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diff --git a/43793.txt b/43793.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 904e256..0000000 --- a/43793.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4906 +0,0 @@ - LENA GRAHAM - - - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost -no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it -under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this -eBook or online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license. - - - -Title: Lena Graham -Author: Cecilia Selby Lowndes -Release Date: September 22, 2013 [EBook #43793] -Language: English -Character set encoding: US-ASCII - - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LENA GRAHAM *** - - - - -Produced by Al Haines. - - - - -[Illustration: Cover art] - - - - -[Illustration: THE SLIPPERY ROCKS. See p. 53.] - - - - - LENA GRAHAM - - - BY - CECILIA SELBY LOWNDES - - - AUTHOR OF - "LINFORD GREEN," "NEW HONOURS," ETC - - - - LONDON - FREDERICK WARNE & Co. - AND NEW YORK - - (_All rights reserved_) - - - [Illustration: Title page] - - - - - *CONTENTS.* - - - I. AT AUNT MARY'S - II. THE ARRIVAL - III. THE PETITION - IV. ON THE ROCKS - V. AUNTIE'S LETTER - VI. LEAVING MEADENHAM - VII. THE NEW HOUSE - VIII. MILLY'S NEW HAT - IX. THE SPOILT FEATHER - X. AT SIDCOMBE - XI. CONCLUSION - - - - - *LENA GRAHAM.* - - - - *CHAPTER I.* - - *AT AUNT MARY'S.* - - -"It does seem so strange not to know one's own Papa and Mama and -sisters; does it not, Auntie?" remarked Lena Graham, leaning her arm on -the mantelpiece as she spoke, and gazing thoughtfully at a photograph -that stood there. - -"You are not the only little girl in the world that has had, from one -cause or another, to be separated from her parents, Lena dear," said her -Aunt, looking up from her work to answer her little niece. "And I think -you have been very happy with me, my pet," she continued. - -In a moment Lena was beside her, saying, "Happy! oh yes, there never was -such a good kind Auntie as you anywhere; but I cannot help wondering if -they will love me. And"---- - -"Love you, Lena, your parents!" interrupted her Aunt. - -"Not exactly that either, Auntie, for I know they do from their letters, -but you know they have Milly and Lucy." - -"And Aunt Mary has only her little Lena," said Miss Somerville, stroking -back her niece's hair, and looking fondly at the young face lifted to -hers. "You will be so happy altogether, dear, that you will wonder how -you ever got on without companions of your own age." - -"I mean to be so kind to them, Auntie, and lend them all my things, and -help Milly with her lessons; for you know I am much older than she is." - -"Only two years; and I fancy, from all I hear, that Milly is old for her -age. She has seen more than my little girl, so I don't think you will -find her so much younger in her ways than yourself." - -"I am two years and five months older than she is," said Lena, who liked -to have what she considered the full advantage. - -"We shall know all about it very soon, for, if I am not much mistaken, -there will be a letter to-night saying when they will arrive here." - -Lena was too excited and impatient to settle down quietly that evening -to either books or work; even the doll was neglected, which was not -often the case, for Lena was devoted to this especial one, who was -called after her two unknown sisters, "Millicent Lucy," as a special -token of affection. - -She wandered aimlessly about the room, now stopping to gaze at the -photograph on the mantel-piece, and ask, for the hundredth time, "if it -was really like," then to the window to peep out and wonder when the -"postman would come," and if, when he did come, he would bring a letter -from the expected travellers. - -The photograph that engrossed so much of her thoughts and attention -consisted of a group of four persons. Mrs. Graham was seated, holding -little Lucy on her knee; at her feet, Milly was sitting on a stool; -while Colonel Graham stood, leaning one arm on his wife's chair, and -looking, Lena thought, very grave and a little bit stern. Perhaps, -thought Lena, "that was because he was accustomed to command his -soldiers, and had been in battle." She hoped he did not always look -like that, for if he did she might be a little bit afraid of him, though -Auntie did say, "there was no fear of such a thing happening." - -Lena Graham had only a very dim, childish remembrance of her parents, -for it was fully six years since she had seen them. Just half her young -life had been passed under Aunt Mary's loving care. - -Six years before our story commences, Colonel Graham's regiment was -ordered to India. At first both he and his wife had hoped to take their -little girls out with them, but just at that time Lena was taken ill; -and though better and stronger when the time came for their leaving -England, she was not strong enough, the doctor said, to stand a hot -climate. It was then that Miss Somerville, Mrs. Graham's sister, had -offered to take charge of the little Lena. - -Millicent was a strong, healthy child, and well able to stand the -climate, at any rate for a year or two. About a year after their -leaving England, Colonel Graham was offered an appointment for five -years at one of the hill stations, which he gladly accepted, as the -climate was as cool and healthy as at home, and thus was able not only -to keep Millicent with them, but the baby sister that had been born -after their arrival in the far East. - -The five years had now come to an end. And the day before we make the -acquaintance of their daughter Helena, or Lena as she was always called, -Colonel and Mrs. Graham had arrived in England. - -The child was naturally all eagerness to see them; not even the -knowledge that in a few days she would be separated from her Aunt could -cast a shadow over her, and, childlike, she was too much absorbed in her -own prospects of happiness, to note the shade of sadness that sometimes -crossed her Aunt's kind face, as she listened to her merry chatter, at -the thought that would intrude itself, of how sorely she would miss her -little niece's loving companionship, and how dull the house would be -when the sound of the bright young voice would be heard there no longer. - -The last few years had been very happy ones to both aunt and niece, and -Lena warmly returned all the love and care that had been lavished on -her. - -Miss Somerville was not strong, and both from this circumstance, and -also from inclination, her life had been a secluded one, and her whole -time and attention had been devoted to the education and bringing up of -her young charge. - -It would be a different life, she knew, that her niece would lead after -this, for in the future she would have to share not only her lessons but -her pleasures with her sisters, and instead of being the first to be -considered, as had been the case hitherto, she would be one among -others, and would have to learn not only to take but give. (And as our -story goes on, we shall see what fruits she will show of the loving -training she had received.) - -As these thoughts passed through Miss Somerville's mind, the postman's -knock was heard at their door. With one bound Lena was out of the room, -exclaiming, "There he is at last!" returning in a very short space of -time with a letter in her hand. - -"It's from Papa; I know his handwriting. Do make haste, Auntie, and -read it. I wonder Mama did not write to me." - -"They will be here to-morrow, darling. Poor Mama had a headache, from -all the bustle and noise of London, I should think. The black nurse she -brought home with her has already got an engagement to return with a -lady to her own country, so they will have to come without a nurse. -Hester will be able to look after Lucy until Mama finds one to suit -her." - -"O Auntie, I will look after Lucy; I am sure I could do all she wants." - -Auntie laughed as she answered, "I don't think you quite understand the -duties of a nurse, dear, but you can be of great use and comfort to -Mama, I am sure." - -"Yes, I mean to be," was the confident answer. - -"You mean, dear, you will try to be." - -But Lena did not wait to answer. She left the room, saying, "I must go -and tell Hester that they are really coming to-morrow." And off she -went, only to return with some new question that she wanted Auntie to -answer. - -Not until the bell rang for prayers did she quiet down, and when she -rose from her knees there was a very grave, subdued look on her face. - -As soon as they were alone, she flung her arms round her Aunt's neck, -exclaiming, "Ah, I do wish you were coming too! It won't be perfectly -happy without you, Auntie, darling." - -"Dear one, you must not expect perfect happiness anywhere in this -world," she answered, returning her embrace. - -"But I shall miss you so." - -"And I shall miss you sadly; but I cannot be so selfish, as to grudge -Mama the happiness of having her eldest daughter with her." - -"I do so long to see her, my very own Mama, but I want you too." - -"What a greedy little creature! Why, you will have Milly and Lucy, as -well as Papa and Mama, and not satisfied!" - -"If I had you too, I should be perfectly satisfied. I should not want -anything else in the world." - -"Ah, Lena dear, I fear that you would not find it so." - -"Yes, I am sure I should." - -Auntie shook her head. "Don't be too confident, dear; you must not -expect that in the future you will have everything you want. You will -have to share your pleasures with Milly." - -"Oh, I shall like that." - -"I am very glad to hear it, dear," was the quiet answer. - -"Now, Auntie, don't look so grave; for you will see how well I shall -behave, and show that your child can be really good." - -"Not my child, Lena dear. To be really good you must be the child of -God." - -Auntie spoke so gravely that Lena, humbled and ashamed, whispered, "Yes -indeed, Auntie, I will try," as she gave and received her good-night -kiss. - -Miss Somerville lived in a pretty sea-coast town called West Meadenham. -In truth, it was but a suburb of Meadenham proper, but that town had -grown so large of late years that the numerous streets, squares, and -terraces that had sprung up around it, considered themselves important -enough to have a name of their own; but as if to show to the world in -general, that they did not wish to throw off all allegiance from the -dear old town, that nestled so comfortably at the foot of the high cliff -that sheltered it from the cold east winds of spring, it modestly -christened itself, West Meadenham, instead of choosing a new name. - -The next day arrived, fine as heart could wish, a bright sun shining -overhead, and a soft breeze blowing from the sea. No wonder that Lena -exclaimed, "How lovely!" as she came out of the house and gazed around -her as if drinking in the beauty of the morning. - -The trees were all decked in their first fresh young green, the air -scented with the sweet perfume of the spring flowers, that made the -garden of Scarsdale Villa look quite gay even in April. Their house was -the last of a row of villas almost in the country, and before and behind -them stretched green fields. - -Let me describe Lena Graham to you, as she stands, sniffing up the fresh -air that brings the healthy roses into her cheeks, and gives her a -hearty appetite for the bread-and-butter that she is only waiting for -Aunt Mary's appearance to attack with good-will. - -A sturdy little English girl, rather short for her age, with rosy cheeks -and bright intelligent brown eyes, that glance here, there, and -everywhere; long light-brown hair, tied back from her face with a blue -ribbon, that matches in colour the blue serge dress she wears. The face -has a bright, open expression, and the girl's whole appearance speaks of -the happy, peaceful life she leads. Shading her eyes with her hand from -the sun, she looks about attentively. - -"Yes," she remarks to herself in a low voice, "I can get plenty for both -rooms without spoiling the garden. I think Mama shall have the violets, -and Milly the primroses; and I shall ask Auntie to let me run to the -fields and get some cowslips for Lucy; and Papa shall have some of all, -because he is the only man." Here her meditations were broken into by -hearing Auntie's voice calling-- - -"Lena, Lena, where are you, dear child?" - -"Here; Auntie; it's such a lovely day, do come out just for one minute." - -"It must be only for one minute then," said her Aunt as she joined her. -"Yes, it is a lovely day. We can welcome Papa and Mama with both -sunshine and smiles." - -"Sunshine in doors and out," said Lena, with a beaming look as they -entered the house together. - -Lena always did lessons with her Aunt, but to-day was to be a holiday, -for Miss Somerville saw that the child was too excited and nervous to -settle down quietly to work; and besides that, there was a good deal to -be done in the way of preparation for the expected travellers, for it -was not often that so large a party as four people came to visit their -quiet household. - -They were not expected until five o'clock, so Lena had the whole day -before her to wonder and speculate in. The morning passed away quickly, -as time always does when one is busy and occupied, and in the afternoon -Lena was to arrange the flowers in the different rooms. Aunt Mary quite -approved of the arrangement Lena had made as to the ones each was to -have, though she asked why Lena had chosen those especial ones. - -"Violets for Mama, because they are so sweet; and they are getting -scarce now, you know, Auntie: they are nearly over in the garden." - -"I didn't know that." - -"Why, Auntie, we have picked them all; I wish I had not now. And then -primroses for Milly, because they are my favourite flower, and I want -her to like all I do." - -"Or you could like what she does?" - -"But she must like primroses, she couldn't help it; then cowslips for -Lucy, they are nearly as nice as primroses; but I want Milly to have the -nicest, because she's to be my great friend; and I thought Papa ought to -have some of all." Here Lena stopped, and looked at her Aunt for -approval. - -"Very well, dear; come out and get them." - -"And may I arrange them?" - -"Yes, and put them in the different rooms." - -"Thank you, Auntie dear. And then may I put on my best dress? I do -want to look nice when they come." - -"Yes, darling," said Miss Somerville with a smile. Then she went to the -window and watched the child as she gathered the flowers, flitting from -one place to another, as busy as a bee, looking up every now and then, -to nod smilingly to her Aunt, or to hold up her treasures to be admired. - -No fear, she thought, of her parents or any one not thinking her nice, -as Lena had expressed it. She smiled to herself as she thought of the -happiness of the parents at getting back the child from whom they had so -long been parted; and much as she would miss the cheerful, loving little -companion who had brightened her lonely life, she felt it would be -better for Lena herself to take her place once more among young -companions. In the nursery or the school-room, where there are two or -three together, it is, as it were, a little world of its own. No one in -particular can have the entire care and thought of the whole household. -All must take their place and their share both in the duties and -pleasures of everyday life. This was exactly what had been wanting to -Lena, and hers was a character that especially required it. It is so -very easy for any one of us to accustom ourselves to be the first to be -considered, and Lena was no exception to this. She had a warm, loving -heart, but a proud, wilful temper; humility was a grace she sadly -lacked. A loving word from Auntie would bring the ready tears to Lena's -eyes, but what she considered a hard or disparaging word would make them -flash as quickly. How she and Millicent would get on together, was -rather an anxious thought to Miss Somerville, for dearly as she loved -her little niece, she was not blind to her faults; and if the sisters -were alike in character, there would not, she feared, be always peace. -Lena had a very decided opinion on the subject of elder sisters, and -that she was the eldest of the family, she always made a point of -dwelling upon. - -Neither a cloud nor a doubt crossed the child's own mind as to the -future. Of course Millicent and Lucy would love her as much as she was -prepared to love them, and they would all be so happy together, she -knew. The only shadow was the thought that she would have to part with -dear Aunt Mary; but as that parting was not to be at once, she cast the -thought away with the happy ease of childhood. - - - - - *CHAPTER II.* - - *THE ARRIVAL.* - - -As it struck five by the drawing-room clock, Lena threw open the -hall-door and ran to the gate; and opening it, she went out and gazed -eagerly down the road. - -Scarsdale Villa, as Aunt Mary's house was called, was built on the top -of a long hill that ran straight down into the town. As Lena now stood, -the town itself seemed to be at her feet, and beyond the houses lay the -sea, stretching away into the distance, far as the eye could reach, and -now sparkling in the bright spring sunshine. But its beauty was quite -thrown away upon Lena; her eager gaze was fixed on one particular spot -on the road--the turning to the station. - -She had not long to wait, for in a very few minutes she was gladdened by -the sight of a cab, well covered with luggage, coming round the corner, -and commencing the ascent of the hill. - -At this sight, she turned and darted back into the house, calling loudly -for "Auntie." - -"Do you see them, dear?" Miss Somerville asked. - -"There's a cab coming this way, and it has luggage; it must be them, I -am sure. Do come out and look." Taking her Aunt's hand, they went out -together and watched the well-laden cab as it came slowly up the hill. - -Often and often had Lena grumbled at that weary hill, when she came -home, tired-out after a long afternoon's ramble on the sands, or a walk -into Meadenham, but never before had she thought it so long and tedious -as that day. She watched the cab come "creeping along," as she called -it. - -Then as it drew very near, a new fit came over her--a fit of shyness. -Clasping Auntie's hand very tight, she crept very close to her, -whispering, "I do hope;" but she had no time to say more, for at that -moment a gentleman's head was put out of the cab window, that Lena -instantly recognised as the same face whose photograph she had looked at -so often. "Papa!" she almost gasped in her excitement. - -"Here they are, waiting to welcome us home," called out Colonel Graham -in a loud, cheery voice, and then the cab stopped, and there came warm, -loving greetings. Lena had no very distinct recollection of all that -was done or said for the next few minutes, but among all the greetings -and fuss of arrival was one remembrance, that Lena thought would never -leave her. - -It was Mama's soft voice, that said, "My darling child; thank God for -giving you back to me," so loving and tender, that Lena knew then how -dear she was to Mama. - -Not till they were all seated quietly in the drawing-room had Lena time -to take a good look at these dear ones. - -Ah, she would have known Mama anywhere, she was sure, for there was the -same sweet gentle face, that had looked at her from her picture, day -after day. And Papa did not look one bit stern, or grave, but was just -the sort of papa she approved of; and dear, fat, chubby Lucy, with her -fair curls and blue eyes--"a perfect pet" was Lena's verdict of her -little sister; but Millicent, who was to be her own particular sister -and companion, she was not quite what she expected her to be. - -As she sat on the sofa beside Mama, her hand clasped in hers, she heard -Aunt Mary say-- - -"They are very like, really; the same eyes and hair, and the likeness -will be more apparent when Milly gets some of Lena's roses and -plumpness." What Lena saw was a tall slight girl, as tall as herself, -though she had two years and five months the advantage in age, with -large serious brown eyes, and a pale face. - -"No." Lena thought Auntie mistaken in this matter; surely she and Milly -were not alike. As she gazed, or, I might say, stared at her sister, -their eyes met, and Milly smiled such a sweet loving smile that lighted -up her whole face, and that so altered and improved it, that Lena was -not so much disposed to disagree with her Aunt's opinion as before. - -Tea was brought in, and Lena was too busy waiting upon the travellers to -think more about the likeness. Milly was shy and quiet; but that Lena -did not so much object to, as it would enable her to show her all the -more kindness and attention, for of course she was at home here, and the -truth must be told, liked doing the honours of the house. Her sudden -fit of nervousness soon passed off, and she was giving Mama her tea, and -chatting away quite at her ease before very long. - -"Milly and I are to stay up and have dinner with you to-night, Mama," -said Lena. "Auntie thought Lucy would go to bed then, for it is not -till seven." - -"I hope you have not altered your hours for us, Mary?" said Colonel -Graham. - -"Now Papa, please," began Lena. - -"No, no, my little girl," he said very decidedly, "we cannot allow your -Aunt to alter her hours; it is very kind of her to have such a large -party of us, as it is." - -"We will talk about that to-morrow," said Miss Somerville with a smile. -"Now I think it is time for you all to come and see your rooms; one -little pair of eyes is looking very sleepy." - -Lucy, who was alluded to, was sitting by the table, her little head -nodding and her eyes half-closed; but at the mere suggestion of bed she -protested crossly, "that she did not want to go to bed." - -"We are all going upstairs, darling; you don't want to stay down here by -yourself, do you?" - -No, Lucy didn't want that, so she consented to go up with the others. - -"Let me carry you," proposed Lena, lovingly. - -Now Lucy was tired and sleepy, and, as very often happens in these -cases, very cross, so instead of responding to Lena's kindly offer, she -pushed her away with, "No, don't want you; Milly must." - -A shade came over Lena's face, she had meant so kindly. "O Lucy, what a -cross little thing you are," said Milly. "She doesn't mean it, Lena, -only she is accustomed to me; and last night I had to do it because Nana -was gone, and Mama had such a bad headache," she went on to say, as she -followed Lena upstairs with Lucy in her arms. - -"I will send Hester to help you, Milly," said her Aunt; "you must be -tired too." - -"And Mama wants Lena to help her this first evening," said Mrs. Graham, -drawing the girl to her side lovingly, for she had seen the shadow that -had come to the child's face at Lucy's cross words. "You must not mind -Lucy being cross, dear, for the child has been excited and wearied with -all the changes and strangeness of her life the last few days, and I am -sorry to say has been rather spoilt on board ship. It is very difficult -to avoid it there." - -"And has not Milly?" - -"Ah, Milly is such a quiet, staid little mortal, she is not easily -spoiled; she has been the greatest comfort to me during the voyage, and -now I have you too, my little one," was Mrs. Graham's answer, as she -took Lena's face in both hands and kissed it, then, looking at her -lovingly, said, "I think I should hardly have known you for the same -white, delicate little thing that I left with such a sad heart all these -years ago." - -"Dear Mama," was Lena's only answer. - -As they entered the bedroom, Mrs. Graham exclaimed, "Ah what sweet -violets, my favourite flower! I think I can guess who placed them -here." - -"I did not know they were your favourites, but they are so sweet I -thought you must like them." - -"Such a pretty, homelike room," said Mama, looking round. "I often used -to try and picture to myself what my little girl was doing, and what her -surroundings were like." - -"Wasn't Aunt Mary living here when you went away?" - -"No, dear; she came here in hopes that the sea air would make you strong -and rosy again, as it has." - -"O Mama, you can see the sea from the windows in Papa's dressing-room; -do come and look at it." - -Taking her mother's hand, they went into the dressing-room, the window -of which looked over the garden and towards the sea. Here they were -joined by Colonel Graham, and as Lena stood between them, a hand clasped -in each of theirs, she thought that there was not a happier little girl -in the world than herself, and I think she was right. Silence fell upon -them as they looked; so long it lasted that Lena looked up at her -mother, and seeing her eyes full of tears, asked anxiously-- - -"Mama, what is it; what are you thinking of; aren't you happy?" - -"Very happy, darling," said Mama, smiling down on her through her tears. -"I was thinking how good and grateful we ought to be to Him, who has -guarded us all these long years, and now brought us together again. - -"Safely and well," added Papa. - -"And, my Lena, we all must try to show our love and thankfulness not -only in words, but in very deed and truth." - -At that moment a knock was heard at the door, and Milly looked in. "As -you were not in your room, Mama, I thought you must be in here," she -said. - -"Looking at your beloved sea," said Papa, holding out his hand to her to -come and join them. - -"Is Milly so fond of it?" asked Lena. - -"Yes, so fond that we were thinking of making a present of her to the -captain of our ship," said Papa, laughing. - -"I have the sea here, and you as well, and," she added shyly, "Lena -too." - -"True, most sensible of little women; but, Lena, you must not think she -is always so alarmingly sensible, for alas!"