Mrs.Blyth cast many an anxious look towards the fireplace.

After the lapse of a few minutes Madonna turned round and came back to the couch.

The traces of tears had almost entirely disappeared from her face.

She made a little appealing gesture that asked Mrs.Blyth to be silent about what had happened while they were alone; kissed, as a sign that she wished to be forgiven, the hand that was held out to her; and then sat down quietly again in her accustomed place.
At the same moment a voice was heard talking and laughing boisterously in the hall.

Then followed a long whispering, succeeded by a burst of giggling from the housemaid, who presently ascended to Mrs.Blyth's room alone, and entered--after an explosion of suppressed laughter behind the door--holding out at arm's length a pair of boxing-gloves.
"If you please, sir," said the girl, addressing Valentine, and tittering hysterically at every third word, "Master Zack's down stairs on the landing, and he says you're to be so kind as put on these things (he's putting another pair on hisself) and give him the pleasure of your company for a few minutes in the painting-room." "Come on, Blyth," cried the voice from the stairs.