Red Rose and Tiger Lily

rose colour still filled the sky in the west. There was a tender new moon, lookin

hair, of a much lighter shade of brown, was coiled in close folds round her well-shaped head. Her lips were slightly compressed, her chin showed determination. Hester had not been beautiful as a child, and she was not beautiful as a girl, but her face was pleasant to loo

the gravel behind, a

, father?" s

is hour in your thin house shoes, and with nothing

howed her even and pretty white teeth; "and I certainly shan'

as a reserved and almost repellent person, but now, as his eyes rested on his young daughter, something

," he said; "but you always were of a turbulen

spoke of his wife, then she quickly

shall welcome Nan back from school? Nan comes to-night-Annie Forest to-morrow

raised

it is that Mrs. Willis, who is supposed to be such a splendid instructor of youth, should not have brought Nan a little better into control. Now, you, my dear Hetty, are very different. You have passions and feelings-no one has them more strongly-but you keep them in check. Your reticence and your reserve please me much. In short, Hester, no father could have a more admirable daughter to live wi

ver yet could say 'No' to Nan. Father, don't you hear the carriage wheels? S

the smooth roll of wheels. A landau drawn by a pair of horses had even now entered the lodge gates. Hester, looking up, heard some gay voices, some childish lau

ntermingling of ejaculations, kisses, commands, e

n to the house. I'm not getting in again. Aren't you glad to see

you happen to come to-night? I didn't expect you until to-morrow. I was wondering how I could endure the next twen

feel so wild and excited that I'm sure I shall be just as troublesome as I used to be before you tamed me down at school. Now th

ut don't let us stand here talking any longer, or father will take it into his head that I am catching cold in t

ittle face looked as charming as of old. She was a very pretty child, and promised to be a beautiful woman by-and-by. Her beauty, however, was nothing at all beside the radiant sort of loveliness which Annie Forest possessed.

st to pay your long, long promised visit," she continued, looking at Annie. "Well, here we are at ho

nt; her quick footsteps flew down the long corridor, she pushed open the baize door which sepa

eked old woman of between si

h dear, eh dear, I meant to be down on the front steps to greet you, Miss Nan. Eh, but you look bonny, and let me

ome, and when she wants a kiss more than anything else in the world? Now, nursey, sit down in that

ome home and took the housekeeping over. I was in a mortal fret before,

"you always were a dear ol

didn't fret without reason, y

? You know I'm an awfully curi

uriosity was the sin of Eve, and it's best to nip it in the bud while you're yo

k the shady hat in which she had traveled, a

ed, breathing a very soft one on

se, "they're like fresh

six more if you tell m

admiringly

how I can't resist you. There's no fear now of anything happening, so you needn't be in a taking; but

eeper, do you mean?" Nan's brow

ohn must have their comforts, and a house without a mistress isn't as it ough

new wife for father. Why, she-she'd

to you, Miss Nan. Oh, my word! and there's the gong, so supper is ready, and Sir John won't like to be kept waiting. Let me brush out your hair, I won't be a min

y changing Nan's travel-stained frock for a white o

e said, giving the lit

of possible trouble filled her sweet eyes. A new wife-a possible stepmother! Oh, no, by no possibility c