elt as if Aunt Jane had done so, and moreover that the greater proportion

she influenced seemed to recur as regularly as the motions of the great ruthless-looking engines that Gillian had seen at work at Belfast; the only loose cog being apparently her sister Adeline, who quietly took her own way, seldom came downstairs before eleven o'clock, went out and came in, made visits or received them, wrote letters, read and worked at her own sweet will. Only two undertakings seemed to belong to her-a mission working party, and an It

ationary leg of the compasses, as she sometimes called herself. This repose, together with her prettiness and sweetness of manner, was very attractive; especially to Gillian,

the chance of resistance or the solace of complaint. Moreover, with all her time at Aunt Jane's disposal, how was she to do her great thing? Valetta's crewel battle cushion had been reduced to a delicious design of the battle of the frogs and mice, drawn by Aunt Ada, and which she delighted in calling at full length 'the Batrachyomachia,' sparing none of the syllables which she was to work below. And it was to be worked at regularly for half an hou

n that she intended Gillian to take a class at the afternoon Sunday-school, while the two children

wish it?' a

to mention it, bu

undays, unless some regular person fails. Mamma likes

mma! Nor could I g

always do some of their work with them, and I am sure ma

ung ladies have got b

uite willing to help you; but it is very nice

ing themselves in the new Sunday fashion. Mind, I am not going to have them r

ly, 'you don't think that is the way

are right to use your best judgment, and you are welcome to do s

been at much pains to set Mrs. Hablot's class on foot, and felt it a slight and a bad example that her niece and

olute subject of Aunt Jane's stumbling pitifully, moreover, in a speech of Adelchi's;

f with mamma, and there was a pleasant little walk on the esplanade before the children's service at St.

o a very new world, and the Varleys' information had not been altogether reassuring. Valetta had learnt how many marks might be lost by whispering or bad spelling, and how ferociously cross Fraulein Adler looked at a mistake in a

gus that most boys had the same sort of Christian names, but were afraid to confess them to one another, and so called each other Bill and Jack. S

y, the recipient of all telegrams, with tidings that the doctors were quit

hat she danced about exclaiming, 'What fun!' and only wishing for Mysie to share it. She would have rushed down to the gate umbrellaless if Aunt Jane had not caught and conducted h

ill take care of them, please. You

as the door closed, and the omnibu

went back; 'but Emma Norton ought to be able to keep him in order.

going o

roof cloak, but pausing as she saw Gillian at the window, nursing the Sofy, and gazing at the gray cloud over t

fretted, and with a sense of be

ece, in a way that, unreasonably or not, unspeakably worried the girl, 'Brachet's French Grammar-that's right. Col

a voice that very nearly

sensible morning's work, and when Ada comes d

ty the working out of a tough double equation in Colenso, which actually came right, and put her in such good humour that she was no longer afraid of drumming the poor piano to death and Aunt Ada upstairs to distraction, but ventured on learning one of the Lieder ohne Worte; and when her Aunt Ada came down and complimented her on the sounds that had ascended, she was complacent enough to write a very cheerful letter, whilst her aunt was busied with her own. She described the Sunday

the recent harvest-thanksgiving Sunday. It was hard to tell which was most reprobated, what St. Kenelm's did or what Bellevue did not do. If the one blew trumpets in procession, the other collected the offertory in a warming-pan. Gillian had already begun to find that these misdoings supplied

istening? A very nice girl near here, a pupil teacher, who has developed a hip compl

g might happen to prevent it. But at that moment the sun came out, the rain had ceased, and there were glistening drops all over the garden; the weather quarter was clear, and after ha

peach from the dessert, then took down a couple of books from the shelf. Gillian could not but a

xactly want comforts, but she is sadly depressed and disappointed at not being able to go on with her

mall side turret window, a light for the benefit of ships at sea. Then the street descended towards the marble works. There was a great quarry, all red and raw with recent blasting, and above, below, and around, rows

pt, while a beautiful myrtle and pelargonium peeped over the muslin blind; and it was a very nice-looking woman who opened the door, though s

tographs, and framed certificates of various societies of temperance and providence on the gaily-papered walls. The girl lay on a couch near the fire, a sallow creature, with a big

ow the doctor wanted her to take as much as she could, and how everythin

er in a languid dreary manner. Finding that she had freshly been visited by the rector, Miss Moh

'You are just about the same age, and your names rhyme-

tage poverty, and had had a class of little maidservants; but this level of life which is in no want, keeps a best parlour, and does not say ma'am, was quite new to her, and

d like to hear this. It is a

use for going away without attempting conversation. She was overtaken by the children on their way home from their schools, where they had dined. They rushed upon her, together with the two Varleys, who wanted to take them home to tea; and Gillian giving her read

her having consented to the children's going out without referenc

't they be fetched?'