--and here Papa shook his -head with affected sadness,--"she does love fun and romping sometimes." - -Millicent laughed as Lena exclaimed eagerly-- - -"Oh, I am so glad, for I do, and I do want her to be my companion; we -can have such fun on the rocks, Milly." - -"Yes, dear; I trust you will be firm friends as well as companions. -Milly has been longing for sister Lena." - -"And I have been longing for her," was Lena's answer. - -"You have been very quick putting Lucy to bed: was she good?" asked Mrs. -Graham. - -"Oh, Hester did that; she was quite good with her, and Aunt Mary said I -had better not stay, for she wanted her to grow accustomed to Hester." - -"And where are you to sleep?" - -"In the room with Lucy. I took off my things there, and I thought you -might want me to help you." - -"Oh, let me do that to-night," pleaded Lena. - -"I shall be glad of help from you both. We have been idling our time -away here talking instead of getting ready for dinner, and nothing is -unpacked." - -So saying, Mrs. Graham returned to her room, followed by the two girls, -and very soon they were both busily engaged, undoing parcels, and -getting out things that were required for the night. At first they -delayed one another by both working at the same box, and strewing its -contents over the floor. Such dreadful confusion ensued from this, that -Mrs. Graham proposed that one should do the unpacking, while the other -put the things away tidily in the drawers. - -"Who shall unpack?" asked Lena. - -"Well, I think you had better, and Milly can put away, for she knows -what we shall require at first." - -"I shall know soon, too, shan't I?" asked Lena; "but I like unpacking -best, and seeing what you have got." - -"You will never get through your work if you stop to examine and admire -everything," said Mrs. Graham, as she watched her taking a good look at -each thing she brought out of the box. - -Milly took the opportunity while she was stooping down to take some -clothes out of Lena's arms, to whisper, "I like the flowers so much." - -"Do you know which are meant for you?" she asked, stopping in her work -for a reply. - -"Yes, the primroses, Aunt Mary told me. I think them lovely." - -After this they worked away busily until dinner-time. Then, when the -bell sounded, Lena rushed off to tell Aunt Mary what she had been doing, -and also to inform her that they were all dear darlings; and, "what did -Auntie think of Milly?" - -Auntie's opinion was very favourable. - -Then Lena suggested, "But don't you think she is very quiet?" - -"She is very sweet and gentle, and I think very shy; but as you know, -Lena, I do not dislike a little bit of shyness in children; it is far, -far better than being forward." - -"But not too shy?" - -"Milly is not that; and I feel sure that you will be great friends as -well as loving little sisters before long." - -This conversation took place as they went down to the drawing-room, Lena -hanging on to her Aunt's arm, as she eagerly questioned her. Finding no -one in the drawing-room, Lena began again-- - -"Isn't she tall, Auntie, nearly as tall as I am?"--the "she" alluded to -being, of course, Milly. - -"Quite as tall as you are, I think, though that is not such an enormous -height, for"---- - -"No, I know," burst in Lena; "I wish I was taller, because people will -never believe that I am so much older than she is." - -Miss Somerville laughed as she answered, "I do not think that that need -cause you unhappiness, dear." - -The entrance of Mrs. Graham and Milly put an end to their conversation; -then Colonel Graham came in, and they all went into the dining-room. - -After dinner the two sisters went off together to Lena's room, to see -all her treasures. There had been a certain constraint and shyness -between them, as is so often the case with children in the presence of -their elders. When they were alone, this wore off very quickly, and -soon they were chatting away together, the best of friends; and although -Lena's tongue was going at a gallop, Milly managed to keep up a very -good second. - -When Aunt Mary came to tell them it was time to go to bed, she found -them seated, side by side, on the floor, Milly clasping in her arms -"Millicent Lucy," while Lena held forth on the doings and sayings of -Aunt Mary and herself; and promising Milly all sorts of delights, in -both their names. - -"O Auntie, we are having such a nice talk." - -"Which I have come to put an end to." - -"Already?" - -"Yes, dears; it is prayer-time now." - -At this both girls jumped up, and Dolly being put away carefully, the -two girls followed their Aunt downstairs, hand clasped in hand. - -Later, Mama went up with her two girls to see Lucy. Such a pretty -picture she made, Lena thought, as she looked down on the chubby little -face, all flushed with sleep, one small arm thrown over her head, and -the fair curls all tossed about in confusion. As Mrs. Graham looked -down on her little one, her heart swelled with love and gratitude at -once more having all her children with her. Putting an arm round each of -the others, she said in a low voice, "I trust, darlings, that you both -thanked Him to-night for His great mercy to us all?" - -"Yes, Mama," Milly whispered, shyly. "And for letting Lena be so nice -and kind, and Aunt Mary too." - -"And, Mama, I have to thank Him for double as much as Milly has, for I -have four of you all at once, and you are all just as nice as I hoped -and expected." - -"I am glad you are not disappointed in any of us, darling," answered her -mother with a smile; "but we must not talk any more beside Lucy or we -shall awake her." - -"I may give her one kiss, please, Mama," said Lena; "she does look such -a sweet!" - -"Only one, and try and not to awake her, dear," was the answer. Then -they left Milly, and Mama took Lena to her room, and said good-night. - -Aunt Mary had been in and given her good-night kiss, and Lena was just -falling off to sleep, all sorts of pleasant happy thoughts passing -through her mind, in the confused sort of way that so often happens -after anything pleasant has occurred--thoughts half real, half dreams, -all jumbled up together in hopeless confusion, but very sweet -withal,--when the door of her room opened very gently, but still making -just noise enough to call forth the sleepy question, "Auntie, is that -you?" - -"No, darling, it's Mama." - -"Mama!" she exclaimed, raising her head and rubbing her sleepy eyes. - -"I could not go to sleep without one more look at my newly restored -treasure." - -Throwing her arms round her mother's neck, she said fervently, "I am so -glad to have you, Mama; and I will be a treasure to you and be so good, -indeed I will." - -"God grant it, my darling," was Mama's answer to her as she laid the -sleepy little head on the pillow again. Then kneeling beside her -child's little bed she thanked Him, in a few heartfelt words, for having -watched over and guarded her little one, during those six long years of -separation. - - - - - *CHAPTER III.* - - *THE PETITION.* - - -The next few days passed away very happily. Having her sisters with her -as companions quite equalled Lena's fondest expectations. Not a jar or -a discord had broken the harmony of those days as yet. Milly was so -nice, and always ready to admire and enjoy everything that Lena did or -proposed; and as to giving up things,--certainly little Lucy did -sometimes want what her elder sisters were playing with, but it was very -easy to please and satisfy her, she was such a sweet little thing. Lena -often wondered how Auntie could have feared her not liking to do it. - -It was the end of April when the Grahams came to West Meadenham, and now -May had arrived--bright warm sunshiny May, enabling them to spend most -of their time out of doors, either in the garden or the fields. And -nicest of all, many a happy hour was spent on the sands and among the -rocks, while their parents and Aunt walked up and down the Parade, -watching them, or would sit with books and work on the shingle, ready to -listen to all their doings when they rushed up breathless and eager to -recount them. - -But these bright delightful days could not last for ever. The first -change was Colonel Graham's leaving them for a few days on a visit to -some relations; and Lena had a shrewd suspicion, from words that she had -heard fall from Aunt Mary, that other changes were in store for them -also; but at present she was too much occupied with her sisters to think -much about it. - -The day after Colonel Graham left, Mama and Auntie announced that they -were going to be very busy, preparing Milly's and Lucy's summer-dresses, -and that they wanted Hester's assistance, so the three children might -play out in the garden together quietly. - -"Not go to the beach to-day?" - -"I am afraid not. You can be very happy without going there for one -afternoon." - -"But, Mama," argued Lena, "it is such a pity not to go to-day, because -it's low tide in the afternoon, and we should be able to have such a -nice long time on the rocks--do let us go." - -"Run away now and play in the garden, and we will see what can be done -about it after dinner." - -"I do hope you will let us, Mama, Lena says." - -"Never mind what Lena says, Milly. You must both do what you are told. -It is not the way to gain your wishes by being disobedient." - -The two girls went slowly and reluctantly from the room, and taking -their hats, went into the garden. - -What had come over them both I know not: perhaps it was that the last -few days had been too pleasant, and they were beginning to think that -things were always to be so for them; or perhaps it was that the first -hot weather made them both feel a little bit cross and languid--it has -that effect sometimes, I believe; but whatever the reason was, the fact -was what I have stated: they both were feeling rather cross, and -inclined to take a gloomy view of things. And their being told that -they might not be able to go to the beach that day was a ready-made -grievance for them. - -They showed their feelings, however, in very different ways. While -Milly went and sat down quietly on a garden-seat, and gazed wistfully at -the object of her affections, the sea, Lena wandered about the garden in -a restless, disconsolate sort of way. Lucy was busy playing by herself -with a little cart and horse, and for a few minutes Lena played with -her; but seeing Milly leaning forward and looking quite interested, she -said hastily, "You must play by yourself now, Lucy; I want to go and -speak to Milly." - -It is a curious fact that when one is idle and unsettled, one is apt to -get a feeling of being ill used at seeing any one else looking -interested and occupied. This was what Lena felt when she saw her -sister not looking dull and wistful as before, but with a bright and -animated expression on her face. Going up to her she said, "Milly, what -are you looking at?" - -No answer. This was irritating, so she repeated her question in a -louder tone. Instead of speaking, Milly held up her hands, as if to -impose silence on her. - -This was too much for Lena in her present mood. Giving her sister a -push, she exclaimed angrily, "How rude you are not to answer me! What -_are_ you looking at?" - -"There now, Lena, you have spoilt it all." - -"Spoilt all what? How tiresome you are, Milly!" - -"I was counting the ships that passed, or that I could see, and I wanted -to count twenty, and I had only got to fourteen when you disturbed me. -Now I must begin again." - -"Oh, that's silly. It's all very well when you are by yourself, but not -when you have any one to play with." - -"What shall we do then?" asked Milly, who was now getting over her -disappointment; and as she was more accustomed to give up her own wishes -than Lena was, she was naturally of a far happier disposition. Little -Lucy had been her constant companion; and Milly was so fond of her -little sister, that she never thought it hard or disagreeable to put -aside her own pleasures and wishes to please Lucy. So now she found it -easy to give in to Lena also. Lena had not found out how much -pleasanter and happier life is when one studies the happiness of others. -Her happiness had been so studied by Aunt Mary that she took Milly's -good-natured assent as a matter of course. - -"There is nothing nice to do here, the garden is so small; and Milly, -don't you think that Mama might let us go to the beach? Aunt Mary -would, I know." - -"Mama will if she can; she always is good to us," and she gave Lena a -reproachful look for her last words. - -Lena noticed the reproach in both words and look, but she answered, -without remarking upon it, "She would not even let us stay and ask about -it. I always coax and coax Aunt Mary till she says 'Yes.'" - -"Does she always say yes when you coax?" was the surprised remark -elicited from Milly. - -"Not always," Lena had to confess, "but sometimes." - -There was a pause for a minute or two, and then Lena exclaimed eagerly, -"Do you remember that man coming with a paper for Auntie to sign, and -she told us it was a petition, and the man said the more people that -signed it, the more likely it would be to succeed." - -"Yes; what of that?" answered Milly in an independent tone. She had -gone back to her occupation of counting the vessels in sight and was -once more absorbed in it. - -"I don't believe you listened to what I was saying; I do think it unkind -of you." - -At this accusation Milly started, and turning round, said gently, "I -didn't mean to be unkind, but what has the petition to do with us?" - -"O Milly, you are stupid. Don't you see what I mean? Wouldn't it be -fine to write a petition to Mama to let us go to the beach?" - -"Yes, let us: it would be something to do." - -"I will go in and get a sheet of paper and a pencil, and then we will -all sign it. Do you remember how it began?" - -"Let me try and remember," said Milly with an air of wisdom, covering -her face with her hands, as if to prevent any outside object from -attracting her attention, only looking up, as Lena ran off to the house, -to call out, "Mind and bring a pretty piece, Lena." - -"All right," was the cheerful answer. - -A few minutes after she returned with a packet of paper in her hand. -"Look, I have brought 'terra cotta;' it's a very fashionable colour," -was her announcement, as she held it out for her sister to see. - -"It is not a very pretty colour though?" - -"No, but the woman in the shop said it was very fashionable." This was -said in a tone that admitted of no reply. - -Laying the paper on the seat they both knelt down upon the ground, and -each began to write. They decided on writing a rough copy first, and -then, as Lena said, "she, as the eldest, would copy it out tidily." - -"I took a look into the dictionary, to see that we were spelling it all -right, for we mustn't make mistakes in that, or Mama and Auntie would -laugh at us." - -There was silence for a little while, as both heads were bent over their -work: it was more difficult than they expected. At last Milly gave a -great sigh, "I can't think where humble came; it did somewhere, I know." - -"Yes, so it did. Now I remember; of course it ought to be at the end. -We must put 'Your humble children.' Let me have a look at your paper. -Why, I've got much more scratched out than you have. I've begun six -times already." - -"It's the beginning that is so difficult; but, Lena, I feel sure -'humble' was at the top somewhere." - -"Who was that petition to, I wonder?" said Lena. - -"I am sure I don't know." And they both burst out laughing. Their -ill-humour had all vanished by this time and they were in high spirits. - -"It must have been to the 'Queen.'" - -"Then they would not have put 'humble Queen.'" - -At this there came another explosion of laughter. - -"To our humble Mother and Aunt." That certainly sounded quite wrong. -They remembered that the words "Most Gracious" were what they had seen -oftenest written before their Sovereign's name. - -At last they decided to write one together; it was more amusing in -doing, and also more likely to be successful. Their continual peals of -laughter soon attracted Lucy's attention, and she hovered about them, -quite ready and anxious to assist, and growing impatient at the long -delay before she was allowed to sign her name. - -After nearly an hour's work they wrote the following:-- - - -"To our Most Gracious Mother and Aunt. - -"Please, dear darling Mama and Auntie--please let us go to the beach -this afternoon, because it will be low tide, and perhaps we shall be -able to catch some little crabs. We love playing on the rocks, and do -want to go so much. - -"Your loving and humble children, - "HELENA MARY GRAHAM. - "MILLICENT GRACE GRAHAM. - "LUCY CAROLINE GRAHAM. - -"_P.S._--We don't want anybody to go with us, and we will be very good. - - "OUR PETITION." - - -These last two words were written in very large letters at the bottom of -the page. They had an idea that it ought to be written somewhere, so -that there would be no mistake as to the nature of the document. - -When this was all done, they surveyed their work with great pride. Then -Milly ran in for an envelope, and the petition was folded up and put in, -and the address written-- - -"Mrs. GRAHAM, -"Miss SOMERVILLE." - - -Going into the house, they gave it to Emma the servant. Taking her into -their confidence, they easily obtained her promise to ring the hall-door -bell, and bring it into the dining-room on a salver. - -"What time would you like it brought in?" she asked with a smile, quite -entering into the spirit of the fun. - -"Soon," said Milly, "or Lucy will let it all out." - -"She had better not," began Lena. - -"When I have handed round the plates I will get master to ring the bell, -and then I will go out and bring it in." - -That was a delightful arrangement, and now all they had to do was to -impress upon Lucy the necessity of silence. - -As they were still pointing out to her the dreadful consequences that -would follow, if she mentioned a word about what they had been doing, -Hester was heard calling them in to get ready for their dinner. - -That something was exciting the children, was very quickly seen by both -Mama and Auntie, from the frequent and meaning looks they exchanged, and -from the state of suppressed excitement they were all in. - -The hall-door bell was heard to ring. - -"There it is!" exclaimed Lucy, eagerly. - -"Hush!" came immediately from the other two. - -Then Emma went out and returned with a letter, which she handed to Mrs. -Graham, who on reading the address had great difficulty in suppressing a -smile. - -Opening the letter, she read it through carefully; then handing it to -Miss Somerville, said, "It will require serious consideration before we -give an answer." - -"Oh, please, don't say that, Mama; we want an answer at once." - -"Your Aunt has not even read it yet. After dinner my humble little -children can come to me in the drawing-room, and then I hope to give -them a gracious answer." - -With this they had to be content, for not a word more would Mrs. Graham -say on the subject until after dinner. Lucy was carried off for an -hour's sleep; and Mama, seating herself on the sofa, drew Lena to her -side, while Milly installed herself on the other side; then Mrs. Graham -said-- - -"You are longing for an answer to your petition, I know, dears. First I -must tell you that Auntie and I graciously assent to it." - -"That means we are to go, Mama?" asked Milly. - -"Thank you, thank you," exclaimed Lena; "I told you, Milly, if we coaxed -them." - -"No, Lena dear," interrupted her mother, "that was the very thing that -nearly lost it to you. I could not promise when you asked me before, -because I never like to break a promise, and I was not sure whether it -would be safe for you three children to go alone." - -"I could have told you it would," said Lena, reproachfully. - -"But I preferred Aunt Mary's opinion," was her mother's answer, given -with a smile. - -"She thinks it safe, doesn't she, Mama?" - -"Yes, but what I want to say to you now, is particularly to you, Lena. -I saw my little girl thought I was very unkind in not consenting to her -wishes at once, and now you think I have given leave because you begged -and coaxed." - -Lena blushed furiously at this, but nodded her head, as much as to say, -"Yes, that is true." - -"What I want you both, my children, to do, is to trust me. I think it -gives me more pain to refuse you a pleasure, than you to be refused; and -when I say No, try, darlings, and believe that Mama has some good reason -for it." - -"Yes, we will," they both exclaimed at once. Then Lena went on to say, -"But, Mama, why didn't you tell us that you were not sure, and the -reason, and then I could have told you it was quite safe to go alone?" - -"In fact, dear, why did I not ask your advice, you mean?" - -"No, I didn't mean that; only if you had said"---- - -"And what about obedience, Lena?" - -Not receiving any answer, Mrs. Graham continued. "Perfect obedience, -dear, is what Papa and I both expect from all our children; and by and -by, when you know us better, you will find out that it is not only your -duty but your happiness to give it. I think Milly knows that already." - -"Yes, Mama, and I know how good you are, and always try to do what we -like." - -"And I hope Lena will soon think so too." - -"You talk as if Milly loved you better than I do," said Lena jealously, -"and I am sure she does not." - -"No, darling, I did not mean that, for I am sure you both love me -dearly. What I meant was that Milly knows me best, and understands my -ways." - -"And Lena will soon," said Milly, stooping across her mother to smile at -her sister, "for we are going to be the greatest friends, aren't we, -Lena? We have settled that a long time." - -Then, after a loving kiss from Mama, the two girls went off together to -get ready for their walk; and by the time buckets and spades had been -hunted out, and they were both ready, Lucy had had her sleep, and was -waiting for them in the hall. - -"Be sure and come in by half-past five or six at latest. Auntie won't -mind putting off Lucy's tea till then, I am sure." - -No. Auntie was quite ready to do anything she was asked; and after many -promises of being very good and careful, they started, Lena calling -back, as they shut the gate, "You can trust them to me; I will look -after them." - - - - - *CHAPTER IV.* - - *ON THE ROCKS.* - - -The three girls started off hand in hand; Lucy between the two elder -ones, holding a hand of each. As it was all down-hill, they went at such -a quick pace that it was almost a run, and brought them very quickly to -the esplanade. Here they stopped and took a look round. - -As they had told their mother, it was very nearly low tide, and a long -stretch of beach and rocks lay temptingly before them. Not a cloud was -to be seen in the sky; and the waves broke so softly and gently on the -shore, that it was hard to associate the thoughts of storms and raging -winds with that sparkling, lake-like sea. - -On either side of them stretched, as far as the children could see, the -broad, handsome esplanade, now quite a gay sight with the many people -who had been tempted out by the warm sun, either to sit or walk up and -down, while enjoying the beauty and freshness of the day. In the -distance a band was playing, the soft strains of which were heard by the -children as they stood gazing about them. - -"A band!" cried Lucy. "O Milly, do let us go and hear it closer--do -come;" and she pulled her sisters in the direction from which the sound -came. - -"Mama might not like us to go; and besides, Lucy, there are such lots of -people there," said Milly. - -Lena did not at all approve of this speech of Lucy's. It was not -Milly's permission she ought to have asked, but hers. _She_ was the -eldest, and had already said that she would take care of them, or, as -she would have expressed it, "had promised Mama to take care of them." -And besides, she knew the place, and was at home here, which Millicent -certainly was not. - -So, as soon as Milly had spoken, she said-- - -"Why shouldn't we go? The people won't hurt us. Come along, Milly," -she added impatiently, as the latter drew back. - -"But, Lena, Mama didn't give us leave. She said we might go to the -beach, and"---- - -"And so we are going. We can go down to it near the band, and Lucy can -hear it, as she wants to so much." - -"Yes, I do want to," said Lucy, dropping Milly's hand and going forward -with Lena. - -"We shall hear it just as well down here, and it will be much nicer on -the rocks than among all those people." - -"It's because you are shy and afraid. You want Lucy not to hear it." - -Now like many shy, sensitive people, Milly couldn't bear to be called -so. She felt as if it was wrong and a disgrace to be shy. So she said, -"I don't think Mama would like it. I should like it otherwise." - -"I'm the eldest, and know that it's all right; so come along, it's no -good wasting all our time doing nothing." And she started off with -Lucy, who was delighted at the prospect of going to see, as well as -hear, the band. - -It was a much longer walk than any of them had expected, and by the time -they got there, Lucy was rather tired; so they found a seat and sat and -listened to the music for some time. Milly's shyness at finding herself -among a number of people soon wore off, when she found that no one took -any notice of them; and Lena's assurance that she had often come, with -only a companion of her own age, reassured her as to the propriety of -the proceeding, so they all enjoyed themselves listening to the music -and watching the varied throng around them, until Lucy became tired of -sitting still and proposed that they should go to the rocks. It was no -use going back to those nearer home, so they ran down the first steps -they came to, and were soon close to the water's edge, hard at work with -spade and bucket. - -Leaving Milly and Lucy to play on the sand, Lena wandered off to the -rocks. This was much more exciting work, and she went back in a very -short time to invite the others to come there also. - -"Bring your bucket, Lucy, and we will try and catch you a dear little -crab," promised Lena, as they all went off together. But very soon the -rocks proved too difficult for poor little Lucy; they were rough and -slippery, and she slipped about in the most helpless manner. With the -aid of her sister's hand she managed for a little, then, emboldened by -her success, she tried to go alone, but alas! it was for a very little -way. Down she came on the sharp wet stones, cutting both hand and leg -in the fall, raising a loud cry of pain and terror as she did so. Her -sisters were beside her in a moment, consoling and lifting her on to -smoother ground. But some time elapsed before she was comforted -sufficiently to be left. - -"You are all right now, Lucy, aren't you?" said Lena coaxingly. - -"It hurts still," said Lucy mournfully. - -"But, Lucy, if we don't go we shall not be able to catch you a crab," -continued Lena. - -This was too tempting an offer to be refused; even the injured hand was -forgotten before such an alluring prospect, and Lucy