The Children of Wilton Chase

re than nominal. A master came to give the little girls instruction in music at eleven o'clock, and afte

face was very pale this morning, and her eyes had red rims round them, as though she had wept a good deal the previou

th unjust and cruel; but her softened and sad demeanor disarmed

forward to a long and happy afternoon with her brothers. She was particularly bright and attentive over her less

orning. She returned from it at half-past eleven, and t

e passage, sharpening a

Basil," she called to him

in a would-be careless tone. "Maggie,

mengarde, and she noticed it, and onc

ak to you," said Basil. "You

huffy to Ermie, for? You seemed as if

It's about her I want to speak to you, Maggie, But,

what

a miniature out of

ch-which miniatur

your eyes, Maggie. I do

hat miniature

over her mantelpiece, and she kept flowers u

girl with blue eyes and a smile? Not that

I suppose it was that one.

Oh, poor M

. What was there so marvelously precious

he loved her beyond all the world, and-the little sister went to the angels. Once

he picture back. She has got a horrid

a horrid thought? Oh, Basil, don'

d about Ermie, that's all. She thinks Ermie took the miniature out of revenge. There! Is not that bad en

was perplexed. "Of course I don't think anything of the kind, still--" She was remembering E

te red as this me

aid Basil. "Miss Nelson mu

e she mus

that Ermenga

urse she is

very p

he's quite obstinate when sh

ea, eh?" Ba

n the laugh, she was fe

ouble," Basil went on presently. "I quite thou

t said a wo

now

t me speak

to accuse her, or any rub

I would

ble enough about the whole thing, I can tell you. I

orie eagerly. "I'll tell h

pected. Of course she had agreed with him, but not with that emphasis he had desired. He felt rather sickened. If Ermengarde could be mean and shabby, if by any possibility, however remote, Ermengarde had stooped to theft for the sake of a petty and small revenge, then he was ver

termined to take no unfair advantage of Ermie, and so, while washing her hands, and purposely splashing the water about, and with her back so turned t

l, isn't it?"

engarde, but her voice

of that little sister

in a profoundly uninterested voice. "Let us com

arde, and yet her manner gave her a sense of insecurity. She recalled again Ermie'

red her secret. Eric and Lucy were perfectly comfortable and easy in their minds, but the older child

llins is treating them properly. If he does not, Shark

sently," sa

I have a lot to do this aftern

good deal to do too," she said. "I'll come soon, Eric. You can wait for me

use was Marjorie except to be at everybody's beck and call; and more especially at his-Eric's-beck and call. He kicke

own the corridor to Miss Nelson's sitting-room. She guessed that she would find the governess there. T

"Have you anything to say to me? I am busy

that if the other little girl loved you, so do I. I thought I'd tell you; I

ed voice. "Give me that kiss, dear. Thank you, my love. You ar

m in at this window. May I pull down the blinds? And will you lie on the sofa

others are wa

me to see his ferrets. I'd

fascination for her. Nevertheless she did lie down on the sofa, and her little pupil's gentle hand felt all that was

in a discontented sort of way, for he was not very hungry, and watching the windows for

know why I waited for you. Half the evening is

my pocket for Shar

as feeling very sunshiny and happy, and soon managed to b

Mrs. Collins uttered an exclamation and darted forward. She did not at once recognize that the bundle consisted of Mar

n't throttle me!

le in my pocket; I'm

ompanion ferret resided in their wire cage. Marjorie sank down in front of the ca

she said at last. "M

have hugged his sister. They left the yard, and re

ake, which they knew Mrs. Collins could make to perfection, wh

ke," she whispered. "The passage-do

squint at Lop-ear. Just stay where you

departed. The following wor

uite sick of you and your mysteries, and I w

r. It's a secret between

, though the family make such a fuss about it. If it's anything

it to me; she gave

show it

; that

you might t

y heard Susy's ple

etty-all sorts of color, blue and pink and white

could hear more

ame of cricket," he

eter for a little girl, and she and Eric often had a jolly game

? Her bowling went wide of the mark, Eric proposed that he should bowl, and she

field. He felt an intense pity for Marjorie. "She always was a good, boyish sort of a girl," he said

nt back to the Collinses' cottage. Mrs. Collins had gone out, but Susy was standing by the door. Susy wore a blue cotton frock to-day, and her curly hair was pushed back from her fair and pret

ld not have entered into any prolonged conversation with Susy. Sh

us

iss Mar

n manner, plain in face, no flatterer. Susy came out of the cottag

e quickly; I want to

Marjorie, w

er just now? I overheard you in th

member, mis

ad changed fro

when I was talking?"

er what you said. Your mother was asking you to show her

ss. Miss Ermie do give

ve you this, whateve

said yesterday,

Susy; I

e said yesterda

lain as possible. You said 'she gave it to

day, miss; I'm careless in

give you, Susy

ue stuff to make a

blue stuff be pink white

e enough, I'll show her to you, if you like, and then you'l

as all that, you needn't

Eric was still lounging about, waiting for her, and Marjorie ra