A pair of a school girl

ba

iece of information, Doro

hought of eavesdropping, f

ound to the other si

mean by telling such an a

im

u were there!"

r any good of themse

rheard. It gives me a cha

nes to make an

ssive; she waited with a

her mouth. Agnes did

I said, Dorothy," she re

l the same, and I can'

n it be

hat hastily and s

Sherbourne. Probably ev

Come, Helen, I'm ready n

vidently anxious to esc

of home-lesson books an

passage, for when she r

the corner of the playgro

arely time, as it was, to c

e at the station by half-pa

chful eye on the town hall

pavements and dashing re

her footsteps to a run, and

the ticket office. Fortunat

, and was able to scuttle a

who knew her well by sight

her comp

, though not comprehend

half-spoken sentences l

too small in themselves t

ficient to strengthen the u

ly awa

y, with an effort to disp

no doubt she'll easily expl

gh

d passed Ash Hill, Burnle

hy's station. She stepped

ctions that she would have

handed them to her. She s

standing on the platform,

d to her to wait for them,

ro

her home, between green

urford was quite a country

t cross, and a pair of sto

eat manufacturing city o

uaint, old-fashioned stone

f the village street. A thi

s a garden where summer f

was laid out for croquet,

op of pears and apples.

ammed her books on the ha

-ceiled, oak-panelled dini

was sitting doing fancy

e! Oh, I feel as if I had

rth, but it's been a hatefu

m very disappointed and

os

s the matter?" said Aunt

irl knelt by her side, and

tainly don't look as if you

d think not! We had an el

t, and I might perhaps hav

I didn't, and Hope

an we? Never mind! It's

ates. All the girls who l

just forget about it, go a

o make some b

her face had lost its inj

'Don't make a fuss about

at this is only a respite, a

particular grievances afte

brace your

was a most charming pe

tty and attractive, but old

ed that independence of act

lever and essentially a cu

e glamour of old Italian ci

her. She was a good amate

ined some success in writin

arbara and Martha, the m

ly harmonious trio, liking

tside world. The little hou

l accommodation, to provi

e old-fashioned dining-r

rows of shining pewter; its

ng with interesting volume

ornings-a room that se

cme of cosiness on a cold

zing fire that burnt in

ng-room, with its piano an

f all kinds of treasures

had been her Sunday after

of this cabinet, to open

urn over the miscellaneo

egarded it in the light of

gings, the water-colour pai

effect to the room, and to

, Martha's particular doma

able reserved for writing d

herself with pens and pape

t; but she appreciated

polished the brass-toppe

he grey Persian cat, genera

e much preferred, when he

up and down his perch at t

gging for titbits, or im

airs was Dorothy's specia

contained her old dolls' h

eplaced by schoolgirl poss

stick, her camera and ph

ts, and picture postcards;

r indulge in various stick

upboard where oddments c

inually keeping them tidi

ng, clay modelling, bookb

epresented at the annual sc

n", where she could conduc

away, and might make a me

din

into her sanctum on her

her bedroom. She was anxi

he felt she could not res

either proved or disproved

aise, however, when Marth

h hot water and toast; and

the privacy of the summer

at the girl ventured

ie, but I thought I'd like

for a denial with a look o

d her

at once reply. Apparentl

er t

e this some day, Doroth

u to know before, but you

e you learnt y

harply away. She did not

r mouth wa

?" she asked, in

In a sense it is a