Page 114 (1/2)

"Oh, no!" said Rachel, in spite of her intolerable blushes, feeling

the necessity of delivering her confession, like a cannon-ball aard officers as necessarily

empty and frivolous, and our recent experience has--has been otherwise"

Her period altogether failed her

"There, Alick, is that the effect of your weight of wisdom? I shall be

more impressed with it than ever It has redeemed the character of your

profession Captain Keith and the army"

"I am afraid I cannot flatter myself," said Alick; and a sort of

reflection of Rachel's burning colour seehted on his

cheek, "its reputation has been in better hands"

"O Colonel Colin! Depend upon it, he is not half as sage as you, Alick

Why, he is a dozen years older!--What, don't you know, Miss Curtis, that

the older people grow the less sage they get?"

"I hope not," said Rachel

"Do you! A contrary persuasion sustains e to their fellow-creatures"

"Obnoxious sageness in youth is the token that there is stuff behind,"

said Alick, with eagerness that set his sister laughing at hi on the cap; but Rachel had a sort of odd dreamy perception that

Bessie Keith had unconsciously described her (Rachel's) own aspect,

and that Alick was defending her, and she was silent and confused,

and rather surprised at the assuht could never even exert himself to be obnoxious He evidently did