Transcriber's note: Unusual and inconsistent spelling is as printed. [Illustration: "PRAY GIVE THE FLOWERS TO YOUR FATHER, WITH MY COMPLIMENTS."] ANGEL'S BROTHER BY ELEANORA H. STOOKE. AUTHOR OF "Little Maid Marigold," etc. With Coloured Illustrations by W.H.C. Groome London THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY 4 Bouverie Street and 65 St. Paul's Churchyard E.C.4 Printed in Great Britain. CONTENTS CHAPTER I. THE MILKMAN'S LITTLE ACCOUNT II. AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR III. AN OVERSHADOWED HAPPINESS IV. THE MICKLE FAMILY V. HOW ANGEL MADE SEVERAL NEW ACQUAINTANCES VI. GERALD'S JEALOUSY VII. UNCLE EDWARD'S OFFER VIII. INTRODUCES MISS GOODWIN IX. AN EXODUS FROM LONDON X. SPRING FLOWERS XI. ON THE BRIDGE XII. GERALD'S SELFISHNESS XIII. IN THE MEADOWS XIV. THE FATE OF THE ROBINS XV. COMMENCING THE SUMMER TERM XVI. GILBERT'S SUSPICIONS XVII. AT MYRTLE VILLA XVIII. IN THE ORCHARD XIX. GERALD'S TEMPER XX. THE QUARREL XXI. MISS GOODWIN'S BROTHER XXII. DORA MICKLE'S TEA-PARTY XXIII. THE BROAD ROAD XXIV. GREATER DEPTHS XXV. AN ALARMING EXPERIENCE XXVI. GERALD'S REPENTANCE XXVII. FIVE MONTHS LATER XXVIII. CONCLUSION CHAPTER I The Milkman's Little Account IT was a dull little sitting-room on the third floor of a dingy lodging-house, in an unfashionable London suburb. The pale rays of November sunshine peeping through the window panes enhanced the shabbiness of the apartment with its cheap, much-worn furniture, and ugly wall-paper, its pretentious mirror in a tarnished gilded frame above the mantel-piece, and the ill-chosen ornaments which were doubtless supposed to add attractiveness to the whole. The sole occupant of the room, at present, was a little girl of about eleven years of age. Her name was Angelica Willis, but she was always called Angel. She was a slight, pale child, with a gentle, sweet-tempered face, which, if not exactly pretty, was very pleasing by reason of a pair of honest, grey eyes—true reflectors of every thought which crossed their owner's mind. Now, the grey eyes were misty and sad in expression, for Angel was thinking of her mother, who had died two years before, and recalling all that she had said the last time they had talked together. In imagination she could hear the dear, faltering voice murmuring feebly— "You'll be loving and patient with Gerald, won't you, little daughter? You'll remember he's younger than you are, and be a good elder sister to him, won't you, dear?" Gerald was Angel's brother, eighteen months her junior, and she had readily given her mother the desired promise. It was not difficult to be good to Gerald, for she loved him dearly; she had been in the habit of studying his wishes all her life; and she was capable of loving without selfishness, asking little in return. "Love feels no burden; thinks nothing a trouble," was true in her case.