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you know, and all the boys to amuse her; but, if you think it would

be tiresome for her, and that she would not be happy, I should be very

sorry to have her, poor child"

"I was not afraid for her," said Colonel Keith, s rather too much for you"

"Rachel is not too much for me," said Fanny, "and she and Grace will

entertain Bessie, and take her out But I will talk to Alick He spoke

of coht ask Colonel and Mrs

Hammond to spend a day? They would so like the sea for the children"

"Certainly"

"Then perhaps you would write--oh, I forgot," colouring up, "I never can

forget the old days, it seems as if you were on the staff still"

"I always ah

I am afraid I can't write your note to the Hao away," she said "I know your time will be taken up,

and you must not let me or the boys be troublesome; but to have you here

makes me so much less lost and lonely And I shall have such a friend in

your Erminia Is that her name?"

"Ermine, an old Welsh na time," added Colonel Keith, and both moved aith the

startled precision ofthemselves accountable to somebody