he drive home that night over that wide expanse of moorland which stretched away black and mysterious under a sky which glowed

ch came down in sheets, hissing as it struck the ground, thundered on the hood drawn over their

r free to gaze and gaze her fill. Prue did not relish the din and uproar in the heavens, the flashing lightning, or

ty's thoughts turned with pleasure to home and dry clothes, and the nice meal Betty had undertaken to have i

tions, for there was not a light to be seen anywhere. All the windows were gaping wi

mind about going home and early to bed, and was there ready to receive them. At the sight of his bandaged head Kitty's thoughts flew

portunity to ask him Dr. Trenir

e you, Jabez?" he asked, with, as it

his unusual promptness. "I went down with 'em to once. When th

letter, was gone, her hopes were ended, fate was too strong for them. And to add to her trouble there had been a hubbub in the kitc

d whatever else she might be in doubt about, she was in none as to

to smooth away the frown; "but oh it was grand t

n anything. "I'm glad somebody's been able to enjoy thems

y rushed over her of former home-comings, before the dear mother died; the orderly comfort, the cheerfulness and joy which seemed always to be a part of the house in those days; and her eyes grew misty wi

so! Everything is wrong, and I can't get them right. I a

she knew it was of no use. It was Betty's room too, and nothing, certainly not a mere hint, could keep Betty out; and she sighed, as she had often sighed before, f

k in, and Betty did so. She was quiet, and vouchsafed no ac

in such a bad temper?

bad temper, isn't she?

ice of her." Then wit

d she sa

per, and walked temper, and breathed temper. Have you got a ni

answer at all, but merely remarked in an off-hand manner, "I shou

it r

n't k

them to take it in at once if they haven't

d better go yourself. Fanny said-Fanny's manners are

id Fann

she would rather I-didn't go

have you done to vex

she got as cross as anything; and they really were dirty, for I showed her all the finger-marks, so it wasn't as if I was complaining about nothing. If I'd 'c

there, and wondering how she should best approach matters, and it was a relief to her on opening the kitchen door to find that Fanny was alo

ve got back. We were wet through nearly, and now father and I are longing for our supper. Have y

stove. "You never ordered nothing, Miss Kitty, a

her part to order or arrange the meals. She knew, though, that her only chance now was to be patient, and to ignore a good many things. "And you manage so well, so much better th

le meal; but when one doesn't like this and the other doesn't like that, and nothing I do is right, and there's nothing but

me to a nice comfortable meal and a happy evening, and when we drive up the house is all dark, and the rain beating in at the windows. Emily is in a fury, and-and oh it is all so miserable. I-I'd rather be out alone on the downs in the storm with

y," she cried, her soft heart touched at once, "don't 'ee take it like that. Why, 'tisn't nothing to fret about; it'll all come right again, my dear," and sh

r says we must have some one, and-and I think he is right. I don't seem able to manage things, every

nny. "Mrs.-Pike-coming

you don't re

reful. It must be fate, though, as well as our bad managing, for I've never before known Jabez post a letter when he was told to; but he must have gone right down to the

solemnly. "It do seem

e I have been out, Fann

il

'd bring them all out again one by one, and put them down before Emily, and every time she'd say, in that way she's got, 'Emily, that glass is filthy; you must wash it at once. I wonder you ain't ashamed to lay the things in such a state.' When she brought out the third lot Emily got mad, an

were all with Betty. She may have been "tackless," as Fanny called it, but however kindly Emily had been told of her carelessness she would have been

n sent away long before. Kitty could not manage her at all, and as she thought of all they had endured dail

ster had asked Mrs. Pike to come here

ke invasion and all that would follow on it. "O Fanny," she sighed brokenly, "if only-if only mother were alive! Nothing

be, they 'as to be, and we'll manage some'ow. I'm going to set about getting a nice supper so soon as ever I can. I think we'm all low with the thunder and the 'eat, and we'll be better when we've had some fo

