'I believe she is tolerably well read for a girl of her age, and is especially fond of languages--the modern ones I mean--though her father has taught her Latin. I have always thought myself, that under that timid and lethargic exterior there is a vast amount of imaginative force--certain turns of speech in her happier moments prove it to me. I should not be surprised if we live to discover she has genius.' 'I am convinced that hers is no ordinary mind,' returned Mildred, seriously; 'but her goodness somehow pains one.' Dr. Heriot laughed. 'Have you ever heard Roy's addition to the table of weights and measures, "How many scruples make an olive?" he asked. 'My dear Miss Lambert, that girl is a walking conscience; she has the sort of mind that adds, subtracts, divides, and multiplies duties, till the grasshopper becomes a burden; she is one of the most thoroughly uncomfortable Christians I ever knew. It is a disease,' he continued, more gravely, 'a form of internal and spiritual hyperclimacteric, and must be treated as such.' 'I wish she were more like your ward,' replied Mildred, anxiously; 'Polly is so healthy and girlish--she lives too much to have time for always probing her feelings.' 'You are right,' was the answer. 'Polly is just the happy medium, neither too clever nor too stupid--a loving-hearted child, who will one of these days develop into a loving-hearted woman. Is she not delicious with her boyish head and piquante face--pretty too, don't you think so?' And as the sound of the girls' voices reached them at this moment, Dr. Heriot rose, and a few minutes afterwards Mildred saw him cross the court, with Polly and Chrissy hanging on each arm. CHAPTER VIII 'ETHEL THE MAGNIFICENT' 'A maid of grace and complete majesty.' Later on in the morning Mildred was passing by the door of her brother's study, when she heard his voice calling to her. He was sitting in his usual chair, with his back to the light, reading, but he laid down his book directly. 'Are you busy, Mildred?' 'Not if you want me,' she returned, brightly. 'I was just thinking I had hardly spoken to you to-day.' 'The same thought was lying heavy on my conscience. Heriot tells me you are looking better already. I hope you are beginning to feel at home with us, my dear.' 'With you, Arnold--do you need to ask?' Mildred returned, reproachfully. But the tears started to her eyes. 'And the children are good to you?' he continued, a little anxiously. 'They are everything I can wish. Cardie is most thoughtful for my comfort, and Olive is fast losing her shyness. The only thing I regret is that I manage to see so little of you, Arnold.' He patted her hand gently. 'It is better so, my dear. I am poor company, I fear, and have grown into strangely unsociable ways. They are good children; but you must not let them spoil me, Mildred. Sometimes I think I ought to rouse myself more for their sakes.'