journeys? Where does he tarry, oh, where?"

"Nonsense!" said Sophie, with a little laugh. "You cannot say I have
implied anything of the sort. Cannot Richard enjoy a journey without
your censure or suspicion? You must be careful; he does not
fancy teasing."

"O, I shall not accuse him, you may be sure; that is, if he ever comes.
Do you believe he really ever will?"

"Not if he thinks you want him," said Kilian, amiably. "He has a great
aversion to being made much of."

"Yes, a family trait," interrupted Charlotte, at which everybody
laughed, no one more cordially than Miss Leighton.

"Leave off laughing at my Uncle Richard," said Benny, stoutly, with his
cheeks quite flushed.

"We have, dear, and are laughing at your Uncle Kilian. You don't object
to that, I'm sure," and Charlotte Benson leaned forward and threw him a
little kiss past the tutor, who wore a silent, abstracted look, in odd
contrast with the animated expressions of the faces all around him.

Benny did not like the joke at all, and got down from his chair and
walked away without permission. We all followed him, going into the
hall, and from thence to the piazza, as the night was fine. The tutor
walked silently through the group in the hall to a seat where lay his
book and hat, then passed through the doorway and disappeared
from sight.