d I will go and light some lights about the house by the tim

house bright and cheerful, but in her

s atmosphere? I have been turning down the gas all the way I've come. But how nice the table is looking, and how good s

very zealously, and passed him everything she thought he could want. It was not until she had done

nthony?" asked

p, but as quickly contr

out him," she said cal

ire and Kitty at the sam

or being naughty, so that illness was th

made him get under the feather

e w

with nobody here but me to-to take the 'sponsibility," looking at her father with the most serious face imaginable. "So I made him get

not to smile, "and I expect Tony is safe enough, if he isn't cooked or suffocated. For my part, I should

"that I think the moths have got into the eider-downs,

uilts have never been attended to or

ey are on the spare-room bed they are all

them," sighed her father. "I expec

anything that was terrible, and she remembered suddenly that the spare bedroom was the very hottest room in the house. It was over the kitchen, and caught every possible gleam o

her mind, for, mercifully, Tony's head was uncovered. He was the colour of a crimson peony, it is true, but at any rate he was not suffocated, unless-Kitty stepped quickly forward and touched his cheek. It al

he asked half nervousl

he ligh

e pile of quilts. "Poor Tony. Get up, dear, and come down and have s

tty, but rather languidly, it is true, for he was very hot and exhausted

sked eagerly, as he crep

topping and looking b

en that she had not see

he go

in the house; there never is. I'll go and catch some trout,' and he went. Do you think he was out in all that funder and lightning?" Then, seeing Kitty

en actually in the stream, getting the trout out without rod or line. Water was running off his hat, his clothe

o him, but Dan did

ry flushed but very triumphant face towa

ened on. His face fell a little, though, when

er. I meant them for your supper. Just look! Aren't they beauties?" and he thrust his basket over the table and held it right under his father

y nose when you see I am eating? And why, Dan, once more, are you not here and decently neat, when a meal is ready? It is perfectly disgraceful. Here am I, and supper has been on the table I don't know how long, and only one of you is ready to sit down with me. Anthony is in bed, or somewhere else, Kitty is racing th

ly hurt than he had ever been in his life before, and his face showed it. Kitty and Tony, hesitating in the hall, saw it, and

ing at him; instinctive delicacy told her not to. "Father didn't mean it," she whispered

ion would have embarrassed them; but they understood each other, and most of them posses

nsoled yet. "No," he said bitterly, "I have had su

out to fling it away-fish, basket, and all-when she paused. It was a very good basket, and Dan had no other. Kitty hesitated, then opened it and looked in. Six fine trout lay at the bottom on a bed of brac

nny," she said, "will you cook these for fat

was too," said Fanny, l

I wonder why nothing ever comes quite right with us?" Then she turned away hastily, that Emily,

She was not sorry, for it saved her from having to make a pretence of eating, and left her free to indu

as she was about to knock at his door the murmur of voices within arrested her attention. Whom could Dan have got in there? she wondered in great surprise. Tony was in bed, and Betty was in her

Was he scolding poor Dan again? he could hardly think so, fo

tly crept away to her own room. All the time she was undressing she listened alertly for the sound of her father's footsteps, but she had been in bed some time before they passed down the corridor. "They must be h

nging up in her bed,

dreadfully s

ssly. "I was just beginning a most beautiful

t him to write it to-night, and I would have posted it, so that it could reach almost as soon as th

king about?" interrup

coax father to write another letter to her to-night, to

written to Aunt Pike and told her all that, and I posted it myself t

you ha

now, and Jabez said it would be more than his life was worth, and you know father hates changing servant

uldn't have. What

ad, I think. He hates w

for at that moment Dan's door was opened, and she hea

o in with it. Her instinct told her that he would rather she did not just then; so, laying it on

won't do more harm than good. I shouldn't be at all surprised, though, if it made Aunt Pike make up her mind to come. But I'll try not to think about it," and turning over on her pillow, Kitty had soon forgotten Aunt P