed the major somewhat bored and the squire like a man who has been put out and has a great objection to the process he brushed by the as if she had been a piece of furniture and took up his usual position with his back to the and his arms under his coat tails instead of the usual satisfaction from that attitude it was plain from the frown on his brow and the way he looked about him that he was in a state of discontent his lips moved not as if in prayer but the contrary miss dart even thought she caught the word idiot pronounced under his breath his eyes were at that moment fixed on the pair by the piano but whether the remark was applied to his daughter or his guest was doubtful perhaps he used it as a of multitude and what have you ladies been doing with yourselves miss dart inquired the major in tones nothing of a very nature i am afraid she answered we have been at photographs what already was his somewhat the governor in his eh and our sisters and our cousins and our not your sister i am surprised to find her conspicuous by her absence not however that she would make a good photograph because she has so much expression why don t you say what one young lady generally does say of another under such circumstances because her beauty lies in her expression because i do not think so to my thinking miss is beautiful in both ways only the sun seldom in the second way asks a it is very kind of you to take that rose coloured view of her does not everybody do so miss dart s eyes involuntarily wandered as she spoke towards the piano at which miss mary was sitting down to play with mr standing at her side regarding her glass in eye with evident he ll break that glass against the keys of the piano i ll bet a guinea before he s turned over half a dozen leaves said the major well i don t know as to everybody brothers you know are not apt to be enthusiastic about their sisters charms i should have thought on the contrary that they would have been the very persons to take pride in them indeed well you see i m only a half brother said the major smiling the cousin by the bye has been trotted out of course the cousin what cousin i don t understand you the poet if the photograph book was exhibited mary has surely introduced you to the young gentleman not by name there was i remember a portrait of a young man an invalid you may call a man so who has of the i suppose but it s a very delicate way of putting it is it really so bad as that poor fellow he has his however in the first place he has a better opinion of his own i beg his pardon of liis than any young man in the world then he is the idol of his mother he has also an independent a mad and there s mary there are very few people who can boast of three creatures who believe in them i should be very glad here the major sank his voice a little to have one these things depend on one s deserts i fancy said the quietly that me altogether returned the major smiling but he did not look extinguished nevertheless his air was gay and his face was bright as he stood beating time to the music which had now begun and he certainly looked a very handsome fellow the with one coat tail ei i tc x e� js r carries his sword now began to e io w k i the heir of the ages the caution of a deer he was fond of music in his way and his dissatisfied soul seemed to become soothed by it though his brow was still far from clear no sooner had he departed from her vicinity than miss dart became conscious of a voice addressing her from above as gently as falls the dew from heaven it was of course the major s voice but as his head was nodding to the music and his eyes fixed on the it was difficult to connect him with it this may be the only opportunity miss dart i may have io say to you it murmured that if yon could your 