promised to stay -and amuse herself with her spade, until the others returned with the -promised crab. - -"You will be sure and not leave this part until we come back," said -Milly. - -"You are a good little girl, Lucy," said Lena, giving her a kiss. - -"Now, Milly, we will have a grand scramble. Let us try and go out to -those quite far out, the big ones I mean, and let the water come all -round us." - -And she started off, jumping from rock to rock with the confidence and -surefootedness gained by many a former scramble. Not so Milly, who was -new to the work, and only too glad to avail herself of Lena's hand and -help. - -Soon they were both at the furthest point, proudly waving their -handkerchiefs back to Lucy, who, poor little body, sat quietly playing -for some time by herself, quite happy with her spade. For how long she -did not know, but it must have been for some time. She could see her -sisters at some distance off, evidently very busy about something, -"catching the crab" they had promised to bring her, she supposed. It -must be very interesting work, she thought, thus to engross their -attention, and keep them away so long. Why should not she try her hand -at it also? was the conclusion she arrived at ere long. Rising from -where she was seated, she wandered off, and very soon was searching in -the pools of water that lay, left by the receding tide, at the edge of -the rocks, quite happy, and delighted with all the beauties she descried -in their clear depths. - -Is it any wonder that we, as well as the children, are enchanted, and -forget the passing hours as we search out "the treasures of the deep" -that are left by the receding waves, to give us a glimpse, as it were, -of the "wondrous things" that lie hidden in their depths? And above -all, what mysteries and beauties of God's love does the sea show forth -to the thoughtful mind; and who can help being thoughtful and awed as -they gaze on that mighty work of the Creator, and think how He who rules -the raging waters, and who said of old, "Hitherto shalt thou come, but -no further, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed," is the same -loving Father who watches over and guards the weakest and smallest of -His children, and without whose knowledge not "even a sparrow falleth to -the ground"? No wonder then that Lena and Milly became so absorbed and -interested as they searched among the pools, some of which were quite -large and deep, for the crab they had promised to catch and take back to -Lucy; though I fear this their original intention was soon forgotten -among all the new delights that they discovered, and the time slipped -away as if it were a thing of not the slightest consequence. - -At first they often took a look to see if their little sister was safe, -and every time they did so, they saw her sitting in the same place, busy -with her spade. At last Milly exclaimed, "O Lena, I don't see Lucy; we -must go back and look for her." - -Lena looked round, rather startled also. Then she answered, "How stupid -of us to be frightened! Of course she's hidden behind the rocks. We -have moved ever so far since the last time we looked." - -"I will go back and see. I wish we had brought her on with us." - -"She couldn't have managed to scramble along these rocks. She is all -right, I am sure." - -"I won't be long going back to look. Mama trusted me to look after -her." - -Lena flushed. This was her weak point, and as Milly spoke, an angry -feeling started up in Lena's mind at the thought, perhaps "Mama had -spoken to Milly privately, and told her to look after Lucy." "She -trusts her more than she trusts me," were the words she used to herself. -Out loud she said, "Mama said I was to take charge of you both. What did -she say to you, Milly?" - -"To be careful of Lucy," said Milly, without looking at her sister. She -was gazing earnestly about to see if she could see Lucy, and so didn't -observe the changed expression on Lena's face. When she did turn round, -Lena was stooping down peering into the water. - -"You can go back then if you like. I must get that bit of seaweed for -Auntie, and then I will follow you," she said without raising her head. - -"Don't be long, will you, Lena?" - -"No, and I will soon overtake you, if you go slipping and stumbling -about as you did coming." The words were not either kindly said or -meant. - -Milly looked vexed. "I did not mean to put you out by asking you to -hurry, Lena." - -Lena vouchsafed no answer to this; so Milly went on, "I know I can't -manage half so well as you do--come and help me." - -Still silence. So after lingering for a minute or two, Milly started -off. - -She had not gone very far when Lena heard a cry of pain, and looking up, -saw Milly raising herself and looking ruefully at her hand. She had -evidently hurt herself, and conscience gave Lena a sharp prick, that -recalled her to her better self. Alas! poor Lena little knew to what a -strong enemy she was opening her heart. She would have indignantly -denied that she was jealous of Milly,--no one ever does like to confess -that they are that of anybody,--but it was the truth, and twice that day -had she allowed it entrance "only just for a moment;" but it is quite -wonderful how a very little giving in to strengthens our faults. "Ill -weeds grow apace" is only too true. The sweet flowers want a great deal -of care and cultivation; but then when they do come to perfection, how -they repay us for all the toil and care, and what happiness they give, -not only to the owner, but to all around! - -Lena sprang forward, and was soon beside her sister, whom she found -tying up her hand with her handkerchief and trying hard to keep back the -tears. - -"Have you cut it much, Milly? let me look." - -Milly undid the handkerchief, and showed a deep cut on the palm of her -hand. "The salt water makes it smart so," she explained, blinking her -eyes fast to get rid of the tell-tale tears. - -"It is a deep one. Cover it up again; I will help you," and she tied -the handkerchief again. - -"Thank you, Lena. I have cut my leg too; was not it stupid! I was -trying to hurry, and forgot how slippery it was." - -Together they went on, jumping and scrambling from rock to rock. - -"We ought to see her now. I am sure that is the place where we left -her." - -Yes, there was the place, and plenty signs in the scattered sand, that -some small person had been at work; but no Lucy was to be seen. - -They looked at one another in alarm. What could have become of her? - -"Oh, I wish we had never left her!" burst out Milly. - -"It's very naughty of her to Lave moved, when we told her not to," said -Lena. - -There was no good standing there, wondering any longer, so they started -off to look for her. - -"Let us ask those children near if they have seen her," proposed Lena; -and running down to where they were at play, they inquired of them if -they had seen their little sister. "She was sitting playing there close -to the rocks." - -"Yes, they had seen her, but she had gone away some time ago in that -direction," pointing fortunately to the direction that led towards home. - -"And I don't wonder either; it must have been jolly dull for her all by -herself," remarked a boy loud enough for the two girls to hear, as they -were hurrying off to look for Lucy. - -They both blushed scarlet, as they heard these words, and knew that they -were meant to hear them. "What a horrid rude boy! But, Milly, I wish -we had not left her now." - -"So do I," was the answer given with a sigh. - -As they skirted the rocks, they came upon a long stretch of sand, now -well covered with children. Close to the water's edge were several of -them paddling, their bare legs gleaming in the water as they danced and -jumped about. And there among them, gazing with delight at their -antics, was the missing Lucy. So close was she to the water, that the -little waves not only crept up close to her feet, but rippled gently -over them, much to the child's delight, who clapped her hands and -screamed with pleasure at every wetting. - -"You naughty child!" said Lena, as she rushed up to her, followed more -slowly by Milly, who was limping from the cut on her leg. - -Lucy turned round, her rosy little face beaming with delight, not one -whit abashed by Lena's angry words. - -"You naughty child! what made you leave and give us such a fright?" -Lena was like many other people who have been frightened; when once -their fears are removed, they give vent to their feelings by being -angry, and, strange to say, consider they have a right to be aggrieved. -"You are so wet, too; what will Mama say?" - -"That you ought not to have left me," said Lucy, with a saucy laugh. - -Lena was too much taken aback to answer this, and Lucy, seeing her -advantage, continued, "You and Milly are just as wet as I am;" and she -pointed to their feet and dresses, which certainly were both wet and -dirty. - -Several of the paddlers had gathered round to listen to the -conversation, and as Lucy pointed triumphantly to her sister's wet feet, -they all raised a laugh. For a moment Lena looked very angry; but -catching Milly's eyes, which were dancing with suppressed laughter, the -absurdity of it all struck her also, and she joined in the laugh. - -"I expect you will all catch it, when you go home," remarked one of the -small bystanders in a delighted tone. - -"Come, Lucy, it is time to go home." - -"Not yet; it's such fun here, I mean to stay," said Lucy, who was so -elated at having silenced Lena's scolding, that she thought she might do -what she chose. - -A laugh from the listeners egged Lucy on in her naughtiness. - -Milly's "O Lucy, how can you be so naughty!" was taken no notice of. - -Lena, with heightened colour but in silence, walked off to where a lady -was sitting, reading, and asked politely, if she would "tell her the -time." - -"Five-and-twenty minutes to seven," was the answer as she looked at her -watch. - -As late as that, and they were told to be home by six! "Thank you," she -said to the lady, then hurried back to Milly and told her the hour. - -"We must go home at once," she exclaimed. - -"Will Mama be very angry?" - -"Not when we tell her we did not mean to be naughty, and did not know -the time. She will be frightened though; I wish Lucy would be good and -come." - -"She must," said Lena shortly. Going up to the child she took hold of -her by the arm and said, "We are going home now, Lucy; it's very late, -and Mama will be vexed." - -Lucy looked up saucily--"That's to make me come, but I am not going -yet." - -"Yes, you are; it's long after six." She pulled Lucy away from the -water, Milly took hold of her by the other hand, and together they -dragged her away, screaming lustily. - -All eyes were fixed upon them, making both the elder girls very -uncomfortable. They knew they were right in going home, but still thus -having to drag their little sister away by main force made them, they -thought, appear very unkind in the eyes of the bystanders. - -"O Lucy, do be good and come quietly," entreated Milly. - -"You must come, Lucy, so there is no good making all this fuss," added -Lena. - -"I am not going to obey Lena. I'll go with Milly, but I don't love -Lena; she's horrid." And pulling her arm away from Lena's restraining -grasp, she struck wildly at her, to push her away. - -Lucy's words were but added fuel to Lena's wrath. Seizing the child -firmly by her shoulders she gave her a good shaking, saying as she did -so, "I don't care if you like me or not, but you must do what I tell -you." - -"O Lena, don't be angry; she does not mean what she says, I know she -doesn't," said Milly. - -The shaking so took Lucy by surprise, for she was unaccustomed to such -strong measures, that she stopped screaming, and gazed at Lena's angry -face in open-mouthed astonishment. - -In the midst of this scene Hester's voice was heard exclaiming, "Miss -Lena, whatever is the matter? That's not the way to treat your little -sister. I wonder at you, that I do!" - -At the sound of Hester's voice, Lena quickly removed her hands from -Lucy's shoulders, and turning to her said, "She has been so naughty, -Hester; she would not come home, though we told her it was late, and she -went on screaming." - -"But you hurt me," sobbed the child. "I would have gone with Milly, -because she's kind and nice." - -"That's a wicked story, Lucy. You know quite well Milly had to drag you -along as well as I; hadn't you, Milly?" - -"Yes," she asserted; "but, Lucy, you will be good now?" - -"You should not have been so rough with her, Miss Lena; you don't -understand how to manage children." - -"No, she does not," agreed Lucy. "I will go home with you, Hester," -clinging affectionately to her new ally, as she considered Hester. - -"Your mother was so nervous at your being so late, that Miss Somerville -sent me to look for you." - -"Come on, Lena," said Milly, and linking her arm into her elder -sister's, they hurried on first, followed by Hester and Lucy. - -At first neither of the two girls spoke as they walked quickly along, -but soon the steep hill, they had to ascend, made them slacken their -pace. - -"Lena," said Milly, "you are not still angry with Lucy; she is so -dreadfully passionate sometimes, but she does not mean all she says." - -"Then she ought to be punished," was the short answer. - -"So she always is. And she does not get into rages nearly as often as -she did, because she knows how wicked it is, and how it grieves the Lord -Jesus," said Milly reverently, adding, as a sort of apology for her -little sister, "And she is very young, you know." - -The life of a child in India is very different to what it is in this -country; and Millicent, thoughtful and gentle by nature, had become more -so, from having been the constant companion of her parents; for in the -hill station, where their home was situated, she had no companion of her -own age. The few children that were near them were all quite little, -and looked upon Milly as "quite old" in comparison. Mrs. Graham had -been very far from well, the last two years of their stay, and when -Colonel Graham had to be away, as he often was obliged to be, on duty, -it was Milly's delight and privilege to be her mother's loving little -nurse and attendant. And Mama loved to have her gentle little daughter -beside her, during the long days of weakness that followed the attacks -of fever from which she suffered; and Milly would sit so quietly with -her work, or read out to her, but oftenest they spoke of the dear child -and sister in the English home. In this way, Mama soon began to depend -upon her little nurse, and even to consult her, when Papa was away, upon -many subjects; and she dearly liked to be consulted and trusted by Mama, -and would put on an air of wisdom, and answer quite gravely and sedately -on such occasions, and was beginning to think herself almost grown-up -compared to little Lucy, who was full of baby fun and frolic, and apt to -become so wild and noisy that she would disturb Mama, if Milly did not -amuse her and keep her good. "She was a pet and a darling, and didn't -know better," Milly would say at such times. It was only natural then, -that Milly considered it her duty to apologise for her little sister's -outburst of naughtiness. As Lena made no answer, she went on, "You -won't mind, Lena dear, will you?" - -"It's very hard," burst out Lena. "Mama trusted her to me, so she ought -to have obeyed me; and Hester blames me, I know she does, from what she -said, and she takes her part, and she has been my nurse, and ought to -like me best; but nobody does love me but Auntie." - -"O Lena, I do, and Papa and Mama, and Lucy." - -"But they all love you best. Mama always asks you about things, -and"---- - -Here Milly interrupted, with a look of distress--it had never dawned -upon her before that Lena doubted her mother's love, or had what she -called such dreadful thoughts--"How can you say such things, Lena? It -is not kind and it is not true," she added with spirit. - -They had nearly reached the gate of Scarsdale Villa by this time, and -there stood Mrs. Graham, looking out anxiously for them, and now hurried -to meet them, thus preventing any more conversation between the sisters. - -"Here you are, my darlings; I was beginning to fear something had -happened. And there is Lucy lagging behind, I see." One look at her -children's faces, showed Mama that something had gone wrong. Milly -looked distressed, and Lena's usually bright open countenance was now -very clouded. Putting her arm round Lena, she drew her to her side, and -kissing her, said, "What has made you so late, dear?" - -What power there is for good in the gentle word or the loving gesture! -The mere fact of her mother having put her arm round her, and having -spoken to her first, brushed away, for the moment, the hard jealous -thoughts, that had been finding room in Lena's heart. - -"I am so sorry, Mama, we are late," she said, looking up with an altered -expression. "We were so interested and happy on the rocks, we did not -know how fast the time was going." - -"How did you find out at last?" - -"We asked a lady, and it was five-and-twenty minutes to seven; we were -so astonished." - -"Now run and take off your wet things, and come down to tea. Milly -looks tired; are you, darling?" - -"A little, Mama, not very." - -"She has cut her hand, Mama, and her leg too, that is what makes her -walk like that. Fancy my forgetting it!" - -"I will tell Hester to take Lucy to the nursery then. I will come and -see to you, dear," said Mrs. Graham to Milly, as she watched them go up -to their rooms; then went out again to meet Hester and Lucy, who by this -time had also reached the house. - - - - - *CHAPTER V.* - - *AUNTIE'S LETTER.* - - -Wrong thoughts, when only sent away by a kind deed or loving word, are -not really rooted out; they are, as it were, but expelled for a short -time. When we only thus send them away, we are like the man in the -parable spoken of by our Divine Master. The evil spirit certainly goes, -but this is not enough; we cannot sit down with folded hands and say, -"It is done--we can rest." No, we have our work still to do. Now that -the place is empty, we must fill it anew, but this time with the good -and true, or else the evil thought will return, and alas! not alone, but -in the words of Holy Writ, "He taketh with him seven other spirits, more -wicked than himself"--that is, the wrong thought returns with sevenfold -strength, and "the last state of that man is worse than the first." - -Thus it was with Lena Graham. The jealous thoughts, that had been -showing themselves, were put aside, as it were, for the time being, and -unfortunately she did not trouble herself any more about them; and -Milly, who was the only person whom she had spoken or even hinted to, -that she had such thoughts, was only too glad to dismiss it from her -mind, blaming herself for having even allowed the suspicion entrance. - -"Lena," said her mother, later in the evening, when she and Aunt Mary -were sitting together with the two girls in the drawing-room. - -"Yes, Mama," she answered, looking up from the book she was reading. - -"What was the meaning of the scene that Hester saw, when she found you -on the beach this evening?" - -Milly looked up hastily at these words, while Lena said, "I will tell -you about the whole afternoon Mama. It was this." And she gave a long -account of their doings, appealing often to Milly to confirm what she -said; and if she did gloss over the leaving little Lucy alone, it was -done almost unconsciously, so easy is it to see, when we wish it, a good -reason for our conduct. - -When she had finished there was a pause for a moment or two, during -which the two girls looked anxiously at their mother. - -"Well, Mama?" asked Lena, who was growing impatient. - -"I was wondering if either of my girls saw how very selfishly they had -acted this afternoon." - -"In leaving Lucy alone?" they both said slowly. - -"Yes, dears; don't you think it was very hard for the child to be left -all by herself? and from your own account, you were away for some time." - -"We didn't mean to be long." - -"But that was not the first fault: disobedience was that. I gave you -leave to go down to the beach, but I did not give you leave to go and -hear the band play. I thought I could have trusted you both." - -Milly's eyes filled with tears at these words, and her heart swelled at -the thought that she, "Mother's right-hand," as she had often been -called, could not be trusted; but she said nothing, while Lena, who was -both truthful and generous, hastened to explain, "It was not Milly's -fault, Mama; she didn't want to go, but I insisted on it." - -"Ah, Lena, you see how one fault leads to another." - -"But we were quite as safe there as at the beach." - -"That has nothing to do with it. You did wrong, my child, and I am -afraid, continued doing so all the afternoon, for Hester tells me you -were very harsh and rough with your little sister." - -"But Lucy was so naughty and cross, we could not help getting angry." - -"I know we ought not to have left her, Mama," said Milly; "but she was -so provoking, screaming so loud, it made everybody look at us. Though -we told her it was late, she would not come home." - -"And she hit me, and said all sorts of things." - -"She was in one of her fits of passion," added Milly. - -"I am very sorry to hear it," was Mrs. Graham's answer with a sigh, for -Lucy's fits of passion were a great sorrow to her. - -"If you had been gentler and kinder, would you not have done more good?" - -"I don't think so, for Milly didn't get into a passion. I did, Mama, -and I am very sorry. Oh dear, it is so hard to be good! And I wanted -to be so really, and now I have grieved you and Auntie too. I promised -I would show how good her child could be." - -"O Lena dear, that is it: you forget what I said, and what you promised; -to try and be, not mine, but"----and she paused, while Lena finished the -sentence in a low voice--"The child of God. And I have not been good, -but I am so sorry, I really am." - -"So am I," whispered Milly, nestling close to her mother. "Are you very -grieved? Will you forgive us?" - -"Fully and freely, dear; but there is One, whose children you both are, -whom you have grieved more. I want you both to ask Him to forgive you -before you go to sleep to-night, never doubting that if you ask aright -He will do so." - -As the two girls went upstairs together, later on that evening, Lena -gave a great sigh as she said, "Oh dear, I wish we had not taken Lucy -with us this afternoon; it quite spoiled all the pleasure." - -"I wish we had not left her," said Milly, in her gravest tones. - -"I believe you think we are most to blame." - -"We are the eldest, and she is such a little thing; if we had stayed -with her she would have been good." - -"Then I am most naughty, for I would go to the band. I wish one could -always be good; it is so horrible after being naughty." - -When Lena was alone in her room, she went to the window, and pulling up -the blind, looked out, but her thoughts were not on what she saw, fair -as the scene was, on which her eyes rested. Beneath her window lay the -garden, now bathed in moonlight, and in the far distance was the sea, -shining like a band of silver in the moon's rays. How often had she -stood, as now, at this very window, thinking! Then, her thoughts had -been of the parents so dimly remembered. What would they be really -like? Ah, how good she would be to them, and show how much she loved -them. Now they had really come; and to-day, instead of all this -goodness, she had grieved her mother by her disobedience and -selfishness, and the little sister of whom she had said, "She would like -to give up her pleasures to,"--she had quarrelled with her, not only in -word, but in very deed. The tears filled her eyes as she thus thought. -She did love her mother just as much as she ever did, and--no, there was -no disappointment in her, but somehow things were not quite what she had -expected. She had pictured to herself a life with Mama, as something of -the same kind, she had led with her Aunt, being her constant companion, -and her one chief thought and care. Instead of that, she was more with -her sisters than her parents. Kind and loving as Mama was to her, she -was equally so to Milly and Lucy. Poor foolish child, surrounded as she -was with every earthly blessing, she was not content. Instead of a -happy, grateful love for all she had, she was groping after the -impossible, and raising up for herself all sorts of imaginary troubles, -that had no real existence but in her own wayward fancy. The opening of -the door roused her, and turning round, she saw that it was her mother -who had entered. - -"Not in bed yet, dear?" - -"No, Mama, I have been thinking," said Lena, in a very grave tone, as -she pulled down the blind. - -"What were the thoughts that made you look so grave, and forget to go to -bed?" - -"I was wondering why things are never so nice as we expect them to be." - -"Shall I tell you why that is the case, dear?" - -Lena only nodded in reply, and Mrs. Graham, looking down fondly on the -girl's upturned face, said, "Because we want things to be exactly as we -wish, instead of taking thankfully and contentedly what God sends. I -fear we are all too apt to think we know best what is good for us." - -"Oh no, Mama," cried Lena in a shocked tone. - -"We don't think or allow, even to ourselves, that we do so, dear; but -how is it that we so often say--'If it had only been different, it would -have been so much nicer and better?' I fancy that some such thoughts -were in my little girl's mind to-night." - -"I did not know that it was so wrong. Auntie told me it would not be -good for me to have my own way too much; and I remember she once said, -'She was so glad she had not the ordering of her own life.' Are you -glad too?" - -"Yes, darling, very, very glad. Ah, Lena dear, it is such peace and -happiness to know that all is done for us by that loving Father, who -gives us more than we can ask or desire." - -When Lena said her prayers that night, she paused, in the Lord's Prayer, -at the words, "Thy will be done." How often she had repeated them -slowly and reverently as she had been taught to do, but to-night they -seemed to assume a new and deeper meaning; and when Mama had given her, -her good-night kiss, she repeated them over and over to herself ere she -fell asleep. No wonder that the next morning she rose bright and