Adeline, pitying her

anny cannot go out at night with her throat, and I n

said Gillian

young girl? I m

home the children, looking much injured. Gillian w

chance of something nice; when all the tiresome big ones had go

eal sense!'

you been about

ould come and drink tea in the nursery, where

ways crying out for Harry and

play with us, and they only pretended, a

was-forking,

al. 'The dish ran afte

ls,' said Gillian, in elder sisterly propriety

scrumptious!'

n't like slang words. J

ey like at school, and the 'bus w

letta; 'I can't bear being bo

ou are onl

l, they s

if you

isn't telling.

asse

hot at us with pea-shoo

hit the girl who made the sour face on her cheeks, and th

outh,' said Val, while Fergus went into an e

Such ungentlemanly boys ought n

ey are so stupid,' said Fergus. 'That one-a

! Up in the

e-tit besides; only Stebbing said if

ully he must be!'

e can hold a candle to him at batting! He snowballed all the Kennel choir

edy boy!' e

ng,' adde

le with infinite contempt; but Valetta had spirit enough

tle silly boys who think such things fin

hing about it

me about school-how you are p

It's only the third form that go up to Smiler. She kn

places for knowing where Teheran was, and got above Kitty Varley

ny one called Maura but one of the White

Mrs. Mount came up with intent to brush Miss Va

o a conference with one of her clients in the parish room. In her absence Gillian always felt more free and communicative, and she had soon told

r to the present form of flirtation. No doubt Bee Varley and

ything?' asked Aunt Ada, taking he

cousin's brother-in-law's stepson. That's quite e

atrice Varley

s the dish and which was the spoon. Have the children made any other acquaintances, I wonder? And how d

im in solitary grandeur in t

though Aunt Jane seemed to have been able to see through the omni

er of the marble work

a. 'the Co. means S

a gen

he pity-to the aristocratic quarter, if you please,' said Aunt Jane, smiling, '

chool,' said her sister. 'I hope he

said Gillian. 'Fergus see

must impress on the children that they are to go to no one's house without express leave. That wi

when, in the midst of the working party round the dining-room table, in a pause of the reading, so

th. In a few moments they beheld a puddle on the mat at the bottom of the oak stairs, while a stream

t. The string of the humming-top moves

gus! Oh-h,

he landing between the two, the boys, one spinning the top, the other working the pump which stood in its own trough of water, receiving a reckl

ual motion.' He seemed quite unconscious that the motion was kept up by

. Mount, 'if I had thought

irl. 'No don't come up, Ada; it is too wet for you.

d Clement Varley, thi

d Gillian sternly. 'You are fright

e howl about to break forth. 'My dear boy, that tap mus

Jane; I thought it was a

y your experiments. Go and take off those clothes; an

h scandalise

At home, he would be

penny, Gillian,' sa

inventions, for Maurice'

n mischief, or crush it out for want of sympathy,' sa

ould have risen in arms on her brother's behalf, and that would have been much pl

n to be allowed to join Mrs. Hablot's class on Sunday. It appeared that they had aske

ta. 'Only think, she has got a portfolio with

ating Jezebel, and such a jolly picture of the lion kill

The Beautiful Face, and is all about two children in a wood, and a horrid old grandm

ould be ever so much bett

want fun

actly, but

st bit of home, and

Valetta was touched by the tears in Gillian'

Valetta teased the Sofy to scratching point, they yawned ferociously at The Birthday, and would not be interested even in the pony's death. Then when they went out walking, they would not hear of the sober Rockstone lane, but insi

g him home in disgrace, sending Valetta into church alone. She would have put him to bed on her own responsibility, but she could not master him

da, and proceeded to record in her letter to India that those dread

of his tussle with Gillian, she spoke to him very seriously, shut him into his own room, to learn thoroughly what he

as an outbreak of drums and trumpets and wild singing. The Salvation Army was marching that way, and, what was worse, yells and cat-calls behind showed that the Skeleton Army was on its way to meet them. Gillian, frightened almost out of her wits, mana

ng certain classes. It would give her far more chance of success at the examination to work with others and her presence w