The Children of Wilton Chase

ward effectually removed all trace

r the sake of the children; and their mother, bless her"-here he glanced at the picture of the girl over the mantelpiece-"would smile at me if she could. Oh, yes, I buckle on my armor cheerfully enough. Hey, for Chaos! Hey, for wild Mirth and childish Frivolity! Here I come

the wild raid which now took place through the old house. There was a scamper, a rush, some shouts, not only from childish throats, but from a manly and de

brown Holland frock was not only torn, but smeared with mud and some sort of green mossy stuff which produces a deep stain very difficult for laundresses to remove. The little boy was also in a sorry plight

o meet this party. She was accompanied by Lucy, who was also neat and fresh and trim. The two had stepped out of the house to gather a few flower

graceful noise you and Eric made this morning,

said Mr. Wilton. "Look at our water-lil

laden with them-buds and blossom and leaf, all were there

of delight when her father held up a great mass of

exclaimed, "but how

ving, absolutely starving. Get us some breakfast, good E

just as usual, just as orderly, just as neat and prim as she did yesterday, and as she would again to-morrow, her presence had a cert

o the proceedings of the day, and here it must be confessed Cha

e suddenly squatted herself on the

midges. Well, we'll all go somewhere, and we'll take every scrap of food that the house holds, even if there is to be a famine afterward; well, perhaps we oughtn't to take every scrap, for the servants at home will be hungry, and we'll want supper ourselves; we'll be starving for it, I expect. Eric says the ferrets must come with us, for they ought to have fun like the rest of us on father's birthday, particularly Shark, who has a great sense of humor. Ermie is nearly crying, for she's afraid Shark will bite her, and Basil is winking at her, and trying to comfort her, and he's frowning at Eric with the other s

uddenly exc

ed a flu

t of paper in your hand?-it looks all over hieroglyphics. Here, I must see!" he snatched at

ed Marjorie. "I was getting it down as hard as I could, and I s

. Thank you, Maggie, for showing us ourselves. Now, sir," here Basil turned round and addressed his father

e three places happen to be in totally different directions, and as each of them also happens to be from ten to twelve miles fr

ility of a choice for the world-I don't feel equal to

e of the name of Bolster, and he promised to get me some crabs, and I know he'd like to

in the sun to-day, and I expect there'll be a good deal of dust, and the dust and

trying to interpret whether his father had a

e deliciously cool and fresh," proce

ay! Who cares whether we are burnt or not? Now at Salter's Point there are such lovely shel

to go to Salter's Po

ice the fun," exclaimed E

ing to allow that odious ferret to destroy the whole pleasure

ss Nelson, please come and be our deliverer. These young people have divided ideas with regard to the locality for the great birthday picnic. Some v

mmediately turned on Miss Nelson. Sh

"Bolster has a tank where he keeps his crabs alive. He

de of the Woods,"

d yellow snail shell

She looked down into the pleading gray eye

o Salter's Po

; but it was a satisfaction to have anything fixed, and th

eleven o'clock, they started in the highest possible spirits-even Miss Nelson casting away her mantle of care for the time, an

ly fresh, and the dust, notwithstanding

aving been the same as her own. She was seated by her favorite Basil's side, in the pony-carria

have had another vis-à-vis, but as the governess devoted her whole time to amusing the two little ones, Er

est, an affectionate manner for each and every one he came across; the other was made of sterner stuff-grave, with deep thoughts and high aspirations, and very st

, if she caused that deep heart a pang, it might close its doors against her

most easily pleased people in the house. But Ermengarde knew better. She knew th

h of his conversation to make them feel in it all, and consequently in excellent spirits. But for his sister he had some tender glances, and one or two allusions w

ost forgot that miserable day which followed the boys' return from school; she even looked at Miss Nelson without being haunted by any sense of reproach. The governess's worn face looked quite peaceful and happy; and Ermengarde hoped that she had reall

eir tinkling bells, was about to emerge through the park-gates, when there came a sudden interruption. This was caused by Co

are in a little bit of trouble at home, and the good wife said if I stood here I'd be sure to see Miss Ermengar

faint. She started to her feet at once with a half-cry. "Oh, please let me go," she said eag

it is necessary that Miss Wilton should see your daughter at this inconvenient moment, when we

on't keep you two m

Collins, what does Susa

marked face, and it flu

, and as to Miss Ermengarde, poor Susy worships the very ground she walks o

on; the governess laid her hand on the little girl's arm with a not unkind pressure. "One moment, Ermi

she's for all like a boy in some of her ways, and she was climbing a tree to get a glimpse of me, she said, the rogue; and a rotten bough broke under her, and she

oes a stupid picnic matter? Basil, won't you speak

een crying out all the morning and half the night for missie. It was that made the wife think of me standing here

the accident certainly alters matters a good deal. I do not think M

Ermie, with a grea

sil, help your sister out of the carriage. We will give you five minutes, Ermen

rde had already flown down a little path whic

on to Basil. He was standing by the side of the carriage, and she

cottage, was promptly taken upstairs to

ner as heart could wish. The influence of fear, however, and the consciousness of wrong-doing, have a wonderfully hardening effect upon the best of us, and Ermie only waited until Mrs. Collins's back was turned to say crossly: "What did

words made

iss Ermie, don't look at me like that. I did think you'd have b

want me very badly, I'll try and slip up here one evening. There, if you like, and it really

out it all night long, and I fancied as the little lady herself come and told me I was to put the picture back. I saw her come in at the door hea

e laughed

eryone would see it, and then where should I be? It's all your own fault, Susy; you would not give up the picture yesterday w

at the top there, and she'll see it. Mother'll know at once that I took it, for the servants at

ere's your mother's step on the stairs, and I must fly. What a horrid tr

began to

in it. I pretended the key was lost, but she found it herself this morning, and she was just going to open the drawer wh

the drawer, unlocked it, seized the little miniature and looked round her wildly.

it to-night, whatev