when he ain't playin' cards or scarin' everybody
down to the beach with his gun, or shyin' things at
Meg."

"Don't you mind anything Martha says, Lucy,"
interrupted Jane in a defensive tone. "He's got
a great many very good qualities; he has no mother
and the captain has never looked after him. It's a
great wonder that he is not worse than he is."

She knew Martha had spoken the truth, but she
still hoped that her influence might help him, and
then again, she never liked to hear even her acquaintances
criticised.

"Playing cards! That all?" exclaimed Lucy,
arching her eyebrows; her sister's excuses for the
delinquent evidently made no impression on her.
"I don't think playing cards is very bad; and I don't
blame him for throwing anything he could lay his
hands on at this little wretch of Martha's. We all
played cards up in our rooms at school. Miss Sarah
never knew anything about it--she thought we were
in bed, and it was just lovely to fool her. And what
does the immaculate Dr. John Cavendish look like?
Has he changed any?" she added with a laugh.

"No," answered Jane simply.

"Does he come often?" She had turned her