Kitty Trenire

n never felt sure of anything. Any hour might bring a surprise to them, and it was not likely to be a pleasant surprise-of that th

em, considered it one of the most cruel and treacherous acts that Mrs. Pike could have been guilty of. Of course the

If she does, I shall run away from school and bec

howed every sign of delight with the plan, and was wild with excitement for the term to begin. To

d Kitty dejectedly, as she and Betty lay in the

me. First there was the rude way he spoke to me about my making up to her, and then

herself that there was a flaw in her brother, but she could not endure that any one else should see

y was a good one-too good at times, some said-"for he w

ee we had all agreed to be polite to Aunt Pike, and you

lled 'polite' if Dan does it, but 's

of mood or sudden impulses. Kitty herself so constantly experienced both, that she could sympathize with others who did the

do under such circumstances. She wished she could, for they made her feel mea

m than the "banishment" of Dan-was that Kitty and Betty were to go

, with her shy dread of strangers-particularly girls of her own age-the prospect was appall

need not walk to school with Anna, and we needn't see as much of her there as we s

so without horror. She envied them, though, for being able to. "It must make one feel ever so much more happy and comfortable," she thought, "to have nothing to be afraid of." She would have given a very great deal not to feel shy and embarrassed whe

with another sigh; "but I was never mea

Aunt Pike saying so to father. She said you were growing

o, and I expect it is something dreadful; but if

hy, but he didn't think you

ckly as some people do-Aunt Pike, and Lady Kitson, and others; and I expect they are right. It is always th

-self-confidence. I don't know what it means, but I am sure I haven't got it; and if I hav

hink I do; but I don't see how going

collect their numerous belongings; and the doctor's household fel

w, though, things were different. There was a shadow even over their freedom-if it was not there in the morning, it fell before night-and they ret

y sagely. "Dan won't know about all that we do; and whe

chool and the constant companionship of

but it will be like having a spy always with us,

e was, and be as jolly as possible." But the suggestion did not console the girls; to them it o

" said Betty firmly. "S

her if she wanted to. A

eel that I co

. "One can always tell if a p

a ever," cried Betty viciously, roused to de

sly on his heel, "if you are so narrow-minded and have made up

" cried Betty hotly. "I

do," laughed Dan. "

ive you a dictionar

money enough," said Betty; "and- and

ise you to study it well before you go to Miss Richards's

sudden thought, "if it would te

t," said Dan. "Why

first what it means, and t

means-oh

ieve you do either," nodding her

jolly good opinion of yourself, and thinking you ca

heeks very red. "I think it is quite time you started for the stat

ate, whatev

oming too, Bet

to herself she added, with proud indignation, "After Aunt Pike's ca

cousin, as he was unable to; so they went to please him, they told each other. But they would put up with a good deal for the sake o

n of being all nerves, and in a perpetual state of tremor. She was said to be very clever and intellectual, and certainly if being always with a book was a proof of it, she was; but there were some wh

?" said Kitty musingly, as they strolled up

fully skinn

han me?" asked Tony, w

er even than I am. She used to seem so grown-up and clever, and she always did t

little, like me, to play with," he sai

u don't feel you want

ith you," cried Ki

etend. You don't think things

latform and gleaming rails, the ordinary-looking men and women pacing up and down, and the noise and rattle of the place, to the quiet, still woods and hurrying river, with their myster

is coming!" he c

r, the engine rounded the curve, and gradually

quite certain whether they felt relieved or not at seeing no sign of their travellers, when they heard a well-remembered voice calling to them, and, turning, saw their aunt standing in a carriage doorway, beckoning to them as frantically as an armful of

Her straight, light hair had grown enormously too; it was a perfect mane now, long, and thick, and heavy-too heavy and long, it seemed, for the thin neck and little head. Kitty eyed it enviously

r cousin, a sudden sense of shyness came over he

of people? She might think it silly;" and while she was still debating the point, she had

kiss us both in a proper manner.-Well, Daniel, how are you? Yes, I shall be obliged to you if you will go in search of our luggage;" for Dan, fearing that he, too, might be ordered to kiss them both,

ousin obediently, but his hopes

, I do not

e felt absolutely incapable at that moment of giving any r

th," continued Mrs. Pike. "Being so near of an age, she h

and setting Kitty's teeth on edge to such an extent that she could scarcely sp

hem, smiled to himself

speech abou

ay, and they all followed. The big yellow 'bus with its four horses stood in the roadway outside the platfor

short ladder placed against the 'bus in readiness for her to mount. "Will the other ladies go 'pon top, t

. You surely aren't thinking of clambering up that ladder? Let Dan d

f I go inside, Aunt Pike," she explained. "Father always lets us go on top; he tells us to. He says i

ill speak to your father on the subject when I get home." And poor Kitty, so long mistress of her own actions, walked, bitterly humiliated, under the eyes of the many

the 'bus is rather full inside," said Mrs. Pike, stopping hi

id loyally. "I'd-I'd rather." He had a feelin

tice who was beside her; her only object was to get as far as possible from

red a low, indignant voice through the rattling and rumbling of the 'bus. With a start of surprise Ki

he window opposite her, apparently lost in thought, or fascinated by the scenery through which they were passing. But just as

gaze studiously on the window, and the glimpses she got of all the beauty they were passing through only served to increase it. Here the way lay through the soft dimness of a plantation of young larches, their green, feathery branches almost meeting across the road; then came a long steep hill, up which the horses walked in a leisur

p on the front seat, and knew every curve and corner, and hill and dip; but best of all, perhaps, did she love that quick run down the steep hill, when the horses cantered along at their smartest, and the 'bus came rumbling and swaying after them, as though at any moment it would break loose entirely and go its own wild way. And then would come the demurer pa

eath caught with something that was not merely excitement or pleasure, at the sight of the low, broad old house in the bare, wind-swept street, that was the only home she had known, or wanted to know. But now,

w nearer to Kitty. "I hope," she said, "that things have gone on nicely while I

o give. They had all been too much occupied in making the most of their spell of

to welcome Anna on her first arrival in her new home. I did not say anything a

t with shame and dismay, for she had not only not arranged a "nic

hought it her duty to take them up again in Mrs. Pike's absence; but it is to be feared that in any case she would not have prepared a feast of welcome for Anna. And the result was that the

if not wilfully, she had been culpably careless, and her heart sank with shame. She hoped-oh, how devoutly she hoped-that Fanny

sprang out of it, and, regardless of what her aunt migh

ccasion when Aunt Pike's arrival had thrown her into just such a frantic state, "what about supper? Aunt Pike has

ne, "there is something, and a plenty, thanks to me and Miss Betty. If there 'adn't a been, it wouldn't 'ave been no manner of use t

ny, you are a dear," she cried joyfully. "I will do something for you some

tly. "I s'pose 'twould 'ave come into my 'ead some time, bu

sed importance, but tr

see that we do know h

e broke off to

not if she lives to be eighty. Come along up, and get ready. Oh, I am so glad you thought about the suppe

me she'd have had no supper, she wouldn't say rude things about me again. I think it's awfully hard. I

ied away to get ready, "as long as I could manage to do the