The Clever Woman of the Family

Encouraged by seeing a little more of his eyes, she went on. "It was in

the course of the siege of Delhi, a shell came into a tent where some

sick and wounded were lying. There was one young officer among them who

could move enough to have had a chance of escaping the explosion, but

instead of that he took the shell up, its fuse burning as it was, and

ran with it out of the tent, then hurled it to a distance. It exploded,

and of course was his death, but the rest were saved, and I call that a

deed of heroism far greater than mounting a breach or leading a forlorn

hope."

"Killed, you say?" inquired Mr. Keith, still in the same lethargic

manner.

"Oh yes, mortally wounded: carried back to die among the men he had

saved."

"Jessie Cameron singing his dirge," mumbled this provoking individual,

with something about the form of his cheek that being taken by Rachel

for a derisive smile, made her exclaim vehemently, "You do not mean to

undervalue an action like that in comparison with mere animal pugnacity

in an advance."

"More than one's duty was your test," he said.

"And was not this more than duty? Ah! I see yours is a spirit of

depreciation, and I can only say I pity you."

He took the trouble to lift himself up and make a little bow of

acknowledgment. Certainly he was worse than the Colonel; but Rachel,

while mustering her powers for annihilating him, was annoyed by all the

party in the drawing-room coming forth to join them, the other officers

rallying young Keith upon his luxurious station, and making it evident

that he was a proverb in the regiment for taking his ease. Chairs were

brought out, and afternoon tea, and the callers sat down to wait for

Colonel Keith to come in; Grace feeling obliged to stay to help Fanny

entertain her visitors, and Rachel to protect her from their follies.

One thing Grace began to perceive, that Lady Temple had in her former

world been a person of much more consideration than she was made here,

and seeing the polite and deferential manner of these officers to her,

could only wonder at her gentle content and submission in meeting with

no particular attention from anybody, and meekly allowing herself to be

browbeaten by Rachel and lectured by her aunt.

A lecture was brewing up for her indeed. Poor Mrs. Curtis was very much

concerned at the necessity, and only spurred up by a strong sense of

duty to give a hint--the study of which hint cost her a whole sleepless

night and a very weary Sunday morning. She decided that her best course

would be to drive to Myrtlewood rather early on her way to church,

and take up Fanny, gaining a previous conference with her alone, if

possible. "Yes, my dear," she said to Grace, "I must get it over before

church, or it will make me so nervous all through the service." And

Grace, loving her mother best, durst not suggest what it might do to

Fanny, hoping that the service might help her to digest the hint.