The Story Book Girls

ensa

ver purse and a silver chain set with

ok his head over

d corruptio

me home from hotel life, full of stories of its inimitable attractions; and nobody, although longing to be, had really been much impressed. Jean served to mark the milestone of their own development, th

in the trying time now experienced in connection with Mr. Meredith. Where Jean, bolt outright, complained that already Mabel had known hi

at kind of thing," Mabel had confided. "But fa

ses as one from which he would warn off intruders. But the reserve which made Mabel sensitive in regard to anything definite, her extreme youth, above a

ve had two proposals at Buxton," said

mily a trifle trying on her arrival. She wanted to be able to inform them how they should dress, and had a score of other thing

ghton talked thi

altogether wrong in crowding them up at home here. Jean g

o get balance, one must have the experience. Yet Mabel, in an unaccountable mann

longing for one. Betty complains that in story books something tragic or something wonderful happens to girls whenever they begin to grow up, but that nothi

to work for

ighton with a sigh, "and as Elma says, 'We are

dence," said

in consequence of these theories in connection with a career, but the hard taskmaster in that direction opened a willing indulgence in almost any other. It alarmed him when Mr. Meredith appeared so conspicuously on the scene, when Mr. Meredith's sister called and invited Mabel to dine, when invitations crossed, until the Merediths and themselves became very very intimate. Elma had the wonderful pleasure of being allowed to accompany Mabel. In the absence of Jean, she fulfilled that sisterly position in a loyal way, loving the exaltation of go

us musical?" asked Betty of

little hard that just then Mr. Leighton should insist

ing the 'bottom drawer' re

he shouldn't go out as a governess. Jane Eyre had always enthralled her. It was one way

ually to Elma, "Jean has been very good in doing this--or that," until Elma, swallowing hard lumps of mortification, had at last to believe that she never could have done these determined, cool-hearted things for Miss Grace in the same capable manner. She often wondered besides whether, even to have had the delight of being at Buxton, she could have dropped

for Miss Grace's sake, and never omitted a single day for calling and seeing that Miss Annie was comfortable. Adelaide Maud had

ooked after Miss Grace if

devoted to Miss Annie, and considered that Helen wasted h

ee there?" she

len, whose good temper was unas

nges, "not having been accustomed to sich for nigh on tw

s laid past--who knows! She was very gentle with Miss Annie, and boasted of none of her late advantages as Jean did. Indeed, one might have thought that the events of the world had as usual taken place in Miss Annie's bedroom.

eme confidence," she said. "It was your kind

hand several times, but his voice remained gruff a

ourself, Miss Grace," he said bluntly

proach herself for having spared an inch of h

self-sacrifice, though"--and he looked long at the kind beauti

at was the end of it. Miss Grace went home fortifi

ie liked her thoroughly, liked the swirl of her tweed skirts, the daintiness of her silk blouses, the gleam of her golden hair. Adelaide Maud had straight fine features, pretty mauve eyes ("Th

wasn't from him," said Adelaide Maud.

e, who had a very capable chin of her own, as it happened. The tired petula

Until one day when she told her that Cuthbert had an appointment which would last throughout the summer,

miss him?" she

ed Elma to her and kissed her when Elma said that it wasn

relled with him," she

ud grew sto

ith him?"

ma of the Dudg

on't," she cr

but will you kindly inform me when I

ver think of quarrelling with the Leighton set

ou don't think anything of him. Jus

" said Ade

ps things you drop, and yo

things

rder w

ed not to tel

ud grew ver

h! I think I rememb

enly on the fact that it had

but he said he would give it to you when y

to him!" The chin

er he kept it," said A

im that?" asked

would be so ignominious for him to hear that I knew he had been thieving! Thieving is the wo

quarrel?" asked Elma anxiously. "You

e sighe

ll him anything. I think he must just wai

ma, triumphantly, remembering properly at

s a hundred," said Adelaide

talk to Adelaide Maud about Cuthbert

green in yellow sunlight, the sky faded to a glimmering blue in the furthermost east. A shower of rain fell from a drifting cloud and the drops hit in large splotches,

y heard thunder

and safe in one's own home, thunder only in the distance. The threatening did not alarm her, but the remembrance of it always