looking person he is!'

'We are very proud of him,' said Mrs. Edmonstone, smiling. 'I don't
think there has been an hour's anxiety about him since he was born.'

The conversation was interrupted by the sound of Charles's crutches
slowly crossing the hall. Guy sprang to help him to his sofa, and
then, without speaking, hurried up-stairs.

'Mamma, tete-a-tete with the silent one!' exclaimed Charles.

'I will not tell you all I think of him,' said she, leaving the room.

'Hum!' soliloquised Charles. 'That means that my lady mother has
adopted him, and thinks I should laugh at her, or straightway set up a
dislike to him, knowing my contempt for heroes and hero-worship. It's
a treat to have Philip out of the way, and if it was but possible to
get out of hearing of his perfection, I should have some peace. If I
thought this fellow had one spice of the kind, I'd never trouble my
head about him more; and yet I don't believe he has such a pair of
hawk's eyes for nothing!'

The hawk's eyes, as Charles called them, shone brighter from that day
forth, and their owner began to show more interest in what passed
around. Laura was much amused by a little conversation she held with
him one day when a party of their younger neighbours were laughing and
talking nonsense round Charles's sofa. He was sitting a little way off
in silence, and she took advantage of the loud laughing to say:

'You think this is not very satisfactory?' And as he gave a quick