Rujub, the Juggler

mother had been left with an income that enabled her to live, as she said, genteelly, at Brighton. She had three children: the eldest a girl of twe

elfish and querulous woman, very difficult to satisfy even in little matters, and with a chronic suspicion that everyone with whom she came in contact was trying to get the best of her. Her eldest girl was likely, Captain Hannay thought, to take after her moth

ed because their means would not permit them to indulge in either to the fullest extent. There was nothing in common between her and her sister, who, when at home for the holidays, spent her

were a dog. I don't think you notice him more, not one bit. He wanders about the

f you are wicked enough to get into a passion. What can we do for him that we don't do? What is the use of talking to him when he never pays attention to what we say,

u might love him, and that would be everything to him. I don't b

bad girl. I shall write to Miss Virtue about you; there must be something very wrong i

pstairs, for Robert soon followed her up, for when she was at home he rarely left her side, watching her every look and gesture wit

Virtue, and the evening after she returned

. She says you are a passionate and wicked girl. How is it, dear; you

being stuck up and unnatural, and they don't like me because I am not pretty, and because I am thin and don't look, as mamma says, a credit to her; but it is not that so much as because of Robert. You know he is deformed, Miss Vir

ly eleven years old, and too young to be a judge of these matters, and eve

no use, Miss Virtue; if it was not for him I would much rather never go home at all, but stop here through the holidays, only what would he do if I didn't go home? I am th

ad, if it is as you say, but that does not excuse your being

bert, Miss Virtue? Surely they must

training. Children of that kind have sometimes shown a great deal of unusual talen

ian. I know if I were to speak to mamma about Robert going to school it would be of no use; but if uncle writes I dare say it would be done. I

deal too young to judge your elders, even if they were not related to you; and, pray, if you write to your

r that he wished her to do so, and that people out abroad had great pleasure in letters from England. H

dull for him having nothing to do all day. But Captain Hannay read through the lines, and felt that it was a protest against her brother's treatment, and that she would not have written to him had she not felt that so only would anything be done for him. Accordingly he wrote home to his sister in law, saying he thought it was quite time now that the boy should be placed with some gentleman who took a few lads unfitted for the rough life of an ordinary school. He should take

ore been constantly on her mind. It was a delight to her now to go home and to see the steady improvement t

ly attached to her as ever, and during the holidays they were never separated; they stood quite alone, their mother and sister interesting themselves but

never intended that he should be able to override my wishes; but though I have written to him several times about it, he says that he sees no valid reason for any change, and that from Isobel's letters to him she seems very happy there, and to be getting on well. She is so very unlike dear Helena, and even when at home I see but little of her; she is c

elfishness in her disposition, and while she was greatly liked by girls of her own age, she was quite adored by little ones. The future that she always pictured to herself was a little cottage with a bright garden in the suburbs of London, where she and Robert could live together-she would go out as a daily governess; Robert

time when she would begin to carry her plan into effect, a ter

week later we heard that the doctors were of opinion it was a case of sudden consumption, and that the end was rapidly approaching. I went up to town to see him, and found him even worse than I expected, and was in no way surprised when this morning I

nd she remained another six months at school, whe

u such happiness in carrying it into effect, that I at once fell in with it and put aside my own plan. But the case is altered now, and I can see no reason why I cannot have my own way. When I was in England I made up my mind that unless I married, which was a most improbable contingency, I would,

time to time I have been in correspondence with the clergyman he was with, and learned that the doctor who attended them thought but poorly of him. I had him taken to two firs

t as well not to say anything of my plan, but by the time you receive this, it will be six months since your great loss, and you will be able to look at it in a fairer light than you c

ll I have heard of you show that you have grown up just as he would have wished you to do. Your sister Helena is your mother's child, and, without wishing to hurt your feelings, your mother and I have nothing in common. I regard you as the only relati

Tell him when you can be ready. He will put you in the way of the people you had

ut here. All you will have to do will be to get measured and to give them an idea of your likes and fancies as to colors and so on. They w

ter, and I shall look most anxiously for a letter from you saying that you will come, and

her at Miss Virtue's in spite of her mother's complaints. At home she had never felt comfortable; it had always seemed to her that she was in the way; her mother disapproved of her; while from Helena she had never had a sisterly word. To go out to India

nnay had heard from the Major of his wishes and intention

of Helena?" she said angrily to Isobe

ena would have liked to go, and I am sure you would not have liked to have had me with you instead of her. I should have thought you wo

ways been headstrong and determined to go your own way, you have never

le more patience with me, but even now if you really wish me to stay at home I

sh your uncle's money to go out of the family; he might take it into his head to leave it to a hospital for black women. Still, it would have been only right and proper that he should at any

strongly to Isobel's plan of going out as a governess; but upon the other hand, her presence at home would in many ways have been an inconvenience. Two can make a better appearance on a fixed income than three can, and her presence at

n freely as to his monetary affairs when he

leave, I can live comfortably for that time; but, beyond that, there has been no reason why I should lay by. I am not likely ever to marry, and when I have served my full time my pension will be ample for my wants in England; but I shall

home with lots of money," Mr

ilians get five times as highly paid, and run no risks whatever. Why it sh

hat the Major's savings could amount to no very great sum; although, in nine years, with higher ran

jection to him. He had, in fact, been by no means pleased with the commission, and had arrived in an unusually aggressive and snappish humor. He cut short Mrs. Hannay's well turned sentenc

am," he said; "her heart is compressed. No one c

ttendant, Dr. Wade," Mrs

, I think we understand each other; I shall be on board by eleven o'clock, and shall keep a sharp lookout for you. Don't be later than twelve; she

n time, sir,"

nd that there is no room for litter. Take the things you will require at first in one or two flat trunks which will stow under your berth; once a week or so, if the weather is fine, you will be able to get at your things in the hold. Do try if possible to pack all the things that you are likely to want to get at during th

k so, D

or shook hands with Isobel, nodded to M

closed over him. "Your uncle must have been out of his senses to select such

d written to Dr. Wade to look after me, if, as he thought probable, he might be coming out in the same ship. He said t

he is only considered a little brusque in India, all I ca

ri, and has probably killed mor

ed that your opinion differs from mine; we very seldom see matters in the same light. I only hope you may be right and I may be wrong, for otherwise the journey is not li

anied Isobel to the docks, an

gain had put him in high spirits. He escorted the party below and saw that they got lunch, showed Isobel which was her cabin, int

ot through, as the pilot announced that the tide was slackening nearly half an ho

d in the second place, there is nothing like getting everything shipshape in the cabin the very first thing after starting, then you are ready for rough weather or anything else that may occur. I have got you a chair. I thought that very likely you would not think of it, and a

ny of the passengers on board the Byculla, and she had soon many acquaintances. She was amuse

plain cloak and ugly bonnet. She is the wife of the Residen

r. Wade; what d

hat time. I pulled a tooth out for her once, and she halloaed louder than any woman I ever heard. I don't mean to say, my dear, that woman holloa any louder than men; on the contrary, they bear pain a good deal better, but she was an exception. She was twelve y

ver at Bhurtpore; he had a very close shave of it, and she has never forgotten it. She greeted me when she came on board almost with tears in her eyes at the thought of that time. I told her I had a young lad

er very much under her wing during the voyage, and Isobel

here was a straightforward frankness about her that kept men from talking nonsense to her. A compliment she simply laughed at, an attempt at flattery made her angry, and the Doctor a

indeed when I went down to see her I had still by no means made up my mind as to whether I would not take my chance of getting out in time by the next