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looking； and so unformed。 She held out her hand； with a red wrist；
and； as far as could be seen under her veil； coloured when presented
to the recumbent Margaret。 How she got into her chair； they hardly
knew； for Flora was at that moment extremely annoyed by hearing an
ill…bred peal of Mary's laughter in the garden； close to the window；
but she thought it best to appear unconscious； since she had no power
to stop it。
Margaret thought the stranger embarrassed； and kindly inquired for
Lady Walkingham。
〃Much the same； thank you；〃 mumbled a voice down in the throat。
A silence； until Margaret tried another question； equally briefly
answered； and； after a short interval； the young lady contrived to
make her exit； with the same amount of gaucherie as had marked her
entrance。
Expressions of surprise at once began； and were so loud； that when
Harry entered the room； his inquiry was； 〃What's the row？〃
〃Miss Walkingham；〃 said Ethel； 〃but you won't understand。 She seemed
half wild！ Worse than me！〃
〃How did you like the pretty improving manners？〃 asked Harry。
〃Manners！ she had none；〃 said Flora。 〃She； highly connected！ used to
the best society！〃
〃How do you know what the best society do？〃 asked Harry。
〃The poor thing seemed very shy；〃 said Margaret。
〃I don't know about shyness；〃 said Flora。
〃She was stifling a laugh all the time； like a rude schoolboy。 And I
thought papa said she was pretty！〃
〃Ay？ Did you think her so？ 〃 asked Harry。
〃A great broad red faceand so awkward！〃 cried Flora indignantly。
〃If one could have seen her face； I think she might have been nice…
looking；〃 said Margaret。 〃She had pretty golden curls； and merry
blue eyes； rather like Harry's。〃
〃Umph！ said Flora； 〃beauty and manners seemed to me much on a par。
This is one of papa's swans； indeed！〃
〃I can't believe it was Miss Walkingham at all；〃 said Ethel。 〃It
must have been some boy in disguise。〃
〃Dear me！〃 cried Margaret； starting with the painful timidity of
helplessness。
〃Do look whether anything is gone。 Where's the silver inkstand？〃
〃You don't think she could put that into her pocket；〃 said Ethel；
laughing as she held it up。
〃I don't know。 Do； Harry； see if the umbrellas are safe in the hall。
I wish you would； for now I come to remember； the Walkinghams went at
nine this morning。 Miss Winter said that she saw the old lady helped
into the carriage； as she passed。〃 Margaret's eyes looked quite
large and terrified。 〃She must have been a spythe whole gang will
come at night。 I wish Richard was here。 Harry； it really is no
laughing matter。 You had better give notice to the police。〃
The more Margaret was alarmed； the more Harry laughed。 〃Never mind；
Margaret； I'll take care of you！ Here's my dirk。 I'll stick all the
robbers。〃
〃Harry！ Harry！ Oh； don't！〃 cried Margaret； raising herself up in an
agony of nervous terror。 〃Oh； where is papa？ Will nobody ring the
bell； and send George for the police？〃
〃Police； police！ Thieves！ Murder！ Robbers！ Fire！ All hands
ahoy！〃 shouted Harry； his hands making a trumpet over his mouth。
〃Harry； how can you？〃 said Ethel； hastily； 〃don't you see that
Margaret is terribly frightened。 Can't you say at once that it was
you？〃
〃You！〃 and Margaret sank back； as there was a general outcry of
laughter and wonder。
〃Did you know it； Ethel？〃 asked Flora severely。
〃I only guessed at this moment；〃 said Ethel。 〃How well you did it；
Harry！〃
〃Well！〃 said Flora； 〃I did think her dress very like Margaret's shot
silk。 I hope you did not do that any harm。〃
〃But how did you manage？〃 said Ethel。 〃Where did your bonnet come
from？〃
〃It was a new one of Adams's wife。 Mary got it for me。 Come in；
Polly； they have found it out。 Did you not hear her splitting with
laughing outside the window？ I would not let her come in for fear
she should spoil all。〃
〃And I was just going to give her such a scolding for giggling in the
garden；〃 said Flora； 〃and to say we had been as bad as Miss
Walkingham。 You should not have been so awkward； Harry； you nearly
betrayed yourself。〃
〃He had nobody to teach him but Mary；〃 said Ethel。
〃Ah！ you should have seen me at my ease in Minster Street。
No one suspected me there。〃
〃In Minster Street。 Oh； Harry； you don't really mean it！〃
〃I do。 That was what I did it for。 I was resolved to know what the
nameless ones said of the Misses May。〃
Hasty and eager inquiries broke out from Flora and Ethel。
〃Oh； Dr。 May was very clever； certainly； very clever。 Had I seen the
daughters？ I said I was going to call there； and they said〃
〃What； oh； what； Harry？〃
〃They said Flora was thought pretty； butand as to Ethel； now； how
do you think you came off； Unready？〃
〃Tell me。 They could not say the same of me； at any rate。〃
〃Quite the reverse！ They called Ethel very odd； poor girl。〃
〃I don't mind；〃 said Ethel。 〃They may say what they please of me；
besides that； I believe it is all Harry's own invention。〃
〃Nay； that is a libel on my invention！〃 exclaimed Harry。 〃If I had
drawn on that； could I not have told you something much droller？〃
〃And was that really all？〃 said Flora。
〃They saidlet me seethat all our noses were too long； and； that
as to Flora's being a beauty！ when their brothers called herso
droll of thembut Harvey called her a stuck…up duchess。 In fact； it
was the fashion to make a great deal of those Mays。〃
〃I hope they said something of the sailor brother；〃 said Ethel。
〃No； I found if I stayed to hear much more； I should be knocking Ned
down； so I thought it time to take leave before he suspected。〃
All this had passed very quickly； with much laughter； and numerous
interjections of amusement； and reprobation； or delight。 So excited
were the young people； that they did not perceive a step on the
gravel； till Dr。 May entered by the window； and stood among them。
His first exclamation was of consternation。 〃Margaret； my dear
child； what is the matter？〃
Only then did her brother and sisters perceive that Margaret was
lying back on her cushions； very pale； and panting for breath。 She
tried to smile and say； 〃it was nothing；〃 and 〃she was silly；〃 but
the words were faint； from the palpitation of her heart。
〃It was Harry's trick；〃 said Flora indignantly； as she flew for the
scent…bottle； while her father bent over Margaret。 〃Harry dressed
himself up； and she was frightened。〃
〃Oh； nonohe did not mean it；〃 gasped Margaret； 〃don't。〃
〃Harry； I did not think you could be so cowardly and unfeeling！〃 and
Dr。 May's look was even more reproachful than his words。
Harry was dismayed at his sister's condition； but the injustice of
the wholesale reproach chased away contrition。 〃I did nothing to
frighten any one；〃 he said moodily。
〃Now； Harry； you know how you kept on；〃 said Flora； 〃and when you saw
she was frightened〃
〃I can have no more of this；〃 said Dr。 May； seeing that the
discussion was injuring Margaret more and more。 〃Go away to my
study； sir； and wait till I come to you。 All of you out of the room。
Flora； fetch the sal volatile。〃
〃Let me tell you；〃 whispered Margaret。 〃Don't be angry with