Monica's Choice

stretched herself lazily, and shut

ho was deep in the intricacies of her st

ed her wristlet round, so as to see the hands o

book somewhat reluctantly; "we must be going at once.

mpty lunch basket. And when, five minutes later, they reached the appointed meet

perch on the gate posts and read a bit." She had only a few pages left, and was anxious to see what

sounded on the still, summer air, and Olive, lo

No, it's only some of the High School girls--Gip

as they came up, "

Thistle Drury," was Monica's

plainer appellation of Emily which she had been given. She was holding a younger girl o

daughter to attempt to mount one. But Monica, in this, as in most things, entirely disagreed with her grandmother, and felt with the bou

ne, while Gipsy held it steady. "I have tried once or twice, but I

may, as Monica and the bicycle rolled first one way

e little distance along the road, when the Monroe children, who were a little behind,

she steered purposely into the hedge, so as to avoid the motor, but the next

eously, as they lifted up the bicycle, and stood it a

ldren, as they looked at the inanimate

cupant had come back to see what was the matter. "Not a bit of it! The lass has only twisted her foot a bit, by the look of it, and I expect she's either stunned or fain

he opened her eyes, saying with a

arly beside herself with fright, and who was

bluff, hearty voice; "just you let me carry her to the c

ll and Olive, whom he had bade get up as well, when he understood they were together; the M

feur; while he added to Olive, "It's the nearest pl

, as Monica's head fell helplessly against

r his breath, and he noticed with relief th

huge couch, which was placed under an open window in one of the expensively furnished rooms. The next

liveried footman, who waited for orders. "Get him to co

Olive pitifully, as she rubbed Monic

rls, then?" asked Mr. Howell;

grandmother lives at

good look at the object of his child's envious dislike. "We'

alts, and various other remedies. Her plain, homely face wore an expression of anxiety, and she had e

Howell; "see if you can pull her round. I'll be on the l

she busied herself with trying the various restoratives the elderly

ange faces bent over her, and Mrs. How

talk now. Father will be here directly." She spoke with a confidence she was far

w it does hurt!" she said, as she tried to alter the position of t

as standing by. Then she stroked Monica's rumpled hair, kindl

heard how haughty she was from Lily, and she was afraid of saying anything for fear of giving offence. For one thing she was very thankful: and

igh of relief when Dr.

ere in!" said Olive, as she

" he said, as he began, with profession

accident," she assured him, so earnestly, that he was fain to believ

but it is a nasty sprain; you won't do much walking for a little while, young la

ankle was suffering so acutely from the doctor's handling, gentle

to tell his patients half-truths, and buoy them up with hopes that had not a shadow of a chance of b

bitterly she was suffering the penalty for a very little act of disobedience (as she thought)

ed to depart. "Mr. Howell has sent to Mrs. Beauchamp, and your friend will be able to go home in her grandmother's carriage when it arrives, and your mother will b

all this time for us? What a dreadful aftern

me one to the white gate in case they should be there; but I expect they gave you

ad Elsa and Amet

uchamp's residence. She was mentally deciding what it would be best to say, when the door opened, and the trim parlourmaid appeared. Elsa had half hoped that Monica would have been on the look-out, and have

ne thought uppermost in both their minds. "Suppos

so late coming back; would you please to walk in and explain,

ently followed the maid to the drawing-room, where Mrs. Beauchamp was sitting by on

r little friend?" And the old lady looked approvingly at the pretty, childish face and simple attire of

e present state of affairs was concerned; finishing up by saying, "We wouldn't have been so long, indeed we wouldn't, if we had known how late it w

at my granddaughter did not wish to act as you did." And the old lady sighed as she thought of the difference between self-pleasing, self-wille

us?" queried Amethyst, who had been a silent

e gate in West Lane, in case they should be there, and we will have some tea, for I am sure you must be t

their dishevelled hair; and Amethyst was delighted to see Mo

rs. Beauchamp knowing something, from experience, of young people's appetites. If it had not been

almost forgot the unfortunate ending to their picnic, but Elsa was unable to banish the thought from her mind that something must have happened to

y one of these," and Mrs. Beauchamp held a pla

." And Elsa's tears, which had been very near the surface for s

Mrs. Beauchamp, soothingly

happened," sobbed Elsa, and

," replied Mrs. Beauchamp; but even as she spoke, a maid

se, ma'am---

clutched the back of her chair for support, while her face

an accident, ma'am, and Miss Monica's leg is hurt. It were something to do with one o

cheeks, as the servant reached the end of her

him taken to the morning-room, a

ear too?" asked Elsa

larm in the girl's tense young

nd, relieved to a certain extent by having definite news of her grandc

stepped Mrs. Beauchamp and the two girls, followed by the reli

xactly how Monica was, but when Mrs. Beauchamp ordered the coachman to put them down at