The Two Sides of the Shield

ver venture to give me anything when any one is there-especial

back, you know, so I made Mary come up and call on Lady Merrifield for the chance of being able to give it to you-

e as cross! I did get into such a row only because I didn't want to go driving with

d a letter t

ing notes between us. I was so glad I could say I didn't, for

ughed Constance, rather

right has she to interfere betwee

es, it is al

ask questions they have no right to put, it is quite fair to gi

ne would not get on at all! But you hav

edge. I think he will be sure to write a book about them, and make great discoveries. And now he is staying with Aun

ould write to

ides, I don't think I could say anything he

now what it is to be rubbed against and never appr

ster-editing a paper there. It is called the Dar

came from. It had a piece of a story in it, and some

you see he says he would run over to s

clever! What a delightful man he must be! How very strange that all your family should be so prejudiced against him! I'll tell you what, Dolores, I will write and subscribe for the Darminster

ut one of the little advertisement papers he sent out on the table, and she found it, and only said something about wondering who had sent the advertisement of that paper that Mr. Leadb

get your uncle to look at some of my poor l

nize. 'Oh, but you must not write on both sides of the paper, I

was suggested by the sound of the guns firing at the autumn m

e bud of sta

om in the gar

s Mohun I mean; she said she didn't think they would accept it, and that the lines didn't scan. Now

dy else cares about. Still I wouldn't send the baby-verses to Uncle Alfred, f

e to tea, poured out by kind old Miss Hacket, who had delighted

uite exhilarated an

inished the next day. It conta

mother did. There is a childish obsolete tone of mind here; I suppose it is because they have never lived in London, and the children are all so young of their age, and so rude, Wilfred

her abilities, and gets on with her better than any one else, except the daughter of our late Vicar, for whom she has set up a strong girlish fr

t think Lily has quite fathomed her as yet, but 'cela viendra' with patience, only mayhap not without a previous explosion. I fancy it takes a long time for an only child to settle in among a large family. It was a great pity

in print, and Miss Hacket was so much delighted that justice should be done to her sister's abilities, that she forgot

p showing Gillian, in confidence, the precious slip,

ways was trumpery,' said Gillian, ma

odical press,' said Dolores, picking up

poetry, Dolly! You always g

at is l

roso,' for

very differ

is,' said Gillian

mounts the

he sunset

g! Why, the evening star

t to make non

Gillian, 'why, don't you see, Dolly,

r,' said Dolores, sulkil

ou think it ris

ere. You showed it to

nk it had j

stars rise when

hter to a scientific man! Don't you know that the stars are in the sky,

nd only grunted. She wanted to get the cutting

s rising o'

hiding gra

all, on hi

inds, they ha

breaks the s

akes with

loud, and fu

e voice of d

e rustic s

s country

e evening?' cried the soldier's daughter ind

t to me

. C.H. Oh, did Constance Hacket write it? Nobody else

e, and that was the reas

res. I did not guess. You sh

gone on about

t mean to vex you; but how was I

shown it to you! You are always laughing

rt your feelings. I will promise

mething hard and swelli

y that I admire it, but I'm sorry I hurt you, and I

. Still she thought it no breach of her promise, when they were all gone to bed, and she the sole survivor, to tel

ld. 'Anything that tends to keep

ad no notion wh

she was plea

lous. Fancy the evening star climb

u could have found it in your heart to take

retend to admi

a little wiser and more forbearing you need not have given Dolores such a shock as would drive her in upon h

otted up to display the lines to Lady Merrifield, who on her side felt bound to set an example alike of tenderness a

give her very advantage, and she was quite a favourite pupil at Miss Dormer's. Is not it a sweet idea, the

t, and of what it might be to hear those volleys of

her made her understand that if her opinion had been asked, or Connie herself had shown the verses, it would have been desirable to point out the fa

first written. Dolores had sounded Mr. Flinders on the subject, and he had replied that he could ensure its consid

