Marion put on a little conscious look, blushed a little and smiled a little, as if she knew the private cause of this friendship--while Rosamond opened a little wider her steady eyes, and turned them with an inquiry upon Archie. He did not shrink from the attention thus attracted towards him: his heart was soft to Eddy, to whom he was about to do so great a service. It is a wonderfully softening process to be very good to any one, and makes us think better of the objects of our kindness. Eddy had become more interesting to Archie than he had ever thought it possible he would find him; and this not for any one’s sake, not even for Rosamond’s but for his own. The only effect, curiously enough, of this incident was to deepen his dislike to his stepmother. She was the one to question and object, he thought. Perhaps she thought him not good enough for Eddy--most likely, as Eddy was of her own kind. Eddy, though so late that the party had all dispersed from the table, except Mrs. Rowland herself, who was reading her letters, and Marion, who was making pretence of looking over the fashion papers in order to wait for his appearance, was in great spirits and full of the expedition he was about to make. “Rowland is going to show me everything,” he said. He made a very bad breakfast, eating nothing, but he was full of talk and apparent enjoyment, and begged the ladies to give him commissions. “Archie may forget, but I will not forget.” He insisted that Marion and his sister should walk down to the pier to see them off. “Come along, Rose,” he called to her as they all came out on the colonnade, “don’t you see I am going out sight-seeing. I am a British tourist. I am not sure that I am not a Tripper--and Rowland is taking care of me. Come and see me safe into the boat.” He continued in an extremely cheerful condition all the way to the ferry, keeping up a fire of banter. “The laddie’s fey, I think,” said old Saunders on the pier, who resented too much liberty. “And Eddy, I don’t think you are well. I think you are feverish,” said Rosamond. “You don’t say those sisterly things,” said Eddy to Marion. “Oh,” cried the girl, “I just never mind. What would I do if I were to make myself uneasy about everything? It is time enough when there is any occasion. And Archie would never mind what I said.” “But I should mind always,” said Eddy, lowering his voice. “You! but you would not like me to ask you if you were feverish.” “I should tell you I was always feverish--with rage, when I saw you wasting your attention listening to fellows like that nephew. It is that that has made my head ache,” cried Eddy. “I thirst for his blood.” “He has never done you any harm,” said Marion demurely. “Thank heaven no one is coming to-night. I shall have you all to myself to-night. There will be no nephews about. I shall make Archie take me to where you used to live.”