'Have you only this one sister?' he said.

'Six, and one brother,' said she, in a tone of exulting fondness. A
short silence, and then the joyful exclamation, 'There he is!' and she
sprang to the door, leaving it open, as her fresh young voice
announced, full of gratulation, 'Here's your brother.'

'Guileless and unconscious of evil, poor child!' thought the brother;
'but I wonder how Arthur likes the news.'

Arthur entered, a fine-looking young man, of three-and-twenty, dark,
bright complexioned, tall, and robust. He showed not the least
consciousness of having offended, and his bride smiled freely as if at
rest from all embarrassment now that she had her protector.

'Well, John,' was his greeting, warmly spoken. 'You here? You look
better. How is the cough?'

'Better, thank you.'

'I see I need not introduce you,' said Arthur, laying his hand on the
arm of his blushing Violet, who shrank up to him as he gave a short
laugh. 'Have you been here long?'

'Only about five minutes.'

'And you are come to stay?'

'Thank you, if you can take me in for a day or two.'