'Kiss me, uncle,' said Minette, putting her little face out of the
window.
When she drew it in again she wiped off a tear that Rowland had left
upon her cheek.
'Good-bye, Gladys,--good-bye, Owen,' he said, stretching out his hand,
which was clasping that of his brother as the train began to move, and
separated him from the sister, brother, niece, and friend whom he loved
so well.
Poor Netta cried long and quietly in the corner of the carriage in which
she had been placed. Of course she had the side without an arm that she
might put up her feet when she liked, so Owen and Gladys were placed, of
necessity, side by side, and Minette jumped upon Gladys' lap, and began
talking of Glanyravon. Owen and Gladys were quite shy with one another.
The former studied Bradshaw, the latter occupied herself with Minette.
When Netta ceased crying, Owen tried to engage her attention, and amused
her for a time by accounts of home and country news. But by degrees she
relapsed into her usual abstraction.
Owen hated railway travelling, and was a great fidget. Out at every
station, of course, and alternately reading the newspaper and making
remarks upon the confounded November weather when in the carriage. He
scarcely addressed Gladys particularly, but talked to Netta or Minette;
and Gladys thought him very cold and constrained, but did not know that
he was thinking of what Colonel Vaughan had done years ago, and
comparing it with Mr Jones' embrace.
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