“And so am I, and with as good reason.  Your brother owes her much, but I think I owe her more.”

“More!” said Harriett; “oh!  I see.  Peggy nursed and saved the lives of Emily and little Harry, and perhaps of Mrs. Phillips, too, and my brother is greatly indebted to her; but I suppose she nursed your precious self through an illness all but mortal, so you are still more grateful.  I know that you gentlemen think a great deal of number one.  I understand the thing clearly.”

Walter Brandon paused a minute.  “No, it is not that, Miss Phillips; but Peggy raised my opinion of all women.  Her courage, her devotion, her self-denial, and her truthfulness made me think more highly of all her sex; and if ever I am blessed with a wife she will have cause to cherish the memory of that homely Scotchwoman.”

“To think that a gentleman who had a mother and sisters, should need such a lesson from a woman like Peggy,” said Harriett, incredulously.

“One’s mother and sisters are always looked on as exceptional people—­placed like saints in a consecrated shrine,” said Brandon; “but here was a woman with no particularly careful training or education, battling with the world alone and unprotected, and doing always the right thing at the right time, and in the right way—­and truly she has her reward.  Those orphan children will rise up and call her blessed, and if she has no husband to do it, her own works will praise her in the gates.”

“I did not think that you knew as much of your Bible as to be able to make so long a quotation,” said Miss Phillips, who could not understand or sympathize with Brandon’s enthusiasm; but Elsie fully appreciated this generous and well-deserved tribute to Peggy’s character.  She saw now that she had been too rash in her rejection of her only lover.  It was only now that she had lost him for ever that she had discovered the real goodness of his character; but she was pleased, very much pleased to find out that Peggy’s conduct had been understood and admired by Mr. Brandon, and had done him such excellent service.  To think him worthy was delightful, even though she should never see anything more of him henceforward.  The colour rose to her cheek and the lustre to her eye, and when Brandon’s glance met her bright face, he could not help confessing that she was very pretty, let the Phillipses say what they pleased, and the idea of having a little conversation with her in the evening was much more agreeable to him than Harriett would have at all approved of.

Chapter VIII.

Francis Makes A Favourable Impression On Harriett Phillips