happy; -and when Lucy's voice was heard at the door saying, "I want to speak to -you, Lena," she opened the door and greeted her little sister with a -loving kiss. - -"I am very sorry I was a naughty girl last night," she said gravely, as -if repeating a lesson. - -"Oh, never mind, dear." - -"Mama said I was to beg your pardon; and, Lena, I told a story, because -I do love you." - -"I was naughty too and unkind," said Lena, who, when she was pleased and -happy, was always ready to be generous and kind. - -In general, all Lena's troubles were self-made; she wanted to be first, -not so much in amusements, though she certainly liked to take the lead -there also, but in every one's opinions and affections. She wanted to be -Milly's and Lucy's favourite, as well as eldest sister. And she would -have also liked to be the first in her parent's confidence and -affections, as well as the first of their children. - -Aunt Mary called the two elder girls to her after breakfast, and told -them that she meant them to do some lessons with her every morning. Too -much idle time was neither good nor pleasant for them; and she did not -want the governess, under whose care they were very soon to be placed, -to find her new pupils backward in their education. - -The idea of a governess was quite new to them. They would have liked to -discuss the subject well over with Auntie; but this she at once -forbade--"Your Mama will tell you all about it herself." - -"Do just tell us when she is to come?" - -"Not till your parents are settled into their own house," said their -Auntie unguardedly. - -"Going to leave here? O Auntie, you must tell us--please, please do," -Lena added coaxingly. - -"I thought we were always to live here; I do like this place. Where are -we to live?" said Milly, adding her entreaties to Lena's. - -"Not a word more will you get out of me," said their Aunt laughing. -"What a foolish old woman I was to let so much out." - -"You are not old, and you are not foolish, but a dear kind Auntie who is -going to tell us all about it." - -"I am not quite so foolish as to be taken in by all these blandishments; -but, joking apart, dears, I ought not to tell you more; your parents -will do so when they think right." - -At this, both the girls returned to their seats, and lessons went on -quietly. Milly was found not to be so very much behind Lena, for she -had been well and carefully taught by her mother, who had used the very -same books of instruction that Miss Somerville had taught Lena from. So -that the two sisters would be able to go on together with the same -governess; and both girls were quite pleased at the thought of doing the -same lessons. All was as it should be. Lena was a little advanced, but -not too much so to make it difficult for Milly to keep up with her, but -enough to spur Lena on to keep in advance. - -"Is it true we are to have a governess? and are we going to another -house?" were the questions that were eagerly put to Mama on the very -first opportunity. - -"I have been letting out secrets, I am afraid," said Miss Somerville. - -"I meant to tell them what their Papa had decided upon. He has taken a -house in the country--a furnished one, near the friends with whom he is -now staying. The people to whom it belongs are anxious to leave as soon -as they can, so Papa says, he hopes we will be able to go there in a -fortnight." - -"In a fortnight!" This sudden move quite took away Lena's breath; to -leave Aunt Mary and her own home! for Scarsdale Villa was the only home -Lena could remember. Then she gave a little laugh at this foolish -thought of hers. "Leave Aunt Mary! of course she would go with them." - -Milly was busy asking questions about the new house--"Was it quite in -the country? had it a garden?" - -All these questions were answered satisfactorily. "It was quite in the -country, with a nice garden, and some fields attached to it," Mama said. - -"What is to be done with this house?" Lena asked. - -"I am going to let this," said her Aunt quietly. - -So it was all right. Aunt Mary was coming with them; and Lena eagerly -joined Milly in talking over their new home. How delightful it would be -to live quite in the country! And very soon they were both quite eager -to be there, and were planning about the gardens they were to have for -their very own. - -"You will find nice neighbours in the Freelings," said Miss Somerville -to Mrs. Graham. - -"Have they children?" was the eager question. - -"Yes, six. Two are grown up. There are four at home, two girls and two -boys--at least not the boys; they are at school." - -"I wonder what they will be like--the girls I mean." - -"The eldest girl is fifteen. The youngest will be a nice companion for -you; she is only thirteen." - -The prospect of the change gave the children plenty to think and talk -about for the next day or two. Lena went so far in preparation that she -went about collecting what she considered her own property from the -different rooms, and was rather aggrieved that she was not allowed to -pack them all up in readiness. Mama compromised the matter by allowing -her, with Milly's help, to fill one box with the many books and toys -that she had outgrown, and were too numerous to carry away; and this -box, when ready, was to be sent to the poor little suffering children in -the hospital How often that box was packed and unpacked I should be -sorry to say: it was a great amusement and occupation to them for the -next few days, as the weather had changed, and instead of bright -sunshine and warm breezes, the rain came down steadily; and Milly and -Lucy would look mournfully out of the window, thinking that here, as in -India, there was to be no more hot bright suns for some time now that -the rains had set in, though Lena assured them fifty times a day it -would be sure to be fine to-morrow. This was all very well the first -day; but when to-morrow came with clouded sky, Lucy grew very very angry -when she heard Lena begin the same story "of to-morrow being fine," and -accused her of being wicked and telling stories. A stormy scene was -fast brewing indoors as well as out, when Mama heard the cause of anger, -and Lucy had the matter explained to her, and hope once more "of seeing -fair weather to-morrow" sprang up in her small mind. - -In the midst of this wet weather they were all cheered and enlivened by -Papa's return. Now they would be able to have all their questions -answered about Astbury, as their new home was called. They had to curb -their curiosity till after Papa had had dinner. Lena had still a little -lingering awe of her father; and when he told them that they must keep -all their questions until after he had finished his dinner, she did not -dare to disobey him, as I fear her eagerness and curiosity would have -tempted her to do if it had been her aunt or mother who had given the -order. - -As they were all seated round the fire listening to his account of -Astbury and its neighbourhood, Aunt Mary, seeing her nieces' attention -devoted to their father, quietly drew a letter from her pocket. Taking -it out of the envelope, she began to read it. Soon after the -conversation turned upon some matter that Lena did not think -interesting, so she turned to her Aunt to ask some question. Instead of -receiving the answer she had expected, Aunt Mary went on with her -reading, evidently not having heard what she had said. "The letter -seemed to interest her very much," Lena thought. She wondered who it -could be from, and why had not Auntie told her of it, for during the -time that aunt and niece had lived alone together Miss Somerville had -got into the way of reading her letters aloud before her niece. It was -a habit that she had got into during the years when she was quite alone -and before she had taken charge of Lena: gradually she had not only read -out the letters before the child, but as she grew older and more -companionable, had spoken and discussed things that were in them before -and with her. It was not a good thing for any child, especially for one -like Lena Graham. Still it had been done in all love and with good -intention. Rising from her seat, Lena went and perched herself on the -arm of her Aunt's chair, so that she could read the letter over her -shoulder. We must do Lena the justice to say, that though it was a -wrong thing to do, it was not done with a wrong intention. She had -always heard Auntie's letters, she would have told you, so there could -not be the slightest harm in reading them. It was a very interesting -one she saw at once; the handwriting was perfectly familiar to her as -being that of a great friend of her Aunt's, who had often stayed with -them--Miss Howard was her name. The contents puzzled Lena, for Miss -Howard wrote as if she and Aunt Mary were going together somewhere, to a -place called "Lucerne." Lena knew the name well, but for the moment she -was confused as to its locality. As she tried to make out what it meant, -she leant forward to see more easily. At that moment Colonel Graham -looked up and saw Lena doing what he considered, and what certainly is, -a most dishonourable action, reading what is not meant for one to see. - -"Lena!" was all he said, but the tone in which it was said startled them -all. - -Lena looked up. Never before had she heard her name so spoken. -Startled and confused at the suddenness with which she had been called, -she answered hastily and nervously, "Yes, Papa." - -"What is it, dear?" asked Mrs. Graham. - -"Lena knows," was the short reply. - -Poor Lena was frightened, not only at the sternness of the voice, but by -her father's face. It seemed to her that it had the same look that she -had remarked in the photograph and had hoped never to see shown towards -her. Her fear and nervousness brought the colour to her looks and gave -her the conscious look of guilt. - -"I don't know, Papa. What is it?" she faltered out. - -"You must know what a dishonourable thing you were doing, reading your -Aunt's letter over her shoulder." - -"Oh!" she said with a great sigh of relief, "is that all, Papa? Why, I -always do it." - -Here Aunt Mary interposed hastily, and said, before Colonel Graham could -speak the astonishment he certainly felt at Lena's answer, "It is my -fault, Henry. Lena always sees my letters. I may have been wrong; but -remember she has been niece and child and companion to me all in one. I -may have spoilt her in many ways, but I am sure she would not do a -dishonourable thing;" and as she spoke, she pulled Lena on to her knee -and kissed the troubled little face. "I ought to have told her I did -not wish her to read this quite yet, and I am sure she would not have -done it." - -At her Aunt's kind words Lena burst out crying. The child had been -frightened, and the burst of tears relieved her feelings.--"No, Auntie -dear, indeed, indeed I would not," she sobbed out. - -"I think you have made a mistake about it, Mary. And I hope Lena will -remember that though you have allowed her to see yours, letters are -sacred, and she must never look at any without leave that are not -addressed to her." - -"No, Papa, indeed I never will," she said earnestly. - -"Come and give Papa a kiss," said her mother, leading the still sobbing -child to her father. - -"You are not afraid of me, Lena?" he asked kindly, as she shrunk from -him, without lifting her eyes from the ground. "Come, look up, and give -me a kiss." - -Lena looked up as bidden, and seeing nothing in his face but love and -kindness, summoned back her courage as she said, "You looked so angry -before, and so stern." - -"I am only angry when you do wrong and act dishonourably; and you need -not be afraid to look even a stern man in the face if you have done -nothing to be ashamed of, my child." - -As Lena returned to her chair she thought, "Oh dear, I hope he will -never speak to me again like that. Even if I was ever so naughty, I -don't think I could tell him, and ask him to forgive me." - -Aunt Mary said quietly to Lena, "I will read you all that Miss Howard -says to-morrow, dear; it will interest you, I am sure, and I meant you -to hear it soon." - -"Where is Lucerne?" she asked in a low voice. - -"In Switzerland," answered her Aunt. And not another word would she say -that night on the subject of the letter and its contents. - - - - - *CHAPTER VI.* - - *LEAVING MEADENHAM.* - - -"Switzerland! O Auntie, that is such a long way off! You don't mean -really that you are going all that way from me," and Lena as she spoke -these words burst into tears, and clung tightly to her Aunt, as if to -prevent her leaving her. - -"I am not going away to-day, dear," said Miss Somerville, trying to -speak cheerfully and brightly as she fondly stroked the little head that -was buried on her shoulder. "And, my child," she went on more gravely, -"this is no new thought to you; we both knew this parting must come." - -"But not so soon, and such a long way." - -"You have Papa and Mama and your sisters, and will be so happy with -them, and will often write to me. And I shall hope for such good -accounts of my pet." - -"You won't get them," said Lena in a most doleful tone; "I shan't be -able to be good without you, I know I shan't." - -"Lena, dear, that is not a right way to speak. I shall think that I have -taught you what is wrong if you say such things." - -"No, no, I did not mean that; but why can't you always live with us? -What do you want to go to that horrid place for?" - -"It is not at all a horrid place, but a very nice one. Why I am going -is this"---- - -Lena lifted her head to listen with such an injured expression that her -Aunt laughed. "I believe you are glad to go!" (indignantly). - -"Yes, dear, I am glad, though very very sorry to leave you. I am glad -because Miss Howard has to go, and wants a companion; and you know, -dear, it is always pleasant to be able to do anything for your friends." - -"But I want you too." - -"Not now. You have wanted me, but now you have Mama and Papa; and, -Lena, you love them both very dearly, I know." - -"Yes, but I want you too." - -"We none of us can have all we want in this world. Ask God, my little -one, to make you grateful and thankful for all the blessings He has so -liberally bestowed on you, instead of murmuring for what you cannot -have." - -Before Lena had time to reply, Mrs. Graham opened the door, asking, as -she did so, if she might come in. - -"O Mama, why does Auntie want to go away from us? Mayn't she stay with -us?" - -"Of course she may, dear; but Aunt Mary thinks Miss Howard requires her. -We want her, and she requires her. Now don't you see why Auntie has -decided on going abroad?" - -"Yes, because she thinks it right;" adding, "but couldn't Miss Howard -come and live with her here?" - -"Why do you wish that, Lena?" - -"Because it's so much nearer, and we could come and see her sometimes." - -"Oh, so you don't want it for Aunt Mary's pleasure, but your own," was -the quiet rebuke. - -Lena's face flushed scarlet as she murmured some words in too low a tone -for her mother to hear. - -"Listen, my child; do you not think that a change would do Auntie good? -Think how much more she would miss the little niece she has been so good -to, and has learned to love so dearly, if she remained on here, than if -she goes abroad, and sees new sights and beautiful scenery." - -"Yes, I see; but, Mama, I can't help being sorry, and wishing changes -would not come--at least not nasty changes." - -"I should be very much astonished and very grieved too, if you were not -sorry at parting with Auntie, who has been so good and kind to you and -to me too. Changes must come in this world, my child; but we know that -if we love our Saviour, every one that comes is sent in love and for -some good purpose." - -"I can't see why Auntie's going away can do us good." - -"That is what the disciples said when their Divine Master told them of -His ascension: they, like you, thought they knew best." Mama spoke the -words so significantly that they at once recalled to her the -conversation they had held together some evenings before, and when Lena -had expressed herself as so shocked at the idea of any one thinking they -knew better than God. Humbled and abashed, Lena promised to try and -bear whatever was sent for her, though she was quite sure it would be -dreadfully hard to bear parting with Auntie, forgetting that it was -harder for Auntie than herself. It was a great comfort to both Colonel -and Mrs. Graham, since Aunt Mary had decided not to go and live with -them, that she was going abroad with her friend Miss Howard for a few -months. It was very easy to let her house for the summer, as West -Meadenham was a favourite resort for summer visitors, and Lena was -comforted by hearing that before Miss Somerville settled down for the -winter, she had promised to pay a visit to her brother and sister at -Astbury. - -"We shall spend our first Christmas at home altogether," said Colonel -Graham cheerfully, as Aunt Mary's plans were being discussed one day -openly, now that all was arranged. - -Lena expected, and Milly also, that the former would be quite -heart-broken at the prospect of parting from her Aunt. Milly was of -rather a sentimental character, and had secret visions of herself -comforting and consoling poor Lena; and felt rather disappointed, to say -the least of it, when she saw her sister interested and busy in the -preparations for their departure, and talking brightly and hopefully of -what was to be done at Astbury. Not that Lena was unkind or unloving. -She did love her Aunt very very dearly, and felt really sorry and -unhappy at the prospect of losing her; but with the buoyancy and -cheerfulness of youth, she soon learned to look on the bright and -hopeful side of things. She had never written to Auntie in all her -life, and she talked much of the long letters she would write to her, -and then how nice it would be to show her the new home when she came to -see them at Christmas. So very soon she was the same bright, lively -little Lena of old. Occasionally, however, some little thought or -action would cause her to sigh, and wish that changes would not come--at -least she would add, "I wish people had not to go away from one another. -I like going to new places." - -There were other changes in store also, for an invitation came for Milly -from her godmother, who lived in London. Mrs. Clifford wanted to see -and know her little namesake and godchild. Would Colonel Graham, who -was going to Astbury a few days earlier than the rest of the family, -bring Milly and leave her with Mrs. Clifford on his way through London? -So ran the invitation. - -"I wish she had asked me!" exclaimed Lena, when she heard of the letter. - -"O Lena, and leave Aunt Mary the last few days!" said Milly -reproachfully. - -"No, of course not--I did not think of that--but I should like to see -London and all the sights." - -Milly was not at all of this opinion. She shrank from the very thought -of going away to a strange house without Mama. She had never left her -before; and although she was called after Mrs. Clifford, she had only -seen her once when they were in town, on first arriving from India. She -begged very hard not to go, but her parents thought it was right for her -to do so. Lena alternately teased and laughed at her for being shy and -stupid for not wanting to go, and envied her for being invited, and -wished she was going, for she was quite sure that Mrs. Clifford would -take her to see all sorts of things and be ever so kind to her. If this -invitation had come to Milly at any other time, I am afraid Lena would -have been terribly disappointed at not being invited also; but these -last few days at Aunt Mary's were too full of interest and occupation to -allow much time for regrets of any sort. There were so many people and -places to take farewell of, and so much to be seen to in the house, that -Lena was what she called "deliciously busy." Hester was to go with them -as nurse to Lucy, so she also was very busy, and also went away for a -day or two to say good-bye to her parents, who lived in the -neighbourhood of Meadenham. During those days Lucy was Lena's constant -companion, and on the whole they got on capitally together. They were -very much alike in disposition; and although Lucy was very fond of Lena, -she found she was quite a different sort of sister in authority than -Millicent. - -Time slipped away very fast, as it always does when there is much to be -done. It is only with the idle and lazy that time lags and creeps -slowly along. How the minutes crawl while one is waiting without -anything to do--they seem to lengthen themselves out in the most -extraordinary manner. Let one of my little readers remark the length of -five minutes when she or he, as the case may be, is busy and interested, -and five minutes when they are standing idle, wondering what they shall -do next, or perhaps grumbling because they are prevented doing something -on which they had set their heart. Once a very small child, who was told -to wait ten minutes for some reason, was seen to give the clock a great -push and call it "a stupid, tiresome thing"--she was quite sure it had -stopped just to tease her. She was too small to be able to tell the -time herself, but nurse had shown her where the big hand would point -when the ten minutes were up, and, oh dear! they were so long to that -impatient little mortal who stood gazing up at it with such interest and -anxiety. The last day came, and they all--that is, Mama, Auntie, Lena, -Lucy, and Hester--all started for London, at which place they were to -meet Milly. Mrs. Clifford was to meet them with her at the station, and -there also Aunt Mary was to part from them. - -On reaching London, they drove from the station at which they arrived -from Meadenham to one on the other side of the town, from which they -were to go to the town near which their future home was situated. Aunt -Mary was to drive with them and see them off. At first Lena and Lucy -were in the wildest of spirits, everything was new and pleasant; but -before they reached London they both became tired of the monotony of -being shut up in one place; and as the train was a fast one, it whirled -along too rapidly for them to get more than a passing glimpse of the -different places on the road. - -Most children delight in going away, but I never yet met with one that -liked being in the train. The Grahams were no exception to this rule. -Lucy first became restless and inclined to be cross, then Mama seated -her on her knee, to look out, and very soon the rapid motion wearied the -little frame, the blue eyes began to blink, then close, the head fell -back on Mama's shoulder, and Lucy was sound asleep, to the relief and -comfort of her fellow-passengers. Lena nestled up against Aunt Mary, -and as she thus sat with the kind arm round her, the remembrance came to -her with startling distinctness, that this would be the last time for -many months that she would feel the pressure of that kind hand; and then -thought after thought came thronging into her mind of all the love and -goodness that Aunt Mary had showered upon her during the last six years. -Her whole life, as it seemed to the child, had been passed with Auntie, -and now that they were to be separated, she wished, oh so much, that she -had been a better and more obedient girl. When she came to them at -Christmas she would show her how much she loved her by being so good, -and all that she could wish. And she crept closer to her Aunt as she -thus thought of the past and of the future. She would have liked to -throw her arms round her neck, and tell her how much she loved her, and -how sorry she was to part with her; but there were strangers in the -compartment with them, and Lena did not like any one but her own people -to see her in tears, so she only crept close, and squeezed the hand that -clasped hers very tight. Lena's thoughts were good and loving, but -mingled with all the goodness was the one thing that was so seldom -wanting from her good resolutions, and was the invariable cause of their -failure, self-confidence--she would be good she was determined. How -often and often had Auntie shown this to Lena, and now Mama was trying -to teach her the same lesson of humility and trust in God. If Lena had -said to her own heart, "I will try, by God's help, to be good and do -what I know will please Auntie," she would certainly have succeeded. -But fortunately for Lena, both Mama and Auntie were asking for her what -she forgot to ask for herself--the grace of humility. - -When the train reached its destination, it was a very sobered, quiet -Lena that got out of it; she was so gentle, and waited so quietly, -holding Lucy's hand, while the luggage was being collected and placed on -a cab, that Mama said, "Why, Lena, what a capital little traveller you -are! I shall tell Papa that he need not be afraid of my travelling -without him when I have you." - -Lena blushed with pleasure at her mother's words, and when they were -settling how to divide their party--for they were obliged to have two -cabs--and Lucy said she wanted Lena to come with her and Hester, she -complied at once, determining that from that very moment she would carry -out her good intentions of doing everything that Aunt Mary would approve -of; and that both aunt and mother were pleased with her present conduct, -she saw at once. - -It was a long drive from one station to the other. The streets were so -crowded that it took them a much longer time than they expected, not -that either Lena or her little sister thought it too long, for they were -delighted with all the bustle and noise around them, and especially with -the passing glimpse they had at the shops that they drove past. So long -had been their drive across London, that there was but little time to -spare on arrival at the station, where Millicent and Mrs. Clifford were -waiting for them--Milly all smiles and beaming with pleasure at sight of -the dear home faces. Though so glad to see them, she had evidently been -very happy with Mrs. Clifford, to judge from her friendly attitude -towards that lady, and the warm kiss and grateful words of farewell when -the time came for saying good-bye. - -There was no opportunity for any private last words between Aunt Mary -and Lena in all the fuss of starting: a fond kiss and a whispered "God -bless you, my darling," was all Auntie said as she parted from her -little niece. - -"Good-bye, Auntie, darling; you will come back soon, won't you? and I -will be so good I promise you." - -"Promise me to try, dear," laying a stress on the word try, as she -returned the kisses that the now weeping Lena was pressing on her cheek. - -Auntie's eyes were full of tears also as she stood watching them all -take their places in the train. - -"You will let Milly come to me again, I hope," said Mrs. Clifford. "She -has been such a good girl, I have quite enjoyed having her. And Lena -must come too," she added, kindly laying her hand on the girl's shoulder -as she spoke, seeing her struggling bravely to check her sobs, "Won't -you, dear?" - -A nod was all Lena could manage; speaking was out of the question at -that moment; but the nod and grateful look showed Mrs. Clifford that her -kindness was appreciated. - -"I won't forget your parcel, Milly," called out Mrs. Clifford as the -train began to move, slowly at first, then quicker and quicker. - -Lena stooped forward to take a last loving look at Auntie, who stood -waving her hand in farewell. Then the train glided out of the station, -and they were fairly on their way to their new home. Mama drew Lena down -beside her, and with loving words cheered and consoled the poor girl, -who, now that the excitement was all over, broke down utterly, and -laying her head on Mama's shoulder, wept bitterly. The tears came from -many mingled sources: first was sorrow from parting with Auntie, and -that sorrow was real and deep, but she had the hope of seeing her again -very soon, and she was with the dear mother she loved so dearly, and had -so often and often longed to be with; fatigue and over-excitement helped -to cause the sobs, which were in great part hysterical. Lena had lived -such a quiet regular life with her Aunt, that she was now feeling all -the excitement and bustle of the last week or two. There had been all -the packing and good-byes, and the journey, and now, to crown it all, -was the parting from Auntie. - -Mrs. Graham let her cry on quietly for some time as she sat encircled by -her arm, until the first violence of her tears was over. Then she spoke -to her a few caressing words, which helped to soothe the weary child; -gradually, as the sobs ceased, the poor tear-swollen eyes closed, from -sheer "weariness of grief," and Lena fell asleep on Mama's arm, while -Milly, with frequent looks of sympathy towards her sister, helped Hester -to amuse Lucy at the opposite window. - -Thus they journeyed quietly on, until the train stopping roused Lena. -"Have we arrived?" she asked in a sleepy voice. - -"No, dear, we are not half-way yet. Edgerley is a very small place, -which this is certainly not." - -By the time Mama had done speaking Lena was wide awake, and the three -girls crowded to the window to look out, and also, as they said, in -hopes of preventing any one coming in. Several people peeped into the -carriage, but whether it was the sight of the small fellow-travellers, -who, however charming they may be, are certainly not appreciated by the -travelling public, or from some other reason, they left our party to -themselves, so that, when they once more started off, it was in quite a -lively tone Lena exclaimed, "Oh, I am glad no one came in, I was in such -a fright they would!" Her sleep had done Lena good, although the ready -tears sprang to her eyes whenever the thought of Aunt Mary was recalled. -She was calmer and happier, and as the time wore on she soon recovered -her spirits, and was busy helping her sisters with the buns and -sandwiches that were in Mama's basket, and eagerly talking about what -they were to see at their country home, and also listening to Milly's -account of her visit to Mrs. Clifford. - -"I am to go next time with you, am I not, Mama?" she asked. - -"Perhaps Milly won't want you to," said Lucy in a very grave tone. - -"O Lucy, of course I shall. It will be ever so much nicer. And there -are such lots of things to see and do." And here she launched into an -animated account of all her doings. - -"What is the parcel she is going to send?" Mrs. Graham with a smile -asked. - -"I don't know, Mama, what it will be--it's a present. She said she -would take me to the Bazaar and buy me something; but we had not time -yesterday, so she said she would send it to me." - -"I wonder what it will be!" said Lena, and they all fell to conjecturing -what Milly's present would be, guessing all the probable and improbable -things they could think off. Not satisfied with this, they--that is the -two who were not included--actually talked themselves into the belief -that Mrs. Clifford, now she had seen them, would very likely send them -something also: in fact, it was not only a probable thing, but "almost -sure to be the case." - -Thus they whiled away the time of their journey, until Mama announced -that the next station would be Edgerley. - -When the train drew up there, three little heads were out of the window, -and three shrill young voices were shouting out words of welcome to -Papa, whom they at once caught sight of standing waiting for them. - -It was a very small station, as Mrs. Graham had told them. She had been -to it before when she had paid a visit, many years ago, to Colonel and -Mrs. Freeling, who were now to be their near neighbours. They were the -only passengers who alighted, and until their luggage was taken out -there was no time to speak with Papa; for, as it appeared to the -children, "the train seemed to be in a hurry to rush off again;" and it -certainly looked as if they were right, for directly their luggage was -taken out of the van and safely deposited on the platform, the guard -waved his arm, the engine gave what sounded like a very impatient -shriek, and the train rushed off again with its living freight, and left -our young people standing gazing after it, in a sort of bewilderment, -from which their father's cheery voice roused them as he exclaimed, -"Now, children, come along; while you are being packed into the -carriage, I will give orders for the luggage to be sent up in a cart." - -"A carriage!" exclaimed Lena, as she caught sight of a handsome carriage -and pair of horses standing outside the station. "Is that ours? how -nice! I am glad." She asked the question of no one in particular, and -no one answered it, all being busy and their attention occupied at the -moment. Milly did not feel the same feeling of pleasure as her sister at -the sight of the carriage, for during their stay in India her parents -had kept their carriage, not as a luxury as in this country, and one -only to be indulged in by rich people, but as a matter of necessity. So -she took her seat next Lena without a word or sign of wonder. "This is -nice," began Lena directly they started, though this was not done for a -little while, during which she had been picturing to herself all sorts -of wonderful visions of a large house and future drives in this -comfortable equipage. It was very strange why Aunt Mary had always been -so particular in making her so careful of her things, and teaching her -to do so much for herself if her Papa was so rich. - -"So you are pleased, little woman," said her father. "It was very kind -of Colonel Freeling to send his carriage and bring you home in state -like this," he added with a laugh. - -"Colonel Freeling!" said Lena in a tone of surprise. "Is it not our -carriage, Papa?" - -"No, dear, of course not. What put such an idea into your head?" At -sight of Lena's crestfallen looks at his answer, Colonel Graham burst -out laughing, in which the others joined, much to Lena's secret -annoyance. Then he added gravely, "I thought you knew, dear, that I was -not a rich man, only"--this with a laugh--"a poor soldier." - -"But Colonel Freeling was a soldier too; you said so," she persisted. - -"Yes, with a private fortune, which makes all the difference." - -"Riches do not make happiness, darling," said Mama kindly. "We shall be -very happy in our quiet little country home without a grand carriage -like this, and we ought all to be very much obliged to Colonel Freeling -for having been so kind in lending it to us to-day." - -"Here we are," said Colonel Graham, as turning the corner they came in -sight of a small but very pretty house standing within iron gates which -opened into the road. - - - - - *CHAPTER VII.* - - *THE NEW HOUSE.* - - -As Mama had said, Astbury was a very small house, but for all that it -was a very pretty one, and looked so homelike and inviting this fine -spring evening. The windows shone out, lit up by the rays of the setting -sun, from amid the green leaves with which the house was covered, like -friendly eyes of welcome to the new-corners. Roses and wisteria seemed -to vie with one another in beauty and luxuriance on the walls. - -They all exclaimed with pleasure and delight at this first sight of -their new home. All Lena's visions faded away of a stately mansion, and -she agreed with the others that nothing could be prettier or nicer than -their new home appeared to be, and although it was small, how could they -help being happy in such a pretty place? There was not much garden in -the front, but behind, as they soon discovered, was quite a large one, -and to the side was a kitchen-garden, and beyond, stretching far away on -every side of them, was field after field. The children were so -impatient to explore the garden and shrubberies, and to wander forth -into this delicious green world around them, that it was with extreme -unwillingness that they received the summons to tea, which ought to have -been a welcome one to such young travellers. Lena and Milly were to -share a room together in their new home, while Lucy still occupied one -with Hester, who had come as nurse. There was no fear of their getting -into trouble or difficulties here, Mama thought, so they were allowed to -ramble off at their own sweet will the next morning; and what wonderful -discoveries they made, to be sure; everything was new and delightful to -them. Although Lena had never lived quite in the country before like -this, she had been so many country rambles with Auntie, that most of the -wild flowers that grew in such profusion round Astbury were known to her -by sight and name. Milly and Lucy considered her as quite an authority -on the subject, and consulted her about every new floral treasure they -acquired. Returning home with hands full of bluebells and anemones, they -met the first living human creature they had come across in their -rambles. Cows and sheep they had seen in plenty--almost too many of the -former for their perfect comfort--but none of their own species till -this young girl, who returned their looks of curiosity with one equally -as curious. She was taller and bigger than either of the elder Graham -girls, with short curly hair and sun-browned face, dressed very plainly -in blue serge with a plain sailor-hat perched on the top of her curls, -rather, Milly thought, because it was necessary to wear a hat than to -shelter her face from the sun, for it was pushed well back, which quite -accounted for the young face being so sun-burnt and rosy. She hesitated -as she met our young people as if about to speak, then drew back with a -sort of cold shyness and hurried on. Not so a little dog she had with -her. At sight of the Graham girls, he stood still and set up a series -of shrill barks. Lena and Milly hesitated whether to attempt to pass -him or not. Lucy settled the matter by retreating backwards into the -hedge, dragging Milly with her and screaming with terror. At the noise -the girl turned. Seizing the dog in her arms, she exclaimed, "Don't be -frightened, he won't hurt you." Then giving the dog a good hard slap, -added, "Be quiet, you stupid little thing." And without another word -she hurried on again. - -Lucy soon recovered from her terror, and the incident of the dog and the -unknown girl was an engrossing subject of conversation for the remainder -of the walk, and was eagerly related to their parents at dinner. - -"It must have been Bessie Freeling, I fancy," said Colonel Graham; "she -answers to your description." - -"Would not she be afraid to go about by herself?" asked Milly. - -"No, I fancy from what I have seen of her that she is only too fond of -roaming about in the fields; likes it better, I suspect, than staying in -the schoolroom and learning her lessons," said their father with a -smile. - -"I don't wonder, Papa," was Lena's emphatic remark; "I could be out in -the fields all day long." - -"You must be careful what fields you go into, children, for some of them -are set aside for hay, and you would be doing sad mischief if you went -wandering about there." - -"Had not you better go with them and show them where they may go and -where not?" said their mother. - -"Yes," said Colonel Graham, "we will all go together this afternoon, -Mama and all, later in the day, I mean when it is cooler." - -"May not we go out now?" asked Milly. - -"No, dear, it is too hot; besides, you have not put your books and -things away tidily in your room. I thought you both had decided on -making your room pretty and keeping it so." - -"So we did. Let us go and do it now, Lena, while Lucy has her sleep." -For little Lucy always required a sleep in the middle of the day, for -however much she wished to be running about, her eyes would grow heavy, -and her little feet weary after spending the morning trotting about. - -Lena and Milly were very busy in their room when they received a summons -to the drawing-room to see Mrs. Freeling, who, with her two girls, had -come to call. It was Hester who had come to tell them, and on seeing -Lena jump down from the chair she was standing on, so as to enable her -to reach the bookcase, where hers and Milly's books were to be kept, she -exclaimed-- - -"Why, Miss Lena, you are not going to leave your work unfinished, now it -is so nearly done, are you?" - -"We can do that afterwards; I do so want to see Bessie Freeling." - -"There are so few books left, you had better put them all tidy; I know -you will forget afterwards." - -"Well, give them to me, Milly. We will stick them up anyhow now, and -put them right by and by." - -"It is as easy to put them in tidily as untidily," said Hester; "and I -don't mean to let you go down till you have done it, and seen that you -are tidy also." - -So, very unwillingly, Lena had to wait till Hester considered they were -fit to go down, for both children's hands showed they had been at work. -When they were ready Lena said, "Come, Milly; how slow you are! I don't -believe you want to go," and she turned to Milly, who was still -lingering at the table. - -"I do hate going down to see new people. I never know what to say to -them first." - -"I like it when there are children, and I do want to know if Bessie is -the same girl we saw this morning. Come on, Milly." - -"Curiosity" gained the day, and overcame Milly's shyness, for she too -wanted to see if Bessie and their unknown friend were the same. - -Yes, Papa had been quite right in his surmise, for when they entered the -room, they at once recognised the young girl sitting so quietly and -demurely beside Mrs. Freeling to be the same one they had met in the -morning. Gertrude, the elder sister, was there also. Much taller than -Bessie, with long fair hair, and a quiet self-possessed manner, that -made both our little friends decide that she was almost grown up, though -Milly thought she must be very nice, she had such a sweet gentle look. -Lena did not trouble very much about her, as she saw she was so -"grown-up looking;" all her looks and interest were centered upon -Bessie, who looked very rosy and uncomfortable, for she was as shy -nearly as Milly, and only answered Lena's friendly advances with short -low monosyllables, until the door opened and Lucy entered. At first she -did not recognise Bessie as the owner of the little dog that had so -frightened her, but the moment she did so she ran to her with -outstretched hand, asking, "Where is your little dog? haven't you -brought him, 'cause he was naughty?" - -Bessie's eyes brightened as she greeted the child, and very soon Lucy -was on her knee chattering away quite at her ease, and Bessie soon -forgot her shyness also in the delight of the little one's company. - -"How nice for you to have a little sister!" she said, looking at Lena. - -"Yes, she is a dear little thing. Are you so fond of little children?" - -"Yes, I love them. I hate dolls; they can't speak or anything, just -pieces of wood. I would rather have Dash than any doll; but Lucy is -better than Dash," she added with a low laugh. - -Lena looked rather disgusted at her words, and said in an aggrieved -tone, "We all love dolls; don't we, Milly?" - -"Love dolls," said Gertrude, joining them, "so used I; and I am not sure -that I don't still, at any rate I like dressing them." - -"Gerty has got a whole drawerful at home. I think it is so silly to like -them," said Bessie scornfully. - -Mrs. Freeling rising at that moment to leave, there was nothing more -said about the dolls. - -"Bessie, we must ask Miss Gifford to give you a half-holiday to-morrow." - -"It is Wednesday, Mama, so I have one," interrupted Bessie hastily. - -"Ah yes, so it is, I had forgotten. Mrs. Graham has promised to bring -her children to-morrow to spend the day with you and Gertrude." - -"How nice! And, Mama, mayn't Lucy come too?" - -"Of course, dear, she was included;" then she added, turning to Mrs. -Graham, "We will expect you by one o'clock. You are sure you prefer to -walk up?" - -"Yes, we shall all enjoy the walk across the fields." And she looked at -her children, whose beaming faces showed they were delighted at all -Mama's arrangements for them. - -As the carriage drove away, the three children all began a chorus of -remarks upon their late visitors. Lucy was unqualified in her praises, -but not so Lena and Milly; they were neither of them sure whether they -liked Bessie quite so much as they expected. - -"Gertrude was very nice," said Milly. - -"What fault have you to find with poor Bessie?" said Mrs. Graham. - -"Why, Mama, she turned up her nose at our liking dolls, called them -pieces of wood, and spoke as if she thought we were silly," said Lena -indignantly. - -"Well, dear, you cannot expect to find everybody with exactly the same -tastes as yourselves. I daresay you will find she is really very nice; -she looks a bright frank girl, and she must be kind, judging from the -way she treated Lucy." - -"She loves little girls," said Lucy with a toss of her small head. "She -likes me better than Dash; she said so." - -Mrs. Graham was right. The girls found out the next day that they had -very many tastes in common with Bessie. Although she did not like -dolls, there were a great many things she did like, especially playing -in the garden and the fields, and before they separated that evening -they were all the closest of friends. But Lucy was prime favourite with -Bessie; everything that the child wanted was done at once, nothing was -too much to give the little one pleasure. Bessie had spoken the truth -when she had said that Gertrude had a drawer full of dolls, and as they -were looking at them--for Bessie condescended to be one of the party, as -Lucy expressed a wish to see the "dear dollies"--she exclaimed, "Don't -you think it silly of Gerty keeping those dolls when she is so old? And -then she is so fond of books, she is always at them. Miss Gifford says -she knows three times as much as I do." - -"That is your own fault, Bessie, you know; for you won't try to learn, -so how can you get on?" - -"How can one think of lessons when one wants to be out of doors? I -don't mind them on wet days, but on fine ones I cannot bear the sight of -a book. I envy you," looking at her friends as she spoke, "for you have -holidays and no governess." - -"But only for a week longer. Our new governess is coming then, and we -are not to have any more holidays this summer, except a fortnight in -August." - -"What a shame!" - -"Mama says we have had so many lately; but we shall have the same -half-holidays as you." - -"Then we can be out together, and the summer evenings are lovely for the -fields." - -"Don't you like your lessons at all, Bessie?" asked Milly. - -"No. How can I, when I feel I am such a long way behind Gerty? It's no -good my trying to get on--I can't," and a shade passed over the bright -face as she sighed. Bessie was in fact disheartened and disappointed. -She had been, when younger, considered quicker at her work than -Gertrude, and when she found she could learn so much sooner the lessons -set them, she had become idle and careless, thinking she could easily -catch up Gerty, though she did work so hard and was so fond of her -books. But Bessie soon found she had made a mistake, for the careless -roving habits she had given way to grew fast upon her, and soon her -sister outdistanced her on the path of learning. So Bessie grew -disgusted and disheartened. Instead of trying to make up for lost time, -she said "It was of no use," and grew fonder, or said she did, of -shirking her work. The Graham girls often wondered that Mrs. Freeling -allowed her so much liberty, for not only on the summer evenings, but -every spare hour she could get, Bessie made her way to the Grahams, and -would coax Mrs. Graham to let her carry off little Lucy to the garden, -much to the child's delight. The reason of this was that Mrs. Freeling -had come to the decision that Bessie must go to a boarding-school. She -had watched with sorrow how the girl's idle habits were increasing, and -she also saw that a good deal of it was caused by her being so -thoroughly put out of heart about her own doings and work. It would be -better for her, Mrs. Freeling knew, to have a change, and she hoped that -being with other girls, with whom she had not lost ground, would give -her courage to make a fresh start. Little did Bessie guess, as she -played with Lucy or her sisters, that very soon all this wild free life -was to be exchanged for the routine and discipline of a school. -Gertrude knew of it, and over and over again would she try and persuade -Bessie to settle down more steadily to her lessons; but argument and -persuasion were alike in vain. She was always unprepared and in -trouble. "You will be sorry for it," Gertrude would many a time say; -but Bessie's answer was always the same, "It is no good trying; I can't -get on." Thus the next week or two slipped away. Miss Marshall had -arrived, and lessons were begun regularly, when one morning Lucy rushed -in, throwing the door wide open, and forgetting in her excitement that -she was breaking through all rules by thus disturbing her sisters during -working hours. - -"O Miss Marshall, Lena, Milly, what do you think?" she exclaimed -eagerly, her eyes sparkling with delight. Then without waiting for an -answer she went on, "We are all to have tea in the hayfield. Mrs. -Freeling has asked us, and Mama says we may go, and this afternoon -Bessie is going to buy me a little rake, and I shall make hay." Here -the child stopped for sheer want of breath, while Lena and Milly both -exclaimed in tones of delight at the proposed treat. - -Fortunately lessons were nearly over for the morning, for Miss Marshall -found it very difficult to restrain her pupils' eagerness to get them -finished, and go and hear all about the treat in store. Bessie, who had -brought the news to Lucy, was quite ready and able to give them all -particulars. And the two elder girls looked wistfully after the -carriage that conveyed Mrs. Graham and Lucy with Mrs. Freeling to the -neighbouring town when they began afternoon lessons. - -"Lucy gets all the treats," murmured Lena crossly, while Milly added -with a little sigh, "I wish I was her." - -This was to be a day of surprises for them, for when Mama returned she -told them she had heard from Mrs. Clifford, who wrote she had that day -sent off a box. "It is addressed to you, Milly dear," she continued. - -"When do you think it will come?" asked Milly. - -"It has arrived at the station, dear. Mrs. Freeling kindly called, -meaning to bring it back with her; but we heard then that it had been -sent by the carrier, so I expect it will soon be here." - -After tea and lessons were over, the three girls went down the road to -look if they could see the carrier's cart coming. Lena and Lucy were -both as excited about the expected parcel as Milly herself, for they had -quite talked themselves into the belief that Mrs. Clifford would be sure -to send them something. Mrs. Graham had repeatedly told them that it -was not at all probable; but they thought otherwise, and as they wished -to think so, Mama's warnings were all thrown away upon them. Bessie, -too, had helped to increase Lucy's confidence, for she had said, "Of -course she would not forget to send such a little darling as you -something nice." So all three were in a state of great delight when -they saw the cart coming towards the house. They all scampered back to -call to Mama that the precious parcel would very soon arrive, and to -entreat her to come and see it opened." - -"You can bring it into the dining-room and open it there," said Mrs. -Graham to the eager party. - -"Such a nice big one, Mama," said Milly, appearing with a box in her -arms, done up in brown paper, and addressed to "Miss Millicent Graham." - -"It must have more than one thing in it," said Lena anxiously. Then the -string was undone and the paper taken off, and a square card-board box -was displayed to view. - -"I see two parcels," said Milly excitedly as she opened it. - -"Mine will be in the corner or underneath!" cried Lucy, as she danced -about in her excitement. - -Milly took out the first thing, and taking off the paper coverings that -were round it, held up a very pretty white hat, trimmed with lace and a -large white ostrich feather. - -"Oh, how lovely! I hope mine is the same," said Lena, putting down the -hat on the table. - -Milly took out the other thing. It was not a hat she felt at once. -Uncovering it, she saw a white straw work-basket, and opening it they -further saw that it was lined with blue satin, and filled with all the -necessary things for working with. Laying that on the table beside the -hat, she dived again into the box. A look of disappointment crept over -her face as she felt, for nothing more was there but the paper which had -been placed in it to keep the hat from being hurt by the basket. - -"That's all," she said at length. - -Lucy stood the picture of disappointment, and screwed up her little face -ready for a good cry, when Mama said, "Look, dear, here is a note in the -work-basket." - -Lucy waited for her cry to hear if there was any good news in the note. - -"Read it, please, Mama," said Milly, putting the paper into her mother's -hands. She had caught a glimpse of what was written, and she could not -bear to read out the words which she knew were coming. - -"For dear Milly, hoping she will like her god-mama's choice." Not a -word about either Lena or Lucy. - -The latter set up a howl of disappointment, but Lena said never a word. -Her disappointment was very great--she had so made up her mind that she -would be remembered, and had spoken so decidedly on the subject before -them all. Her heart swelled with feelings of wounded pride, -disappointment, and anger, for at the moment she was angry, not only -with herself for having so hoped for it, but with Mrs. Clifford, who she -considered had behaved very unkindly to her. Though why Mrs. Clifford -should have sent her a present she could not have told you herself. - -"May Lena have the hat, and me the basket, Mania?" asked Milly -pleadingly. "You like the hat best, don't you, Lena?" - -Mrs. Graham was trying to comfort the weeping Lucy, who refused to be -comforted, and wept and raved at the cruelty of every one in general and -Mrs. Clifford in particular. - -"No, Milly, I don't want the hat: they were both sent to you; of course -she likes you best--every one does." And with these words, and without -a kind look or word of thanks to her sister, Lena left the room. - -Poor Milly! Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at the presents -that but a few minutes before she had thought of with such pleasure. - -Mrs. Graham came to her side, and lifting up her face, kissed her, and -whispered, "My poor little Milly, this is a sad way to receive your -present." - -"O Mama, I wish it had never come. I can never wear the hat." - -"No," screamed Lucy, "it's a nasty hat--I'll spoil it," and she seized -the unoffending hat roughly; but Mrs. Graham at once took it from her, -and handing it to Milly, said, "Put it in the box again, and take it to -my room." - -"Nasty horrid thing! I'll spoil you," screamed Lucy again, and thus, -screaming and struggling, the passionate child was taken by her mother -to the nursery, while Milly put the hat and work-basket away in the box, -and carried it up as told to her mother's room. Opening the wardrobe -she put the box into it, and then shut and locked the door. - -"There, you are out of sight now," she said as she did so. Then sitting -down on the sofa she gave way to a burst of tears. She had looked -forward with such pleasure to receiving her promised present; in her -secret heart she had hoped that it might be the very work-basket that -had come, for she had admired it so much in the shop one day, and Mrs. -Clifford had alluded to it before she left. Now it had really been given -to her, and had brought her nothing but sorrow. Why would not Lena take -the hat? for she had said she hoped there would be one for her the same, -and Milly couldn't wear it after what Lena had said. She was sorry -there was nothing for Lucy, but she knew she would soon be comforted by -some small present, and that she should have something Milly quite -settled in her own mind; but she felt that with Lena it was very -different, nothing she had to give her would make up for the -disappointment and the wound to her self-love. It was not thus that -Milly called it; she so dearly loved her sister that she made excuses -for her in her own mind and also to her mother, who very soon came to -seek for and comfort her. - -"Mama, Lena says she won't have the hat--do make her take it." - -"No, dear; I don't wish her to have it. It was sent to you, and I want -my children to learn to see each other given pleasure without coveting -it for themselves or being jealous about it." - -"O Mama, but it was such a disappointment to her!" - -"Yes, I know it is; but Lena has brought it on herself, for I have told -her over and over again that she was raising false hopes both for -herself and Lucy, and so it has ended in sorrow to you all." - -"Can't I leave it in your wardrobe and say nothing more about it?" - -"The hat you may leave in my wardrobe, and you needn't wear it just -yet,--indeed there won't be an opportunity for doing so,--but the -work-basket must be taken down to the drawing-room. Both Lucy and Lena -must learn to see it, dear, without wanting it." - -Milly felt somehow that Lena wouldn't mind the work-basket so much, -especially as she had a nice one of her own, while Milly's was an old -and rather shabby one, so she took it down more contentedly; now that -the hat was well out of sight, she hoped that it would soon be -forgotten. - -Lena walked out of the dining-room with a swelling heart and clouded -brow. She had been very unkindly and ungently treated, she considered. -It was very hard that Milly should have everything. What right had she -to have a godmama who gave presents when she herself had not, forgetting -that the Aunt who had done so much for her was her godmother as well as -Aunt, and had done for her far more than Milly's had ever done. Running -up to her bedroom for her garden-hat, she opened the drawer where her -best hat was kept. She had thought it very pretty and nice when it was -given her, but now, as she looked at it, and compared it with Milly's -new one, she thought how shabby and plain it was. "Not even a feather!" -And she shut to the drawer with a slam, and seizing her garden-hat ran -downstairs again and out of the house. As she wandered on by herself, -all the jealous fancies that had raised their heads before, now began -slowly to return and show themselves once more. Ah me! Lena was not -only allowing them to do so unopposed, but encouraging them both to come -back and remain with her. Looking back at the house, she saw, through -the open window of her mother's room, Milly standing up, and beside her -stood Mrs. Graham. If Lena had only heard the words her sister was -saying, her heart would have softened. "It was such a disappointment to -her," the gentle voice pleaded; but unfortunately, the words were -unheard, and Lena, turning her back to the sight, walked on hurriedly. -"I knew she was Mama's favourite, she has got everything; it is me Mama -might be sorry for. Oh, I wish Aunt Mary was here!" At this thought -the tears filled her eyes, but she pressed them back; if any one saw her -crying, they would think it was because she was sorry for the hat, and -she would not let them think that Very soon she caught sight of Bessie -coming across the fields. As soon as the latter saw her, she hurried -on, calling out the moment she was within hearing, "Has the parcel -arrived?" - -"Yes," said Lena, trying to speak indifferently. "But it was only for -Milly--a hat and a work-basket." - -"Nothing for you?" - -"No," said Lena with a shaky voice, which Bessie seeing, she slipped her -arm in hers, saying, "What a shame! And nothing for little Lucy; she -will be disappointed!" - -Lena began to walk off in the direction away from the house; and Bessie, -who was always good-natured, especially when any one was in trouble, -walked beside her, and began telling her what they hoped to do the next -day, when they were to spend the afternoon in the hay-field. "Mama -wants Mrs. Graham to let Hester and the other servants come too--every -one ought to help in the hay-field." - -Lena did not return home until as late an hour as she dared to, but -nothing was said by either Mama or Miss Marshall at her being a little -late, both hoping that she had had time to reflect on what had passed, -and that by this time she knew she alone had been to blame for the false -hopes she had raised for herself and her little sister. Not one word did -Lena say about the parcel or her disappointment. She would show them -she did not care. And when Milly, who was longing for an opportunity to -say something kind about it, saw that Lena did not wish the subject -mentioned, she kept silence, only trying, by being extra kind and loving -to her, to show she felt with and for her. When they were alone in -their room Lena said she was tired and sleepy, hurrying over her -undressing, and, alas! her prayers also. She did not wish to forgive, -and the girl's mind was so clouded by her wrong and jealous thoughts, -that she would not allow that she herself had any need of forgiveness. -With a cold kiss she returned Milly's clinging, loving embrace; and -prayerless--for no mere formal words, repeated from habit only, can be -called prayer--and unhappy,--for how could she be otherwise with such -thoughts as hers?--she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. So -still did she lie, that when Mrs. Graham came in to see her little -girls, as was her custom every night, Milly said softly, "Lena was -tired, Mama, and she is asleep already." - -"Poor child," said her Mother, "I won't stay and talk to you, dear, for -fear of waking her. I am glad she has taken the disappointment so -quietly." After kissing Milly, she stooped over Lena, and with a tender -"God bless you, my child," she kissed her forehead softly, and left the -room. - -The tears forced themselves under the closed lids, but Lena gulped them -back, and with them, all the softened thoughts that began to rise at her -mother's words; and as she drove back the good, the wrong thoughts -returned and filled the child's mind with seeds that were to reap a -bitter harvest ere long. - - - - - *CHAPTER VIII.* - - *MILLY'S NEW HAT.* - - -"I shall be sorry to have to keep you in this afternoon, Lena," said -Miss Marshall; "but if you do not pay more attention to your lessons I -shall be obliged to." - -"They are so difficult," grumbled Lena. - -"That is nonsense. Milly has said hers correctly, and surely you can do -so also; you are not paying the slightest attention this morning." - -"Of course Milly does it best when you help her," muttered Lena, but in -tones loud enough to be heard by her governess. - -Things went on from bad to worse. Lena was in a cross, stubborn mood. -She was hugging to herself, as it were, the disappointment of the -afternoon before, dwelling upon it, and looking at it over and over -again in the light of her own wounded pride and vanity. This was the -morning of the day they had all looked forward to with such pleasure, -the day when they were all to have tea in the hay-field; and now, -instead of getting through her lessons well and quickly, she was -allowing her thoughts and attention to wander anywhere they would, -except to the one place they ought to have rested on. - -"Have you got a headache, Lena?" asked Miss Marshall at length, when her -patience was nearly exhausted. - -"No," was the short answer. - -"Then what is the matter with you, dear?" she asked kindly. - -"Nothing, only my lessons are so difficult." - -"Let me try and explain them to you again," said Miss Marshall; and -taking the book she went over the prescribed task. But all her kindness -was thrown away; it was not that Lena could not, it was that she would -not learn. When the usual hour for ending morning lessons arrived, Lena -was all behind, and there was nothing to be done except to excuse her -them altogether, or to keep her in for part of the afternoon. The -latter course was what Miss Marshall resolved on. - -"Lena must stay in alone," said Mrs. Graham, when she heard of this -resolution. "I am very sorry for it, my child, but I cannot help -myself. It would not be fair to deny any of the others their pleasure -because you choose to be so naughty and wilful." - -All but the cook were going to the hay-field. She was remaining to look -after the house during the absence of all the others, and so Lena would -not be quite alone in the house. - -"Directly you think you know your lessons you may come and join us. I -know I can trust you, my little one," said her mother kindly to the -child as she left her sitting alone in the schoolroom. For a little -while Lena sat leaning her elbows on the table and gazing into vacancy, -as she heard the voices of her mother and sisters gradually dying away -in the distance. It was very hard, she thought, sitting here all by -herself, when they were all enjoying themselves out of doors, forgetting -that it was all her own doing. Suddenly a new impulse seized her, and -bending down over her book, she began to read over her lesson. The door -opened, and Hester came in. - -"Have you not gone yet, Hester?" asked Lena in surprise. - -"No, Miss, I had to finish my work first. I am ready now, only waiting -for Emma. She has gone to put the salt into Miss Milly's bath. Oh, -Miss Lena, do make haste and do your lessons: only think what your -Auntie would say if she saw you now." - -"She would not have been so cross and kept me in." - -"Well, dear, show that you can do them as well as Miss Milly." - -Hester had touched her pride with this speech, and tossing back her head -she answered, "Of course I can if I choose." - -"Well then, dear, I would choose; it's a pity to lose all the fun of the -haymaking, and such a lovely afternoon as it is, too." - -"I won't be long now, Hester; I will learn them." - -"Shall I wait for you?" - -"No, thank you, Hester, I will soon follow you." - -Then with a few kindly words of encouragement Hester left the room, and -Lena applied herself to her task with such goodwill that very soon she -had learnt it correctly. - -Putting away her books, she went up for her walking things. As she -passed her mother's room, the door of which was left wide open, she went -in, and going to the window looked out to see if she could see them in -the field. Not a person was to be seen--all lay so still and peaceful -in the bright sunshine, the silence only broken by the song of a bird or -the distant lowing of cattle. Turning from the window, Lena's eye fell -on the box that had come from Mrs. Clifford. It had been taken out for -some reason from the wardrobe, placed on the bed, and evidently -forgotten to be put back. Lena lingered a moment beside it. She had -not seen it except for the few moments that Milly had held it before her -on first taking it out of the box. She would like to have a good look -at it, and here was an opportunity for doing so privately and without -having to ask Milly to allow her to do so. Opening the box, she lifted -the paper and looked in. Then taking it carefully out, she turned it -round and examined it more attentively. "What a nice feather!" she -murmured. "I wonder if it looks nice on." That was very easy to -decide. Placing it on her head, she walked to the looking-glass. It -was a very becoming one, she considered, as she turned her head from -side to side to see it to every advantage. A sudden noise made her -start guiltily and turn quickly round, "for a fearful conscience makes -cowards of us all." So quickly had she turned and with such a jerk, -that off went the hat. Lena made a dash at it, but it was too late, she -could not save it. With a splash it went into the salt bath prepared -for Milly's weak ancles, and which was always taken into her mother's -room. With a cry of horror Lena snatched it out, but alas! the mischief -was done, the beautiful curly feather was soaking. Such a -miserable-looking object it was, as Lena gazed at it in dismay. Hastily -taking a towel from the rack, she rubbed away at the unfortunate hat; -then when the straw was dry, or looked nearly so, she shook it -vigorously, hoping in this way to restore the feather to its former -beauty. All the shaking and rubbing was of no use, for the feather -still remained all wet and uncurled. Holding it before the fire -sometimes did a wet feather good, Lena knew; should she take it down and -ask cook to let her hold it before the kitchen fire? As she stood -meditating she saw through the open window her father and Milly coming -towards the house. If Milly had been alone she would have run and told -her all, for all anger and pride had died away in her fright and sorrow, -for she was sorry for the mischief she had caused, but the sight of her -father made her hesitate. "He would be so angry," she thought, and the -remembrance of the stern way he had spoken to her the night she had -looked over Aunt Mary's shoulder and read her letter, came back to her. -"She could not tell him." She would wait and tell Milly afterwards, or -Mama. She would understand it was not done intentionally. Thrusting the -hat hastily into the box again, she hurried to her room, trembling and -almost in tears. - -"Lena, Lena, where are you?" shouted Milly, as she bounded upstairs to -look for her, after having failed to find her in the schoolroom. -"Getting ready? Oh, I am so glad you have done. I have come back to -bring you--we all want you so much. Crying, Lena?" she continued, and -receiving no answer--"Oh, don't cry; it is all right now." - -Here was Lena's opportunity to confess all, and this she determined to -do. Bursting out afresh into tears, she sobbed, "Oh, Milly clear, do -forgive me; the hat"----she went on incoherently. - -Here Milly interrupted her with a kiss--"Never mind the tiresome old -hat; I never want to see it again. I love you better than all the hats -in the world." - -"But, Milly, I must tell you"---- - -Here Colonel Graham's voice was heard calling in rather impatient tones -for them to make haste. - -"There, Lena, you must come; I won't listen to one word more about the -hat;" and dragging her after her, she hurried down to join her father. - -No one took any notice of Lena's tear-stained face, all attributing it -to the fact of her having been kept in; and when Mama, greeting her with -a loving kiss, the tears welled up afresh, they were thought to be only -signs of sorrow for her conduct during the morning, and only drew forth -another kiss and kind words of forgiveness, "Now, darling, run and join -the others, and all enjoy yourselves." - -Though Lena joined in all the games and pleasures of the others, it was -not with the full enjoyment with which she usually did so. No one -alluded either to her having been kept at home, or to the disappointment -of the day before, except once, and that was done by Lucy, who said, -"Milly, Bessie says she expects that my present was small, and must have -got hidden among the paper." - -"No, Lucy dear, I am sure there was not anything more in the box." - -"Yes, so am I," said Lena, flushing scarlet, "it is very stupid of -Bessie saying such things to you." - -"I believe Bessie, and she is not stupid; she is very nice--nicer than -you," and the child walked off, indignantly murmuring to herself, "I -mean to look and see, for I believe Bessie." - -"I wish she would not tell Lucy such things; she never thinks how bad it -is for her." The one she alluded to being Bessie, who petted and -spoiled the child, giving her everything she asked for, and never -allowing either of her sisters to contradict her; or when they did so, -she made up for it by an extra petting. - -Lena was ill at ease, and looked so tired when evening came that Mama -sent her off to bed, attributing the weary looks and subdued manner to -over fatigue from running about in the heat. - -As Lena lay waiting for Milly to come to bed--for Lena had been sent off -first by Mama--she decided that she would tell Milly when she came in, -and then together they would tell their mother; but all her plans were -frustrated by the weary eyes closing in sleep before her sister came in, -and so quiet was Milly that she did not awake her. - -The following morning doubts and conjectures began to trouble Lena. -Milly made such a fuss when she began to speak of the hat, and say she -would not hear a word more about it; she had said she did not care one -bit about it. Still conscience kept telling her over and over again, -that there was but one path before her, and that was a very plain and -straight one, called Truth. The longer she put off telling, the more -difficult it became. She would tell her while dressing. "Milly," she -began, just before they left the room, "I want to speak to you about the -hat." - -"O Lena, please don't say anything now about it, or I shall hate it. -Mama and I decided last night that it is to be left in its box, and I -shall forget all about it: I could not wear it now." - -"Could not wear it now," Lena repeated, but no one heard her, for Milly -had left the room. "Could Mama and Milly have opened the box last night -and seen what had happened? Yes, that must be it; how good and kind -Milly was to forgive her so easily. She would show her how grateful she -was, and how much she loved her and Mama too for forgiving her." She -felt she did not deserve this kind treatment, but she would try to in -the future. All that day Lena expected her mother to say something -about the feather, but not one word was said, not even when they were -alone. Lena tried very hard all that day to be good, and was gentle and -affectionate to both her sisters, especially Milly, who was so glad to -have Lena once more on amiable terms with her that she was in the best -and highest spirits. - -When Mama gave her little girls their good-night kiss, Lena said, "How -good you are to me, Mama!" - -"When one tries to be good oneself, darling, one always finds that -others are trying to be the same; as when one is cross, one thinks -everybody is cross too." - -Lucy had not forgotten Bessie's remark, that perhaps Milly had -overlooked her present, and that very probably it had got among the -paper that formed the wrappings of the hat and work-basket. To find this -out Lucy was quite determined, but how to do so was the difficulty. She -had asked Mama if she would look, but her answer had not been -satisfactory to the child--"Milly had looked, and the paper from Mrs. -Clifford proved that only Milly was to receive anything." Lucy wanted -to see for herself. The box was in Mama's wardrobe she knew, and could -be very easily got at and searched, if only she could do so without -being seen. Some days passed away, and no opportunity occurred. One -was sure to come, for it is wonderful how opportunities do occur, for -either good or evil, when eagerly watched for. It was the case with -Lucy. Colonel and Mrs. Graham had gone to return a visit some distance -off; the two elder girls had gone with Miss Marshall, Gertrude Freeling -and her governess for a long walk to some woods in the neighbourhood. -This walk had long been talked of, but it was too far to go in their -usual walking hours, so had been arranged for a half-holiday. When -Gertrude and Miss Gifford called for the Grahams, Astbury being on the -way, they brought word that Bessie was not going with them; she would -come down later and take Lucy for a play in the fields. This was a -splendid opportunity for Lucy to search the box. Hester was busy in the -nursery, so Lucy asked leave to go and meet Bessie. This was at once -accorded, for the time fixed on for her coming was close at hand. -Instead of going out at once, Lucy went to her mother's room. Shutting -the door quietly, so that she should not be seen, she opened the -wardrobe. The box was too high for her to reach, so putting a chair -close she mounted on it, and was thus enabled easily to reach the -desired object. Placing it on the floor, she opened it, and lifting the -hat out, put it on the floor beside her, without uncovering it from the -paper in which it was wrapped. Then she made a careful but unavailing -search. The child's face grew longer and longer as the conviction was -at last forced upon her, that there was really nothing more there. It -was quite true then that she had been told the truth by Milly, and -Bessie was wrong. Anger succeeded to disappointment. Without waiting to -remove the chair or to replace the box, she turned to go; the paper -containing the hat lay before her: giving it a kick with her foot, for -Lucy had worked herself into a rage by this time, she sent hat, paper, -and all flying across the room. Then, without waiting to see the -effects of the kick, she rushed out of the room, down the stairs, and -into the garden. Bessie had not arrived, so she started off to meet -her, and pour into her ever-friendly ear her tale of woe. - - - - - *CHAPTER IX.* - - *THE SPOILT FEATHER.