"If I had been you, I should have screamed right out when she came on the stage," said Kat, unable to imagine herself in such a position and remaining quiet. "How did you feel, Olive?" "So weak that I could not move, I never came so near losing my senses in my life, and it is such a dreadful feeling that you can't scream. It was dreadful to sit there and watch her, and when the hemorrhage came, I just jumped and ran." "Dear me, how you must have felt," said Kittie with a shiver, as she polished a tumbler brightly, and put it back in the water to every one's amusement. "I don't know what I would have done without Cousin Roger," said Olive. "He was so kind and thoughtful." "Who does he make me think of?" asked Bea, which caused Olive to look up in surprise. "How strange; he reminds me of some one, too, and it worried me so for a while, but I thought it was nonsense, and never spoke about it," she said. "Well, I s'pose it is a notion," answered Bea, and then talk went back to Ernestine and Jean, of whom, it seemed, enough could never be told. The next day, a little discovery was made to the girls. Mr. Congreve was seen walking about in the fresh autumn sunshine, before breakfast, and the girls saw him gathering a small cluster of flowers, selecting from the dewy bunches with much care; and after a while Olive, who had slept late with fatigue, came down in her grey wrapper with its blue facings, and part of the flowers were in her wavy hair, and part at her throat, with a little knot of ribbon. "Good gracious!" cried Kat, rushing into the kitchen with a tragic expression, and setting a pile of dishes on the table with some force. "Do you see that? What's this family coming to?" "Dust," responded Kittie calmly. "What's the matter, Kat?" "Do you mean to tell me you didn't see Olive wearing the flowers he gathered before breakfast, and that you didn't see how he looked at her at the table?" cried Kat impatiently. "That's the way they all do; it's the first symptoms I guess, for it's the way that Bea and Dr. Barnett began." "Oh, the idea," laughed Kittie, "of Olive being in love." "I don't care, perhaps she isn't, but he is," asserted Kat, with an appeal to Bea, who had just come in. "I don't know," said Bea. "I saw him give her the flowers, and fasten those in her hair, but I don't think it's anything." "Well, you watch--there they go now!" exclaimed Kat, whereupon they all rushed to the window, to see Olive and Roger strolling out among the flowers. "Would you ever think that was Olive?" said Kittie, as they looked. "Think how quiet and snappy she used to be, and how ugly she always looked, and just see how pretty she is now, and how she laughs and talks. But she's not in love, dear no; she looks as cool and dignified as a cucumber, not a bit blushy, or anything of the kind." "Well, I should hope not," said Kat severely. "One engaged sister is enough; two would ruin the family."