"I am not overwhelming you," suddenly exclaimed Rachel, checking herself
in mid-career about the mothers' meetings for the soldiers' wives.
"Far from it. Was I inattentive--?"
"Oh no--(Yes, Una dear, very pretty)--but I found myself talking in the
voice that always makes Alick shut his eyes."--"I should not think
he often had to do so," said Ermine, much amused by this gentle
remedy--("Mind, Keith, that is a nettle. It will sting--") "Less often than before," said Rachel--("Never mind the butterfly,
Una)--I don't think I have had more than one thorough fit of what he
calls leaping into the gulf. It was about the soldiers' wives married
without leave, who, poor things, are the most miserable creatures in the
world; and when I first found out about them I was in the sort of mood
I was in about the lace, and raved about the system, and was resolved to
employ one poor woman, and Alick looked meeker and meeker, and assented
to all I said, as if he was half asleep, and at last he quietly took up
a sheet of paper, and said he must write and sell out, since I was bent
on my gulf, and an officer's wife must be bound by the regulations
of the service. I was nearly as bad as ever, I could have written an
article on the injustice of the army regulations, indeed I did begin,
but what do you think the end was? I got a letter from a good lady, who
is always looking after the poor, to thank Mrs. Alexander Keith for the
help that had been sent for this poor woman, to be given as if from the
general fund. After that I could not help listening to him, and then I
found it was so impossible to know about character, or to be sure that
one was not doing more harm than--What is it, boys?" as three or four
Temples rushed up.
"Aunt Rachel, Mr. Clare is going to teach us a new game, and he says you
know it. Pray come."
"Come, Una. What, Keith, will you come too? I'll take care of him,
Ermine."
And with a child in each hand, Rachel followed the deputation, and had
scarcely disappeared before the light gracious figure of Rose glanced
through the thorn trees. "Aunt Ermine, you must come nearer; it is so
wonderful to see Mr. Clare teaching this game."
"Don't push my chair, my dear; it is much too heavy for you uphill."
"As if I could not drive you anywhere, and here is Conrade coming."
Conrade was in search of the deserter, but he applied himself heartily
to the propulsion of aunt Ermine, informing Rose that Mr. Clare was
no end of a man, much better than if he could see, and aunt Rachel was
grown quite jolly.