"Be so good as to announce me."
"It's no manner of use, Mr. Markham; she's poorly, I tell you."
Just in time to prevent me from committing the impropriety of taking the citadel by storm, and pushing forward unannounced, an inner door opened, and little Arthur appeared with his frolicsome playfellow the dog. He seized my hand between both his, and smilingly drew me forward.
"Mamma says you're to come in, Mr. Markham," said he, "and I'm to go out and play with Rover."
Rachel retired with a sigh, and I stepped into the parlour and shut the door. There, before the fire-place, stood the tall, graceful figure wasted with many sorrows. I cast the manuscript on the table, and looked in her face. Anxious and pale, it was turned towards me; her clear, dark eyes were fixed on mine with a gaze so intensely earnest that they bound me like a spell.
"Have you looked it over?" she murmured. The spell was broken.
