Poor Lord Fordham's health does not improve, and so I
am very thankful that he does not fulfil Babie's ideal."
"Poor young man!" said Ellen, with sincere compassion but great
relief.
"That's the worst of it," said the father, gravely. "I am afraid it
is a consumptive family, though this young fellow looks hearty and
strong."
"He has always been so," said Caroline. "He and his sister are quite
different in looks and constitution from poor Fordham, and I believe
from the elder ones. They are shorter and sturdier, and take after
their mother's family."
"I told you so, papa," said Ellen. "I was sure nothing could be
amiss with him. You can't expect everybody to look like our boys.
Well, Caroline, you have always been a good sister; and to think of
your having done this for little Essie! Tell me how it was? Had you
suspected it?"
It was all very commonplace and happy. Colonel and Mrs. Brownlow
were squeezed into the house to await Mrs. Evelyn's reply, and Cecil
and Esther sat hand-in-hand all the evening, looking, as Allen and
Babie agreed, like such a couple of idiots, that the intimate
connection between selig and silly was explained.
Mrs. Robert Brownlow whiled away the next day by a grand shopping
expedition, followed by the lovers, who seemed to find pillars of
floor-cloth and tracery of iron-work as blissful as ever could be
pleached alley.
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