"The 'Traveller,'" said Rachel, her eyes widening like those of a child.
"She is the 'Invalid'!"
"There, I am glad to have made a clean breast of it," said Ermine.
"The 'Invalid'!" repeated Rachel. "It is as bad as the Victoria Cross."
"There is a compliment, Ermine, for which you should make your bow,"
said Colin.
"Oh, I did not mean that," said Rachel; "but that it was as great a
mistake as I made about Captain Keith, when I told him his own story,
and denied his being the hero, till I actually saw his cross," and she
spoke with a genuine simplicity that almost looked like humour, ending
with, "I wonder why I am fated to make such mistakes!"
"Preconceived notions," said Ermine, smiling; "your theory suffices you,
and you don't see small indications."
"There may be something in that," said Rachel, thoughtfully, "it
accounts for Grace always seeing things faster than I did."
"Did Mr.--, your philanthropist, bring you this today?" said the
Colonel, taking up the paper again, as if to point a practical moral to
her confession of misjudgments.
"Mr. Mauleverer? Yes; I came down as soon as he had left me, only
calling first upon Fanny. I am very anxious for contributions. If
you would only give me a paper signed by the 'Invalid,' it would be a
fortune to the institution."
Ermine made a vague answer that she doubted whether the 'Invalid' was
separable from the 'Traveller,' and Rachel presently departed with her
prospectus, but without having elicited a promise.
"Intolerable!" exclaimed the Colonel. "She was improving under Bessie's
influence, but she has broken out worse than ever. 'Journal of Female
Industry!' 'Journal of a Knight of Industry,' might be a better title.
You will have nothing to do with it, Ermine?"
"Certainly not as the 'Invalid,' but I owe her something for having let
her run into this scrape before you."
"As if you could have hindered her! Come, don't waste time and brains on
a companion for Curatocult."
"You make me so idle and frivolous that I shall be expelled from
the 'Traveller,' and obliged to take refuge in the 'Female Industry
Journal.' Shall you distribute the prospectuses?"
"I shall give one to Bessie! That is if I go at all."
"No, no, there is no valid reason for staying away. Even if we were sure
that Rose was right, nothing could well come of it, and your absence
would be most invidious."
"I believe I am wanted to keep Master Alick in order, but if you have
the least feeling that you would be more at ease with me at home--"
"That is not a fair question," said Ermine, smiling. "You know very well
that you ought to go."