Before Mrs Forbes had time to discover that she was shocked, she was captivated by the pale, patient face, and the longing blue eyes, that looked at her as if the child felt that she ought to have been her mother, but somehow they had missed each other.

They gazed out of the shadows of the mass of dark brown wavy hair that fell to her waist, and there was no more any need for Alec to contradict Bruce's calumny.

But Mrs Forbes was speedily recalled to a sense of propriety by observing that Alec too was staring at Annie with a mingling of amusement, admiration, and respect.
"What have you been about, Mary ?" she said, in a tone of attempted reproof.

"You have made a perfect fright of the child.

Take her away." When Annie was once more brought back, with her hair restored to its net, silent tears of mortification were still flowing down her cheeks .-- When Annie cried, the tears always rose and flowed without any sound or convulsion.