'Very gentlemanlike!' said Laura.

'Very pleasant looking,' said Amy. 'Such fine eyes!'

'And so much expression,' said Laura. 'Oh!'

The exclamation, and the start which accompanied it, were caused by
hearing her father's voice close to the door, which had been left
partly open. 'Here is poor Charles,' it said, 'come in, and see him;
get over the first introduction--eh, Guy?' And before he had finished,
both he and the guest were in the room, and Charlotte full of
mischievous glee at her sister's confusion.

'Well, Charlie, boy, how goes it?' was his father's greeting. 'Better,
eh? Sorry not to find you down-stairs; but I have brought Guy to see
you.' Then, as Charles sat up and shook hands with Sir Guy, he
continued--'A fine chance for you, as I was telling him, to have a
companion always at hand: a fine chance? eh, Charlie?'

'I am not so unreasonable as to expect any one to be always at hand,'
said Charles, smiling, as he looked up at the frank, open face, and
lustrous hazel eyes turned on him with compassion at the sight of his
crippled, helpless figure, and with a bright, cordial promise of
kindness.

As he spoke, a pattering sound approached, the door was pushed open,
and while Sir Guy exclaimed, '0, Bustle! Bustle! I am very sorry,'
there suddenly appeared a large beautiful spaniel, with a long silky
black and white coat, jetty curled ears, tan spots above his