* - - -Lucy had not gone very far when she saw Bessie coming towards her, not -walking along briskly and brightly as usual, but with a lagging step and -drooping head, so unlike her usual self that even Lucy, full as she was -of her own grievance, was struck by it. - -"O Bessie, what is the matter? what have you been doing?" - -"Nothing, except I am miserable," was the gloomy answer. - -Awed and subdued, the child walked beside her in silence, until they -came to a favourite resting-place of theirs--an old tree that had been -blown down in some winter storm and still lay beside the hedge. The -branches had been chopped off, and grass and wild flowers had grown up -around it, making it both a comfortable and picturesque seat. On this -Bessie seated herself with Lucy beside her. - -"Do tell me what is the matter; why are you so unhappy?" Placing her -little hand on her knee, she looked up affectionately into her -companion's face. - -"They are going to send me away from here, all among strangers in a -horrid town, and I shall be wretched." - -"Send you away, your Papa and Mama! Why, what have you done?" the child -asked in surprise. - -"Nothing." And as she spoke the word she began to laugh in an -hysterical, nervous sort of way. Then seeing the child's bewildered -look she said, "Yes, Lucy, that's really why, because Mama says I am not -getting on with Miss Gifford, that I do nothing, so they are going to -send me to school." - -"How unkind of them!" - -"No, Mama could not be unkind, nor Papa either; they say it's for my -good." - -"Like what they say when they give you nasty medicine." This was not -said saucily, but very gravely, for Lucy was not in a merry mood; the -news she had just heard was too serious for a joke. - -"Only think," said Bessie, looking round her with loving, admiring eyes, -"to live among streets and houses, and to leave all these beautiful -fields and trees--oh, it is cruel! I can never be happy away from -here." Sure of a sympathising listener in her little companion, she -poured forth all her sorrows for the present and fears for the future. - -The prospect of dear kind Bessie going away saddened little Lucy, and so -filled her thoughts that it drove away the remembrance of her own -disappointment, and she quite forgot to tell her of all that had -happened, and that she had come out to meet her with the full intention -of telling. When they parted at the garden gate, Bessie looked happier, -though I fear not one whit more resigned to the prospect in store for -her. - -Lucy watched her away, and then turned and ran back to the house. -Though she was very very sorry about it, still it did not prevent her -from being eager to tell her sisters the news, sad though it was. It -gave her a feeling of importance to know something the elder ones did -not, so she felt quite disappointed at finding that none of the others -had come in. She must tell her tale to some one, so running up to the -nursery she found Hester, who listened to her news and was as interested -and sympathising as her small charge desired. - -Lucy was already dressed and waiting for tea, when Lena came in, saying, -"O Lucy, there you are! Mama wants you; she is in the drawing-room; -come along quickly." - -Together they entered the drawing-room, where they found Colonel and -Mrs. Graham and Milly. The latter looked very distressed, and both -parents very grave. - -"What is it, Mama?" they both exclaimed. - -"Have you been in your mother's bedroom to-day, Lena?" asked Colonel -Graham. - -"No, Papa," was the immediate answer, and she looked frankly into her -father's face as she spoke. Not a suspicion of what was coming dawned -upon her, she had so completely made up her mind that both her mother -and sister knew of her wrong-doing and had forgiven her. At first she -had often wondered that her mother had said no word to her on the -subject. Then as the days wore on, she was only too glad to forget all -about it, and she had tried to be very good and obedient, to show her -gratitude. It was the old story with Lena, trusting to her own efforts -to repair the wrong, forgetting that there is nothing that we can do -that will cleanse us from sin; there is only One who can do that, and He -was now going to give her the opportunity to confess her fault, and to -show true repentance. - -As Colonel Graham asked Lena this question, Lucy coloured and cast down -her eyes. She suddenly remembered what she had done, and how she had -left her mother's room. - -"Lucy, have you been in?" There was little doubt what would be the -answer. Conscious guilt was stamped on every feature of the child's -face. - -"Yes, Papa," she said timidly. Then bursting into tears, she rushed to -her mother's arms for refuge and comfort. - -"Tell us all about it, my child; what did you go for?" - -"To see if there was not a present for me," she sobbed. - -"But Milly told you she had searched the box." - -"Bessie said perhaps it had got among the paper, and you had not seen -it." - -"Well, when you found it was not there, what did you do to the hat?" - -"Kicked it," she murmured very low. - -"Nothing else?" - -"No, I did not even look at it." - -"You must have done something more, Lucy," said her father. "How else -could it be in this state?" And he held out Milly's unfortunate hat. - -Lucy lifted her head from her mother's shoulder and looked. "O Papa, -what a pity! how did it get like that?" - -The child spoke with such an accent of truth, that the parents looked at -one another in surprise. That Lucy had not done it intentionally there -could be no doubt. - -"We thought you had done it, Lucy. We found it in this state under the -washing-stand." - -"I am so sorry. I never meant to spoil the hat; I only kicked it -because I was so angry;" for Lucy immediately jumped to the conclusion -that she had done the mischief, though unintentionally. Springing -forward she flung her arms round Milly, saying, "Please, please forgive -me, Milly; I did not mean to spoil your hat really." - -"No, I know you did not, Lucy. I don't mind one bit now; I did at -first, because it was such a pretty one. I don't mind now; and Lena and -I will have the same like always--won't we, Mama?" said Milly sweetly as -she kissed her little sister. - -What were Lena's feelings during this time? Very conflicting ones. So -Mama and Milly had not known of it all along, and now she must confess -that she had not only done the mischief, but had concealed it all this -time. Would they believe her when she told them the whole story? She -had not really meant to deceive them, she repeated over and over again -to herself. The others were too much taken up with Lucy to notice her, -or else her varying looks must have betrayed the struggle that was going -on within. As Milly ceased speaking, Lena started forward. "O Milly," -she began, when her father's voice arrested her. - -"I am glad, my child, you told me the truth at once, for if you had -tried to deceive me and denied your fault, I should have been very -angry. You see what sins jealousy and passion lead you into." - -"I could not tell before Papa," thought Lena as she drew back; "if he -would be angry with little Lucy, how much more so would he be with me -who am older?" Then as Lucy sobbed out, "I really did not mean to spoil -the feather," and her mother answered, "No, dear, that must have been an -accident," the temptation that rose to Lena's mind was too strong to be -resisted by her feeble strength, and on that strength alone had she been -and still was relying. So she held her peace and let Lucy bear the -blame. - -"You need not stay, dears," said Mrs. Graham to the two elder girls. -"Go to your tea; I want to have Lucy with me alone for a little while." - -How the feather had been spoiled still remained a mystery. Lucy fully -and firmly believed that she had been the cause, by throwing it under -the washing-stand, though unless the floor had been wet it would not -have been so utterly ruined. It was an unsatisfactory solution of the -difficulty, but as no other could be found, they had to be satisfied -with it. How thankful Lena was when tea was over, and Miss Marshall -gave them leave to go out into the garden for half an hour. - -"May I go up and see Lucy?" asked Milly. - -Gaining permission, she ran after Lena to tell her where she was going, -and to ask if she would come with her. - -"There is no good both going, and I want to finish my book." But not -much of the book was read that evening, when, out of sight of every one, -Lena sat down and tried to arrange her thoughts. What had she done? -Though no one was by to see her, her cheeks flushed with shame at her -conduct. What cowardice and meanness had she not been guilty of! Oh, -if she had only spoken out at the beginning, all this misery and -wickedness would have been saved. "It was not too late yet," conscience -whispered. Then the thought of what her father would say when he heard -that she had deceived them. If it was only Mama, I should not mind, so -ran her thoughts; but I dare not tell Papa, he would be so angry. Oh, -if only Aunt Mary were here I could tell her everything, forgetting, or -rather pushing away the remembrance, of One nearer and dearer than any -earthly friend, who never turns a cold or deaf ear to any of His -children, and who ever has the gentlest and most loving answer for His -repentant little ones. How, over and over again, we dread the anger of -some earthly friend, forgetting that some day we must face the just -anger of an offended God if we continue in our hardness and sin. As -Lena sat thus thinking, we may be very sure that excuses, and what she -called good reasons for keeping silence, were not long in making their -appearance. Lucy had been forgiven, and nothing more would be said on -the subject. Why should she open out such a painful thing again? She -had not told a falsehood; if Papa had asked her, she would have -acknowledged doing it. He had only asked her if she had been in her -mother's room that afternoon, and she had spoken the truth when she said -"No." Then what would Aunt Mary feel if she heard that she, her pet and -darling, had got into trouble and disgrace? No, this must never be, and -so on and on went the struggle between right and wrong, ending, alas! in -Lena's leaving it to be settled some other time. "I could not do it -to-night, I will the first opportunity;" and somehow, when an -opportunity offered itself, it was not a right one--Lena would wait for -a better. So day followed day, and still the secret was locked up in -Lena's bosom, and it seemed probable that it never would be told. -Nothing was ever said about the feather, and to all appearance no one -remembered anything about it. Still Lena was not happy. How could she -be, with such a weight at her heart? Aunt Mary had striven to train her -niece not for this life alone; and the good seed that had been sown in -love and faith was not dead, and the better thoughts would make -themselves heard. Lena was not callous or hardened; no, she was very -miserable, poor child, as all of us must be who carry about with us an -unconfessed and unforgiven sin. As day after day she kneeled, as she -had ever done in prayer, and listened to, or read God's Word, her heart -grew heavier, and sometimes the longing to tell all was so strong that -she would start up to go, then her courage would fail, and she was -afraid of what they would say; and the remembrance of her father's -words, both to herself and Lucy, would come back, and she would shrink -from the task, thinking, "I will be very good and obedient, and make up -for not telling by good conduct." At times she would forget all about -it, and be the bright, lively Lena we first knew; but some word or deed -would be sure to recall her secret, and she would have the same struggle -over again. - -Her mother was sure that something was amiss, and would watch her -troubled, anxious face with loving eyes, fearing that her child was -either ill or unhappy. Could it be, she would wonder, that she was -fretting at the loss of Aunt Mary? and at this thought she would be, if -that were possible, when she was always kind and loving to her children, -more so than usual to Lena. Strange to say, that when this was the -case, it made Lena only stronger in her determination not to tell, for -she would think, "She would not be so kind to me if she knew how naughty -I had been." So day after day passed and her secret was still untold. - -"Where is Lena?" asked Mrs. Graham, coming into the garden, where Milly -and Lucy were busy working at their own especial little garden. - -"On the lawn, Mama. She wanted to finish a book Gertrude lent her. -Shall I call her?" - -"No, dear, I will go to her," and she moved away. - -Throwing down the rake with which she had been working, Milly followed. -"Mama," she began, when she was out of ear-shot of Lucy; "I don't think -Lena is very happy here." - -"I am afraid, dear, that she is not well," answered her mother. - -"She is so much quieter, and she is not half so fond of running about -and romping as she used to be." - -"I am beginning to think this place does not suit her. It's a change -from the sea-air she has been accustomed to. I have a letter for her -from Aunt Mary; that is what I want her for." - -"Oh, that will please her. There she is. Lena!" she called out as they -came in sight of her lying flat on the grass, intent on a book she was -reading. - -Lena looked up as they joined her, saying, "It is such a nice book! -Milly, you ought to read it." - -"I have brought you something else to read, dear," said her mother, -holding out a letter which Lena sprang up to receive; for what child is -not delighted at receiving a letter, especially if directed to itself! - -As Lena was opening the envelope, Mrs. Graham said, "I heard from Mrs. -Clifford to-day. That will interest you, Milly. I wrote and asked her -to come and stay here." - -At these words Lena turned round hastily, and listened anxiously to hear -the answer from Mrs. Clifford. As her mother had paused and was looking -for the letter in her pocket, Lena asked impatiently, "Is she coming?" - -"Yes, dear, in a fortnight." - -Lena's cheek flushed crimson, for the thought flashed through her mind, -"She will inquire about the hat." - -At sight of her crimsoned cheeks Mrs. Graham and Milly at once came to -the same conclusion--"Lena has not forgotten her disappointment at not -receiving a present;" but neither took any notice of her confusion in -words. - -"Shall I read you your letter, dear?" asked Mrs. Graham. - -"Please, Mama," she answered, placing the letter in her hand. Then -walking slowly up and down the lawn, Mrs. Graham read the letter aloud -to the two girls, who were walking one on each side of her. - -After telling her niece about the many new and interesting places she -had been visiting, she went on to say what pleasure it had given her to -hear from Mrs. Graham, how good and obedient Lena had been, ending with, -"Nothing can give me so much happiness as hearing this, dear Lena, and I -trust that I may continue to have equally good accounts until we meet -again in the winter." Lena listened to these words in silence as her -mother ended the letter. - -Bessie Freeling rushed out of the house to join them, exclaiming as she -did so, "O Mrs. Graham, I came with Mama; she is in the drawing-room; -she wants to see you." - -This was a happy interruption for Lena. She dreaded hearing some words -of praise from her mother, for she knew how little she deserved them. -Handing her the letter with a smile, Mrs. Graham answered Bessie, and -hurried back to the house to see Mrs. Freeling, leaving the three girls -together. - -Bessie was in a state of excitement, and the moment Mrs. Graham -disappeared into the house she burst out with, "What do you think she -has come for? To ask if your mother will let one of you go to the -seaside with Gertrude and Miss Gifford, instead of me. I want to stay -here all summer. I don't want to lose a day when I have such a -miserable winter before me." - -"I thought your Papa and Mama were going away too," said Milly. - -"Yes, to take the boys to see Uncle Henry; but I want to come and stay -here while you go with Gerty." - -Milly's face fell: she did not want to leave home. "But we can't--we -have no holidays," she said, brightening up at this thought. - -Here was an escape for Lena from meeting Mrs. Clifford. Was ever -anything more fortunate? she thought, for she dreaded any remarks or -inquiries from that lady. - -"I should like to go to the sea," said Lena; "I hope Mama will let me." - -"Want to go away, Lena?" said Milly reproachfully. "And when Mrs. -Clifford is coming; I do so want her to know you, as well as me." - -"I do hope Mrs. Graham will say 'yes.' Now, Milly, don't you go trying -to persuade Lena not to--I shan't let you speak to her until it is all -settled;" and she laughingly dragged her away, calling loudly to Lucy to -come and help her, which the moment Lucy heard her voice, she hastened -to do. And a merry struggle went on between them, in which Lena, -rejoiced at the prospect of escaping Mrs. Clifford's promised visit, -joined in, and it was in the midst of all the fun and noise that Mrs. -Graham and Mrs. Freeling joined them. - -"You will consent, won't you, Mrs. Graham?" said Bessie, leaving Milly -and looking up coaxingly at her. - -"Consent to have you here? Yes, with pleasure; and I think, as your -mother has kindly asked one of my children to go with Gertrude, that it -would do Lena good. She has not been very well lately, and the sea-air -may strengthen her." - -"But our lessons, Mama?" said Milly. - -"She will do them all the better when she is strong and well; won't you, -Lena dear?" - -"I am not ill, Mama, but I should like to go to the sea." - -"And I do so want to stay here," said Bessie. "O Lucy, won't we be -happy? I shall have no lessons, and we will live out of doors." -Seizing the child as she spoke, she danced her round. - -"When are we to go?" asked Lena. - -"In a few days," said Mrs. Freeling. "I have written about the rooms, -and we shall hear to-morrow." - -"And how long shall we be away?" asked Lena nervously. - -"About three weeks or a month, I hope. Will that be too long?" asked -Mrs. Freeling of her mother. - -"I am afraid you will miss Mrs. Clifford's visit, dear; perhaps she will -stay longer than she says when once she is here." - -Lena made no answer; and Mrs. Freeling then spoke on some other subject, -and the girls wandered off together to another part of the garden. - -The few days before they were to start passed away quietly. Lena was -very glad to escape Mrs. Clifford, for she quite made up her mind that -the subject of the spoilt hat would be brought forward again during her -stay, and perhaps, in some way, her part in the proceeding might be -brought to light. This she dreaded happening more than anything. It -would be worse, far worse, than telling it herself, for in this case who -would believe that it was an accident and not done intentionally? Oh, -if she had only told it at first! Now each day made it more difficult. -How true it is that "The wicked flee when no man pursueth." Lena was -running away from an imaginary enemy. If she had remained she would -have heard no word mentioned on the subject, for Mrs. Graham had written -the whole story to Mrs. Clifford, saying, as she believed was the case, -that little Lucy had done it in a sudden fit of passion, but without any -real intention of destroying it, simply kicking it out of the way as it -was the nearest thing on which to spend her anger. And an answer had -come from Mrs. Clifford, regretting all that had happened, except the -amiable and forgiving behaviour of her little friend Milly. - - - - - *CHAPTER X.* - - *AT SIDCOMBE.* - - -Miss Gifford and the two girls, Gertrude and Lena, had been now for some -days in their comfortable lodgings at Sidcombe, and Lena was fast -becoming very fond of her new companion. Although they had seen a great -deal of Gertrude during their stay at Astbury, both she and Milly had -looked upon her as being nearly grown up, and though liking her very -much, for she was always kind and good to them, they looked upon her in -quite a different light to that in which they looked on Bessie, not -considering her, as they did the latter, as a companion and playfellow. -There seemed to Lena more difference between her twelve and Gertrude's -fifteen years, than there was between Milly and Bessie, though the -actual difference in age was much the same. Gertrude was very different -from her sister, Bessie being much gentler and quieter in disposition. -But now, in the quiet and daily companionship of their life, the two -girls were fast becoming firm friends. - -The life at Sidcombe was very pleasant, and Lena was enjoying it much. -There was nothing here to recall the secret trouble that had been -haunting her at home, and no word was ever said to call forth the -struggle between right and wrong, between deceit and truth, that had -been of daily occurrence when with her mother-and sisters. She was only -too glad to think that her secret was to remain one for ever, and that -the whole thing was an affair of the past, never to trouble her any -more. - -Both Miss Gifford and Gertrude were very kind to Lena, and the days -passed in a simple but happy manner. Their mornings were spent on the -sands, and there was nothing Lena enjoyed more, when the morning bath in -the sea was over, than to lie under shelter of some rock, and listen to -Gertrude as she read aloud, for Miss Gifford said something in the way -of lessons must be done, so had fixed upon this plan, of reading out for -a certain number of hours each morning from an interesting and improving -book, certainly the pleasantest of all ways of gaining knowledge. - -The afternoons and evenings were devoted to long rambles, either along -the sands, or through the pretty lanes and fields of the country round. -At first both girls were eager to wander about and explore the -neighbourhood, but very soon they grew either too lazy, or the weather -became too hot, or for some reason Lena began to tire of long walks, and -she would ask Miss Gifford and Gertrude to spend their evenings on the -water, being rowed about in the cool evening air, chatting to one -another, or listening to the many tales that their boatman, who was an -old sailor, delighted to tell them of the many places he had visited. - -One afternoon Miss Gifford said she had letters to write, so the two -girls started off together for a walk. - -"Where shall we go?" asked Lena. - -"Suppose we go to the wood. We have only been once since we came." - -"Right past that little white cottage where we saw that pretty little -girl who sold us flowers?" - -"Yes, and perhaps we shall see her again. Now don't be lazy, Lena; it -will be a lovely walk." - -"Can we buy some more flowers? David says that she and her mother are -very poor." - -"I will run and ask Miss Gifford," said Gertrude, turning back and -re-entering the house she soon came out again, saying, "Yes, we may; and -Miss Gifford says she will come and meet us when she has finished her -letters." - -They started off again, this time without returning, talking of the -little girl, whose sweet looks and gentle manner had interested them -all, and of whom their boatman David had often spoken to them, her -father, who had been a sailor like himself, having been drowned a few -years before, leaving his widow and children very poor, and in a certain -degree to David's care. - -Their way lay along a shady lane, bordered with ferns and wild flowers, -tempting both girls to stop to pick and admire them more than once. -Before they reached the end of the lane, Lena said, "O Gertrude, let us -wait here for Miss Gifford; it's so hot, and I am so tired;" and she -seated herself on the bank as she spoke. - -"You lazy girl!" laughed Gertrude; then seeing that she looked really -tired, added, "You take a rest, dear, while I pick some flowers and -ferns, and then I will bring them to you and we will arrange them -together." - -Gertrude had joined Lena, with both hands full of floral treasures, and -they were busy arranging them into a pretty nosegay, when the sound of -footsteps caused them to look up. They so seldom met any one in these -quiet lanes, that both the girls stopped their work to see who was -coming. In a few moments their curiosity was gratified by seeing their -old friend the boatman coming towards them from the direction of the -White Cottage. - -"Halloa, David!" called out Lena, "have you been for a walk?" - -"Yes, Missie," answered the old man as he touched his hat. - -"We are going to the wood, and to call and buy some flowers from that -little girl, Mary Roberts," said Gertrude. - -"I would not go that way to-day, Miss," he answered gravely. - -"Oh yes, but we want to--we mean to," said Lena. - -"What is the matter, David?" asked Gertrude, seeing he looked troubled. - -"I've just came from the cottage, Miss, from seeing little Mary. She's -down with the fever." - -Both girls exclaimed in tones of pity, "Poor Mary!" and Gertrude added, -"Is there nothing we can do for her, David? Is she very ill?" - -"Yes, Miss, she's terrible bad, and her mother is in a sad way about -her." - -"Oh, do take her this," pressing into his hand the money Miss Gifford -had given them to pay for the flowers. "And we will go back and ask -Miss Gifford to help her. Come, Lena." - -Both the girls were eager to hurry back to ask for assistance, but David -would not let them go until they promised they would not go near the -cottage, as he feared the fever might be infectious. - -When they gave the desired promise, he thanked them, and said he would -return with the money they had given him, for small though the coin was, -it would be a help to the poor hard-working mother. - -"Is she very ill, David?" asked Lena in an awed tone; "will she die?" - -"She is in God's hands, Missie; the best and safest of all," he answered -reverently, adding, "She's very young, and it's wonderful what a deal of -illness young things can bear." - -"How old is she?" asked Gertrude kindly. - -"Twelve years, that's all." - -"Just your age, Lena." Then with a friendly good-bye to the old man, -the two girls hurried off to meet Miss Gifford, and tell her of the sad -trouble that had overtaken Mrs. Roberts and her child. - -They had gone but a very little way when they met Miss Gifford hurrying -towards them. When she went to post her letters, she had heard a rumour -of there being fever at Mrs. Roberts' cottage, and she had hurried after -the two girls, hoping to overtake them before they reached the cottage, -for she dreaded their running into any danger of infection. Her first -question was as to whether they had been, and it was with deep -thankfulness she heard how they had loitered on the way, and that they -had met David, who had stopped their going on. - -"We may send them something, may we not?" they both asked eagerly as -they walked home. - -Very soon a basket was despatched under David's care, filled with things -that Miss Gifford thought would be good for the sick child. There was -no boating that evening, both the girls declaring it would not be fair -upon their "own man," as they called David, to employ any one else, when -he had gone on an errand of kindness and mercy to his old friend's widow -and child. - -Miss Gifford was naturally very anxious about the health of her two -pupils, and she remembered, with a feeling of uneasiness, how much Lena -had complained the last few days of being tired; and as she looked white -that evening after the great heat of the day, she hurried her off early -to bed, much against Lena's inclination. But Miss Gifford was firm, and -she had to obey. - -The next day came news that little Mary was still very very ill, and -there was but small hope of her recovery. And the two girls spoke and -thought much of the poor little sufferer, who but a few days ago had -brought them flowers, apparently as well and with as fair a prospect of -living as either of themselves, now lying tossing restlessly about in -the clutches of that cruel fever, in the small close cottage that was -her home. - -"She is not going to die, is she, Gertrude?" asked Lena. "She is so -young--only twelve." - -It was not Gertrude, but Miss Gifford, that answered this remark with, -"Age has nothing to do with it, Lena dear. It is not only the aged that -God calls away. We ought all, even children, try to live good lives, so -that when our summons comes we may be ready and glad to go." - -"But we can't; at least children can't always be good," said Lena. - -"No, dear; but we can all try, and if we do fall, we can repent, and ask -God's forgiveness, which He never withholds, and