cter of the Darminster Politician that Miss Hacket besought Constance to have no more to do with it. Besides, she was so entirely a lady, and so consc

r. Flinders, and it therefore lasted several weeks, each fresh portion being communicated to Dolores on Sunday afternoons. There were at first a few scruples on Constance's part whether this were exactly a Sunday occupation; but Dolores pronounced that 'the Sabbata

in the dark, but Gillian would have been grieved to relinquish her class, and the matter was adjusted by

and hero. In 'No Home,' when Clare's aunt locked her up and fed her on bread and water for playing the piano better than her spiteful cousin Augusta, Eric, the boy of the family, had solaced her with cold pie and ice-creams drawn up in a basket by a cord fro

at all delighted with the introduction of a stranger among his sisters, neither golden-haired no

' he asked, when he found hi

sin, 'while her father is away

r whi

f she got too tiresome, mamma had Uncle

said Jasper, 'for she would s

getting worse?

ever. But, I say, Jasper, mamma says she is particularly anxious that there should be no teasing of

ter, he would not stand a second-hand lecture, and bro

ised, when the whole party had rushed out together to the

hed Mysie, condoling with a very awkwa

everything a frig

stance,' ad

f all!' politely

a nasty girl-Dolly, I

not to say 'nasty,

. 'She squashed a dear little la

ought it would

with contempt, and Valetta added. 'She is af

shut up in her desk and make her squall,' said Wi

hoppers,' said Mysie. 'One had his

she do?' as

ys cross,'

d Valetta. 'And never will

. 'She wants to tell of everything-only w

nd that makes her horribly stupid about everything sensible. We thought we s

e, Japs!' said Wilfred, a

e pretends to be grown up, and only to care fo

e, 'only think-th

an in my house that writes poetry, and don't the

heard Mr. Poulter and Miss Vincen

a, and there's ever so much of it shut up in the drawing-room blotting-book with the malachite knobs. I c

up for Dolores,' said Val

o be my friend,' said

ave been for me to find you chummy with a stupid, poetry-writing

Dolly's slights were

, proposed to light the serpent and place it in Dolores's path as she was going up to bed; but Jasper was old enough to reply that he would have no concern with anything so low and snobbish as such a trick. In fact, there was in Jas

ed taste, a love for Miss Hacket, and amazement that the words of a familiar acquaintance of her own should appear in print, genuinely admired. But the eyes of a youth exercised in 'chaffing' the productions of one of his fellow 'men' were infinitely more critical. Besides, what could

to talk over a letter from his father respecting his plans on leaving Oxford. The other boys hung about the hall, until Gill

They are having their dresses changed; and, don

tion! Wh

ow very

with voice and plumage soft as love, eh? Only, Gill, I'm afraid your me

llian, opening the front door, very anxious to

ion could have produced such a scene that the

ow in the world did y

oetry with Constance Hacket, and thus to revenge himself for his disgust and jealousy at having his favourite companion and slave engrossed. Wilfred hopped about like an imp i

f our Sunday serges. Come and let out the dogs. Mamma says we may see if the

asper. 'The Muses must meet.

cannon o

unessenti

as she loved her class, she better loved a walk with Jasper, and here was Dolores on her

set h

ever did! You k

of ways of getting

yourself,

I was sorry I laughed at the first verses you showed me, and mamma said I ought not. We never spoke of i

ay so,' said D

n't bel

your brothers shoul

what was put into a newspaper and trumpeted all

ening her trust in other people's sincerity, and she only gave a kind of grunt; but Gillian, recovering herself a lit

it was. He is as bad

friend in the greatest excitement; for she had despatched 'The Waif of the Moorland' to Mr. Flinders in the course of the wee

to see him; don

ept away from me,' said Dolores, try

tion without Mary's knowing anything further about it, and then we could contrive for you to com

e come alone, and though it is holiday time, that is no good, for those horrid bo

available for either Constance's going to Darminster, or for