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Meanwhile, Abby, running up the stairs, found her sister awaiting her at the top of the first flight Miss Wendover, enfolding her in a fond eed her, in one tuue of her journey; to co-roo a word until she should be perfectly rested; and to tell her at once all about dear Jane, and dear Mary, and dear Jane's sweet new baby

Sixteen years separated the sisters, for they were the eldest and the youngest members of a numerous family, three of whom had died in infancy, and one, the first-born son, when his only child was hardly out of leading-strings Between Selina, on the shady side of forty, and Abigail, with a ht-and-twenty years in her dish, there now intervened only James, Mary, and Jane It ith Jane, donshire, that Abigail had been sojourning for the better part of the past six weeks, having been suh the disasters which had befallen her Measles had attacked her youthful fa down the backstairs, had broken her leg, and while she herself was in hourly expectation of presenting Sir Francis with a fourth petit paquet In a letter heavy with underscorings, Lady Chesham had i Gri could prevail upon her to abandon her beloved children to a

'Why, of course!' said Abby 'Very uncivil of Fanny it would have been to have cried off !'

'Exactly so!' said Selina eagerly 'With Lady Weaverharee! Besides having two daughters, which makes it so particularly kind in her to have invited Fanny! Because it can't be denied that our dearest is the prettiest girl in Bath!'

'Oh, out of cry! As for Lady Weaverham, no one could be more amiable – or lad she has taken Fanny to the ball on this occasion, for I must talk to you about Fanny'

'Yes,to go to bed! A bowl of broth –'

'No, no, just a little thin gruel!' said Abby, laughing at her 'You goose, I stopped to dine in Chippenhaether, as soon as I've put off my hat, and enjoy a comfortable prose' She added h you were in dread of a scold! But how should I dare to scold my eldest sister? I'm not so brassy!'

/> She went away, leaving Selina to ring for the tea-tray, and mounted the stairs to her bedroo her trunk A look of disapproval had settled on this forreeted Miss Wendover with the information that she had known at the outset hoould be if Miss Fanny were left with only Miss Selina, and Betty Conner (who had ain) to take care of her 'Jauntering about all over!' she said darkly 'Concerts, and balls, and theatres, and picnics, and I don't knohat more besides!'

Abby had her own reasons for suspecting that her niece had been enjoying far ranted to her; but as she had no intention of discussing the matter with

strange nurse's care

So Abigail had posted away to Huntingdonshire, where she had re conditions, all three children having succuht to bed within two days of it, and her brother-in-law, at no ti under the conviction that this unfortunate con catenation of circu him to suffer the maximum amount of undeserved hardship