then we need not fear." - -"But David says little Mary is such a good girl, so truthful and honest, -and always been so kind to her mother and everybody; he says she is a -real little Christian," said Gertrude. - -"Yes, so I was very glad to hear," answered Miss Gifford. - -"It would be a dreadful thing," said Gertrude, thoughtfully, "to die -when you were doing a wrong thing." - -"Little Mary is not going to die," said Lena almost passionately, -bursting into a flood of tears as she spoke. - -Miss Gifford looked surprised but said nothing except, "We hope not, -dear Lena." Then drawing the weeping child to her side, she soothed her -with gentle words, until she had recovered, and regained her composure -once more. - -Nothing more was said on the subject of little Mary that morning. -Gertrude opened her book and read out until it was time to return to the -house, while Lena leant with her head against Miss Gifford's shoulder, -apparently listening intently, but in reality thinking and wondering -over many things. - -After dinner Miss Gifford announced that it was too hot for a walk; and -as Lena complained of having a headache, she was to lie down until it -was cool enough for them to go out, adding, as she left the room, "Poor -child, I had no idea she would have felt for others so very strongly." - -As Lena lay on the bed in the darkened room, sleep was very far from -her. Although her eyes were shut, her thoughts were very busy. -Gertrude's words came back to her over and over again, "To die doing -wrong." Her head ached dreadfully, which was not to be wondered at -after her passionate fit of crying; and as Lena was not often troubled -with a headache, she began to grow nervous and frightened. Could it be -that she was going to get the fever also, like Mary Roberts? If she had -it at twelve years of age, why should not she? Yes, she was sure she -was going to be ill too; and her mother would soon be in as sad a state -about her, as David said Mrs. Roberts was about her little girl. Poor -Lena! she began to cry softly out of sheer fright. Suddenly jumping up, -she went to the table, and taking up a small hand-glass that lay there, -she took it with her to the window, and lifting the blind, looked at -herself. Such a miserable, flushed, tear-stained face she saw. Yes, it -must be the fever that made her cheeks so red. Laying down the glass, -she flung herself on the bed. Oh, if she had only told Papa and Mama -that it was she who had destroyed Milly's hat, and not little Lucy, as -she had allowed them all to believe, how much happier she would be now! -How weak and wicked she had been and still was! Oh, if Mama was only -here, she would go and tell her all; but it was too late now, Mama was -far away, and couldn't hear or see her child's sorrow, and alas! it was -her own doing, and by her own wish, they were not together. Then there -crept into her heart the sweet loving words that had been so familiar to -her all her life, but now seemed to come back to her with a stronger -power and deeper meaning than they had ever had to her before. "I will -arise and go to my Father," were the words that were ever before her as -she lay sobbing bitterly. Yes, she too would do that. Springing up, she -knelt down and prayed earnestly and truly for strength to do what was -right--to tell the truth, and remove the blame from poor innocent little -Lucy. Lena prayed as she had never prayed before in her young life, and -being calmed and comforted, she was standing meditating how she was to -carry out her good resolutions, when the door opened softly, and -Gertrude looked in. - -"I came to see if you were asleep; how is your headache, dear?" she -asked. - -Here was a way opened to her--an answer, as it seemed, to her prayer. -She would tell Gertrude all, and be guided by her as to the best way of -acting. Without answering her question, she sprang forward, and -throwing her arms round her friend's neck, sobbed out, "O Gertrude, I -must tell you--I spoilt the hat; I am so wicked and so miserable. Do -you think Papa will ever forgive me?" - -"Spoilt what, Lena? Whatever is the matter, dear?" asked Gertrude in -amazement, and a little bit frightened at the excited state Lena was in. -She had heard about the hat being destroyed, and thought, as they all -did, that Lucy had done it; but as it was now some time since it had -happened, she had forgotten all about it. So when Lena sobbed out -again, "I spoilt the hat," she began to think it was some hat she had -destroyed belonging to herself. - -"What hat, dear, do you mean?" - -"Milly's; I did it, not Lucy." - -"O Lena!" she exclaimed in a shocked voice. - -"Don't speak like that, Gerty, please. I can't bear you to be angry -with me; I didn't mean to do it really." - -"I am not angry, Lena dear; but I don't understand about it. Come and -sit down and tell me what you mean." Going to the window, she drew up -the blind and drew a chair up for Lena as well as herself; but Lena -would sit nowhere but on the floor. Crouching down at Gertrude's feet, -and hiding her face on her lap, she told her tale in broken words. -Gertrude listened, without saying one word until she had ended; then -stooping down and putting her arms round her she said, "Poor Lena, how -unhappy you must have been all this time!" - -"Not since I have been here; but before it was dreadful. Do you think -they will ever forgive me?" - -"Of course they will, Lena; how can you doubt it?" - -"But Papa said he couldn't bear us to do a dishonourable, wicked thing; -and Gerty, he spoke so sternly, that I was afraid to tell him. And then -I thought Mama and Milly knew, and had forgiven me without telling him," -repeated Lena again. - -"Poor Lena!" was all Gertrude said again, as she stroked back the -child's hair from her flushed face, for by this time Lena had found her -way from the floor to Gertrude's lap. A long silence fell upon them. -Lena lay very still, resting her head against her kind companion's -shoulder, feeling, oh, so thankful! that the wretched secret was no -longer locked up in her own heart. At last she said, "How can I tell -them?" - -"You must write to them, dear, to-night; don't put off, for it only -makes it more difficult." - -"I am sure I don't know what I shall say. I shall never be able to -write it." - -"Yes, you will, dear. I will help you. What made you tell me to-day, -Lena?" - -"O Gerty!" she exclaimed, sitting up and looking very grave, "I have got -such a headache, and I am so hot and my cheeks so red, I am sure I am -going to have the fever like little Mary Roberts." - -"O Lena, what nonsense!" - -"It is not, Gertrude. I never had such a bad headache before, and I am -so hot, and I thought about what you said about dying when you were -doing wrong, so I felt I must tell; and, Gerty"--here she lowered her -voice--"I asked God to help me, and then you came in." - -"Darling," was the only answer. Then a knock came to the door and the -servant's voice was heard saying, "Tea is ready." - -Gertrude helped Lena to get ready, and together they went downstairs. - -Miss Gifford called out in surprise as they entered the room, "My poor -little Lena, I am afraid your sleep has not done you any good. Are you -feeling ill?" - -"Yes, Miss Gifford, my head aches, and I am so hot I could not sleep." - -"You shall sit in the arm-chair by the window; it is so pleasant now -with the cool sea-breeze coming in, and Gerty shall give you a cup of -tea." - -Lena sat very quietly, accepting all Miss Gifford's kindness in silence; -but when Gerty took her a cup of tea she whispered, "Must I tell Miss -Gifford?" - -"I will tell her, dear, and how sorry you are." - -"Perhaps she won't be so kind to me then; she will think me so wicked." - -"She was never unkind when Bessie and I were naughty: I am sure she -won't be to you." Then raising her voice she said, "Lena wants to write -a letter home to-night, please, Miss Gifford." - -"No, dear, that must wait till to-morrow; little girls with headaches -must keep quiet," was the answer. - -With this Lena had to be content. In truth she was not sorry to have -nothing more to do that evening but rest quietly, feeling thankful that -she had taken that difficult first step in the right direction. - - - - - *CHAPTER XI.* - - *CONCLUSION.* - - -Lena's fears that she too was going to have the fever proved only too -true, for by the next day she was really ill. - -All she had gone through for the last few weeks--the fear of discovery, -and misery of concealment, joined with the knowledge of how wrongly she -was behaving--had tried the child. Though, alas! she had been, as all -children are, naughty over and over again, she had never before -concealed a fault and continued to do so, as she had now done week after -week; and the continual struggle that had gone on in her mind between -truth and right, and the pride and jealousy for love, that were such -strong features of her character, had told upon body as well as mind, -and made her fall an easy prey to the low fever that had broken out in -the village and neighbourhood of Sidcombe; and for the next few days she -had but a very dim and hazy idea of what was going on around her. - -Fortunately the attack was in a mild form, and the weather was much -cooler than it had been before the fever broke out, heavy rain having -fallen, which cooled the air and revived the sick and drooping, and the -doctor was soon able to pronounce his little patient on the high road to -recovery. - -When Lena first began to take notice of who was beside her, she -expressed no astonishment at seeing her mother's face bending over her -and hearing her whisper a few loving words in answer to her. "What is -the matter, Mama?" - -"You have been ill, dear, but, please God, you will soon be well again." - -Lena was quite satisfied, and asked no more questions--it only seemed -natural to have Papa and Mama beside her; but gradually the -recollections of the day before she was taken ill came back to her, and -she remembered that it was Gertrude and Miss Gifford who had been with -her then. The latter was still constantly beside her, but it was -Gertrude she wanted to see and speak to, as she remembered everything -clearly. Had she told Miss Gifford? She wondered if she had; she -certainly was not angry, for she could not have been kinder to any one -than she was to Lena. - -"Mama, where is Gertrude?" she asked. - -"Gone home, dear, for we were afraid of her being taken ill also if she -remained." - -After a few minutes' silence Lena murmured, "My letter; I never wrote -it." - -"My darling," whispered Mrs. Graham, leaning over her child and placing -her hand lovingly on her forehead, "There is no need to write--Gertrude -has told me all." - -"O Mama, and are you angry? Do you still love me, when I am so wicked?" - -"Still love you, my little one! You cannot doubt that we all forgive -you fully and freely. O my child, never fear to tell us everything and -anything you do or think." - -Lena's arms were round her mother's neck in a moment, and she said, as -she clung fondly to her, "No, Mama, I never, never will. It was not you -I was afraid of, but Papa. I thought he would be so angry." - -Lena did not think Papa stern, or one likely to cause any one fear, when -later that day he spoke a few loving words to his child; and as she -kissed him, she felt that never again would she think him stern. Her -only wonder was how she could ever have feared him, or doubted the love -of either of them ceasing because she had done wrong. - -As Lena lay still that evening, her hand clasped in Mama's, and her eyes -fixed upon Papa, who was reading out her letters from Milly and -Gertrude, Lena felt so happy and contented. There was no longer any -fear in her heart, for there was nothing to be hidden, and the child's -heart swelled with gratitude as she thought how good every one had been -and now were to her. - -When the letters were finished, Lena asked suddenly, "How is little -Mary; is she better?" - -A moment's silence followed, and then Mama said, "Little Mary has gone -to that home where she will never have pain or suffering more, my Lena; -she is with her Saviour now, dear." - -"Dead, Mama--dead! and she was only twelve years old, just my age. Her -poor mother"---- - -And her eyes filled with tears as she added, "And David, how sorry he -must be, he was so fond of her!" - -"Yes, dear, we must pity them, but not little Mary herself; she is -happy, perfectly happy now." - -"O Mama, I am so glad I did not die too, for I was not good like her, -and I hadn't told you and Papa. I meant to that very night, but Miss -Gifford would not let me write." - -"God has been very good to us all, as He always is, Lena, and has spared -my little girl to us, and given her another opportunity of living and -working for Him." - -"Indeed, indeed I will try." - -"Now, dear, you must not talk any more or get excited. We feared to -tell you about little Mary, in case it should upset you while you were -so weak, but Papa and I decided that if you asked we would tell you the -truth; for we have all decided, have we not, that we are to have no -concealments or deceptions any more,--have we not?" she repeated. - -"No, I never will; I mean," she added humbly, "I will try not to." - -After that day Lena grew rapidly better, and was soon able to be taken -down to the sitting-room, where she could lie on the sofa before the -open window, inhaling the cool sea-breezes that brought back health to -the weakened frame, and colour to the pale cheeks. - -Soon the day arrived when the doctor pronounced the invalid strong -enough to undertake the journey home; but before they started she begged -for and was allowed to see Mrs. Roberts, the poor widowed mother, who -gladly spoke of her little Mary, and she told Lena much of the simple -holy life her child had tried to lead; and it comforted the poor mother -to hear how her child had been, although unconsciously, instrumental in -leading and strengthening another in the right way; and it interested -Lena much to hear of the girl who, though she had seen her but once or -twice, had still been able to exercise such an influence for good on her -life. - -It was the contrast between her own feeling of wrong-doing, and the -account David gave them of how Mary had tried to act, that made such a -deep impression on Lena's mind, and had been the means of bringing her, -in the true spirit of humility, to sue for pardon and strength to do -what was right. How thankful and happy Lena now felt that she had told -all, and that there was no longer in her heart or life anything that she -desired to hide from her parents. - -Oh, if children would only remember that the good or evil they do -affects, not only themselves, but may, both by example and bearing, have -a powerful influence over their companions, I am sure one and all would -strive to deserve the name that David had bestowed on Mary Roberts, and -be, in deed and in truth, little Christians. How happy they would be, -not only themselves, but would make all around them equally so! - -Long ere the autumn passed into winter, Lena was well and strong, and -Astbury was no longer looked upon or called a new home; and although -they were not able, now the cold and wet weather had set in, to spend -their time in the fields and garden as at first, they found there were -pleasures and joys in a country life in winter as well as in summer, and -sunshine reigned indoors, for Lena and her sisters were very happy and -loving together. Storms came occasionally, as among all small people; -but there was not only love, but perfect trust and confidence between -them all now; and when that is the case, there must be happiness in the -home circle. - -Christmas was drawing very near, and with it the prospect of Aunt Mary's -promised visit. No word had been said to Miss Somerville about Lena's -wrong-doing and its long concealment. Mrs. Graham wished Lena to tell -her Aunt herself, and though at first she shrank from the task, she -acknowledged that she ought to do so, for, as she said to her mother, "I -know I ought to, Mama, for Gerty saved me the pain of telling you, -though now I should not want any one to tell you or Papa anything for -me, but then it was different." - -Christmas also brought back, for her first holiday, Bessie Freeling from -the boarding-school that she had looked forward to with so much dread, -and that she had found was not so dreadful in reality as in -anticipation. Like many other things in this world that we dread and -think of as misfortunes, it turned out, as is so often the case, to be a -real blessing when it came. Bessie was beginning to see that running -about wild in the country was not all that was required to make life -either useful or happy. - -The first evening of Aunt Mary's arrival Lena joined her in her own -room. Miss Somerville sat quietly in her chair before the fire, and -listened to Lena as she poured forth the account of her doings since -they had parted in the summer, ending with, "I know, Auntie, that you -must be disappointed and grieved with me after all my promises." - -"I did not expect those promises to be quite fulfilled, Lena," was her -Aunt's answer. - -"Did you think so badly of me as that, then, Aunt Mary?" - -"Not badly, darling. I fear I thought too much of my little niece, and -helped to spoil her by being too indulgent and easy." - -"Then why,--what do you mean, Auntie?" - -"I mean, darling, that you spoke so confidently, and as if you were so -sure of your own strength; and Lena, you know now that our own strength -is but utter weakness when we are tempted." - -Lena's eyes filled with tears, but she made no answer as her Aunt, -drawing her close to her, went on lovingly to say, "However sorry I am -about the past, I am now much more happy and hopeful about your future -than I was when we parted in the summer, for I feared you would have -many trials and temptations to go through, that you little dreamed of in -the quiet life we led together." - -"You warned me, Auntie; you said I must learn to give in, and share with -Milly and Lucy." - -"Yes, dear, experience teaches us many lessons, and God has been very -good to you: He has shown you the misery of wrong-doing." - -"Yes indeed, Auntie, I was very miserable," interrupted Lena. - -"But, my darling, if that misery has taught you to be humble and trust -less in your own strength, I cannot be sorry, but thankful for it." - -"And you won't love me less?" - -"Lena!" was all her Aunt said, but it was enough. - -"No, no, Auntie, I didn't mean that; I know you won't. You will be like -Papa and Mama, who only seem to love me more, if that is possible; -only," she added with a smile, "Mama says the love was always there, but -I wouldn't see it." - -"Thank God, dear Lena, that you do see it at last." - -"It was only sometimes I didn't, when I thought they liked Milly best, -but she deserved it if they had. O Auntie, she has been so good, and so -has little Lucy; they never said one unkind word when I came home, -though I had behaved so badly." - -A loud knock, and an impatient "Do let us in, Aunt Mary," from Lucy, -interrupted them. - -Lena ran and opened the door, and there stood Lucy, all eagerness and -excitement, and beside her was Milly, holding a big parcel in her arms, -her face beaming with delight. - -"It's for you, Lena; see, it is addressed 'Miss Graham.' It's from Mrs. -Clifford," she added softly. - -"Then it must be meant for you," answered Lena, flushing scarlet and -drawing back. - -"Never mind, Lena; open it quickly, do, and see what is inside," burst -out Lucy impatiently. - -"It is meant for you, Lena dear, so don't be afraid to open it." - -"I heard from Mrs. Clifford this morning that the box was sent," said -her mother, coming in. - -Thus bidden, Lena, with her sister's help, undid the string and took off -the paper. Opening the box, Lena took out and laid on the floor two -parcels directed to Milly and herself. Then she drew out one with -Lucy's name on it. There was no mistaking what Lucy's was. - -"A doll for me! Oh, how lovely! My first Christmas present!" she -exclaimed in delight. - -Lena looked at hers. On the paper was written, "For dear Lena, from -Milly's godmama." Opening it, she saw a pretty soft brown hat, with a -long curling ostrich feather of the same colour, and looking up she saw -Milly holding one exactly the same in her hand. - -"O Lena, how nice! We shall be exactly like, I am so glad. Aren't they -lovely?" - -"Mama," said Lena, after a pause, "may I give Lucy the feather? she -deserves it, I don't;" and she tried to unfasten it as she spoke. - -"Wait a moment, my child. Ask Lucy first if she would like it." - -It was difficult to get Lucy to attend to anything they said, so -absorbed was she in the delights of her new doll; when she did hear, she -asked in surprise, "Give it me! what for? It's your present, Lena; you -should not give away presents--it is wrong." - -"But, Lucy, you forget what I did to Milly's white one, and let you bear -the blame." - -"Oh, I didn't mind; at least, I knew I did not mean to spoil the -feather; but I kicked it, you know." - -"Do let me give it to her, Mama," Lena pleaded. - -"I don't want it, Lena, I don't want it; you and Milly will have hats -alike. I mustn't speak of the white one. Milly and I decided we never -would; and Bessie said she would think me very mean if I did, and I -won't." - -"How good you are all to me!" said Lena, giving her little sister a -kiss. - -"That's because you are so much nicer now than you used to be--you are -not always"---- Here Lucy stopped, abashed at Milly's indignant -exclamation. - -"Always what?" asked Lena after a moment's pause. - -"Always wanting to be first, and going on about being the eldest. I -love you ever so much more now since you have been to Sidcombe;" and the -child looked round at them all, as much as to say, "There now, I have -spoken out what I really think." - -"Dear Lena, I should rather have had that testimony to your character -than all the promises of last summer, and I am sure Mama agrees with -me," said Aunt Mary. - -Mama's answer was a loving kiss as she placed the hat on Lena's head. -Then doing the same to Milly, said, "Now run down together, and show -them to Papa, and ask what he thinks about them; and then put them away -in your own room until Christmas morning, that day of joy, peace, and -good-will towards man." - -As the two girls left the room together, Miss Somerville said to her -sister, "They are very fond of each other." - -"Yes, dear," was the answer. "It makes me very happy to see their -affection. I know the value of a sister's love, and I trust that no -root of jealousy may ever again spring up to interrupt their perfect -friendship." - - - - - Printed by BALLANTYNE, HANSON & CO. - Edinburgh & London - - - - - * * * * * * * * - - - - - _*Frederick Warne & Co.'s Publications*_ - - - *NEW ILLUSTRATED BOOKS FOR BOYS.* - - -The Orchid Seekers. A Story of Adventure in Borneo. By Ashmore Russan -and Fredk. Boyle. With Sixteen Original Illustrations by Alfred Pearse -and M. F. Hartley. In large crown 8vo, cloth gilt, bevelled boards, -price 5s. - - -The Riders; or, Through Forest and Savannah with the "Red Cockades." By -Ashmore Russan and Fredk. Boyle. With Twenty-six Original Illustrations -by Alfred Pearse. In large crown 8vo, cloth gilt, bevelled boards, -price 5s. - - -Young Tom Bowling. A Story of the Boys of the British Navy. By J. C. -Hutcheson. Fully Illustrated by J. B. Greene. In large crown 8vo, -cloth gilt, bevelled boards, price 5s. - - -An Antarctic Queen. By Captain Charles Clark. Illustrated by J. B. -Greene. In crown 8vo, cloth gilt, price 5s. - -A splendid sea story for boys. Full of shipwrecks, storms, and peril -and adventure by land and sea; how the hero escapes death from -shipwreck, accident and treachery of all kinds, and finally settles down -in "Antarctica," after marrying the Antarctic Queen, is related in a -most attractive and realistic style. - - -The Dogs of War. By Edgar Pickering. Illustrated by Lancelot Speed. In -crown 8vo, cloth gilt, price 3s. 6d. - - -True to the Watchword. By Edgar Pickering. Illustrated by Lancelot -Speed. In crown 8vo, cloth gilt, price 3s. 6d. - -Pleasant, brightly written, and full of incident, is "True to the -Watchword," and although a number of the characters have their place in -Hume, it is only indirectly historical, the main theme of the narrative -being derived from the author's imagination. Events exciting and -dramatic follow fast upon each other, and the reader is often brought in -contact with the grim reality of battle. - - - _Chandos House, Bedford Street, Strand, London_ - - - - - * * * * * * * * - - - - - *A SERIES OF - INTERESTING GIFT BOOKS - FOR - BOYS AND GIRLS.* - - - _In Crown 8vo, neatly bound in cloth gilt, each volume containing - an original Frontispiece and Illustrated Title-page._ - - - *LIST OF THE SERIES.* - -Adrift in a Boat. By W. H. G. KINGSTON. -Walter's Escape. By J. DE LIEFDE. -Daring and Doing. By Mrs. L. VALENTINE. -New Honours. By C. S. LOWNDES. -Linford Green. By C. S. LOWNDES. -The Brave Days of Old. By Mrs. L. VALENTINE. -The Old Bible. By E. WYNNE. -Jack Locke. By GORDON STABLES, R.N. -The Young Marooners. By F. R. GOULDING. -The Magic Half-Crown. By Author of "Crib and Fly." -Jarwin and Cuffy. By R. M. BALLANTYNE. -Natty's Violin. By C. H. BARSTOW. -Ernest rail-field. By A. N. MALAN, M.A. -Lena Graham. By C. S. LOWNDES. -Phil and his Friends. By J. T. TROWBRIDGE. -My Neighbour's Garden. By MARY H. DEBENHAM. -Lost on Brown Willy. By A. N. MALAN, M.A. -The Silver Lake. By R. M. BALLANTYNE. -Through Deep Waters. By C. H. BARSTOW. -Told in the Orchard. By E. L. HERVEY. -Benaiah. By Mrs. WEBB. -The Treasure Finder. By W. J. GORDON. -Nancy's Nephew. By Miss MARSHALL. -A Long Delay. By THOMAS KEYWORTH. - - - FREDERICK WARNE & CO., - CHANDOS HOUSE, BEDFORD STREET, STRAND, LONDON; - AND 36 EAST 22ND STREET, NEW YORK. - - - - - - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LENA GRAHAM *** - - - - -A Word from Project Gutenberg - - -We will update this book if we find any errors. - -This book can be found under: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/43793 - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no one -owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and -you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission -and without paying copyright royalties. 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