PLAYING THE CARD.

The Reverend Arthur had removed the b.u.t.terflies and wild flowers from his hat by the time Dr Bolter reached him, and was walking slowly up and down the study with his hands clasped behind him.

There was a wrinkled look of trouble in his face.

As the doctor entered he smilingly placed a chair for his friend, and seemed to make an effort to get rid of the feeling of oppression that weighed him down.

Then they sat and talked of b.u.t.terflies and birds for a time, fencing as it were, for somehow Dr Bolter felt nervous and ill at ease, shrinking from the task which he had set himself, while the Reverend Arthur, though burning to ask several questions upon a subject nearest his heart, shrank from so doing lest he should expose his wound to his friend's inquisitorial eyes.

"I declare I'm as weak as a child," said the doctor to himself, after making several vain attempts at beginning. "It's dreadfully difficult work!" and he asked his friend if the lesser copper b.u.t.terfly was plentiful in that district.

"No," said the Reverend Arthur, "we have not chalk enough near the surface."

Then there was a pause--a painful pause--during which the two old friends seemed to be fighting hard to break the ice that kept forming between them.

"I declare I'm much weaker than a child," said the doctor to himself; and the subject was the next moment introduced by the Reverend Arthur, who, with a guilty aspect and look askant, both misinterpreted by the doctor, said, hesitatingly:

"Do you know for certain when you go away, Harry?"

"In three weeks, my boy, or a month at most, and there is no time to lose in foolish hesitation, is there?"

"No, of course not. You mean about the subject Mary named?"

"Yes, yes, of course," cried the doctor, who was now very hot and excited. "You wouldn't raise any objection, Arthur?"

"No, I think not, Harry. It would be a terrible loss to me."

"It would--it would."

"And I should feel it bitterly at first."

"Of course--of course," said the doctor, trying to speak; but his friend went on excitedly.

"Time back I could not have understood it; but I am not surprised now!"

"That's right, my dear Arthur, that's right; and I will try and make her a good husband."

"She is a very, very good woman, Harry!"

"The best of women, Arthur, the very best of women; and it will be so nice for those two girls to have her for guide."

"Do--do they go--both go--with you--so soon?" said the Reverend Arthur, wiping his wet forehead and averting his head.

"Yes, of course," said the doctor, eagerly.

"And--and does Mary say she will accept you, Harry?"

"No," said a quick, decided voice. "I told him I could not leave you, Arthur;" and the two gentlemen started guiltily from their chairs.

"My dear Mary," said the curate, "how you startled me."

"I have not had time to tell him yet," said the doctor, recovering himself; and taking the little lady's hand, he led her to the chair he had vacated, closed the door, and then stood between brother and sister.

"I have not had time to tell him yet, my dear Miss Rosebury, but I have been saying to him that it would be so satisfactory for you to help me in my charge of those two young ladies."

Miss Rosebury started in turn, and coloured slightly.

"And now, my dear old friend," said the doctor, "let me ask you, treating you as Mary's nearest relative, will you give your consent to our marriage?"

"No, Arthur, you cannot," said the little lady, firmly. "I could not leave you."

"But I have an offer to make you, my dear old friend," said the doctor; "the chaplaincy at our station is vacant; will you come out with us and take it? There will be no separation then, and--"

He stopped short, for at his words the Reverend Arthur seemed to be galvanised into a new life. He started from his seat, the listless, saddened aspect dropped away, his eyes flashed, and the blood mounted to his cheeks.

"Come with you?" he cried. "Chaplaincy? Out there?"

It seemed as if he had been blinded by the prospect, for the next moment he covered his face with his hands, and sank back in his seat without a word.

"I knew it!" cried little Miss Rosebury, in reproachful tones; and, leaving her chair, she clung to her brother's arm. "I told you he could not break up his old home here. No, no, Arthur, dear Arthur, it is all a foolish dream! I do not wish to leave you--I could not leave you.

Henry Bolter, pray--pray go," she said, piteously, as she turned to the doctor. "We both love you dearly as our truest friend; but you place upon us burdens that we cannot bear. Oh, why--why did you come to thus disturb our peace? Arthur, dear brother, I will not go away!"

"Hush! hush, Mary!" the curate said, from behind his hands. "Let me think. You do not know. I cannot bear it yet!"

"My dear old Arthur," began the doctor.

"Let me think, Harry, let me think," he said, softly.

"No, no, don't think!" cried the little lady, almost angrily. "You shall not sacrifice yourself for my sake! I will not be the means of dragging you from your peaceful happy home--the home you love--and from the people who love you for your gentle ways! Henry Bolter, am I to think you cruel and selfish instead of our kind old friend?"

"No, no, my dear Mary!" cried the doctor, excitedly. "Selfish? Well, perhaps I am, but--"

"Hush!" said the curate softly; and again, "let me think."

A silence fell upon the little group, and the chirping of the birds in the pleasant country garden was all that broke that silence for many minutes to come.

Then the Reverend Arthur rose from his seat and moved towards the door, motioning to them not to follow him as he went out into the garden, and they saw him from the window go up and down the walks, as if communing with all his familiar friends, asking, as it were, their counsel in his time of trial.

At last he came slowly back into the room, where the elderly lovers had been seated in silence, neither daring to break the spell that was upon them, feeling as they did how their future depended upon the brother's words.

They looked at him wonderingly as he came into the room pale and agitated, as if suffering from the reaction of a mental struggle; but there was a smile of great sweetness upon his lips as he said, softly:

"Harry, old friend, I never had a brother. You will be really brother to me now."

"No, no!" cried his sister, excitedly. "You shall not sacrifice yourself like this!"

"Hush, dear Mary," he replied calmly; "let me disabuse your mind. You confessed to me your love for Harry Bolter here. Why should I stand in the way of your happiness?"

"Because it would half kill you to be left alone."