"long gray day," as she inwardly ter

y in the darkened house, and her widowed mother had crept weeping into her 63 arms as to her only rema

was far greater than she would have believed possible, but a moral eart

sang, every one ate and drank and moved about as usual. Nan talked and smiled, and no stranger would have guessed that much was amiss; nevertheless, a weight

er meant to set; and to add to their trouble, their mother looked so ill when she came downstairs, wrapped in her soft white shawl in spite of the heat,

t, and looked pale and owlish in the morning. If they chose to keep her in the dark and not take her into their confidence, it was their affair; but she meant to show them what she thought of their conduct. So she contradicted and snapped, until Nan

from Oldfield, and was to lunch at Glen Cot

dy terribly trying on the previous evening. She was a bad manager, and had muddled her affairs, and she did not seem to understand half of what he told her;

watching an animal in pain," he half growled, as he drew o

is listened and asked judicious questions; but Nan sat with downcast face, plaiting

s explanations, and Phillis began to talk in her turn; she was actually taking the old

dence; but Nan and I have made up our minds to take

various intervals, but had not further interrupted her. "Bless my soul! my dear y

. Trinder's hat herself, and guided him to a side-walk, where they could not be seen from the drawing-room windows. Nan followed them, and tried to ke

ce," repeated Phillis,

ally serious? you

nk Nan and I are in such excellent spirits that we could originate such a piece of drollery? Excuse me, Mr. Tri

g creatures before him,-Nan, with her pale cheeks and sad eyes, and Phillis, alert, irritated, full of repressed energy. "Dear, dear! what a pity!" groaned the old man; "t

e taking our goods to market? We must make the best of our little commodities," sighed the girl. "If we were only clever and accomplished,

your advantages, and––" Here Philli

irst-rate pupils. Oh, we are well enough, compared to other girls: if we had not to earn our own living, we should not be so much amiss. B

quietly but rather shyly endorsed her sister's speech, and assured Mr. Trinder that they had carefully considered the matter from every point of view, and, though it was a very poor pro

to letting lodgings," finished Nan:

masculine way. They sat down to luncheon, and presently sent Dorothy away,-a piece of independence that b

lf to salad. The doubt disturbed him for the first twenty miles of his homeward journey. "Good gracious! for a man not to know whether he is eating lamb or mutton!" he soliloquized, as he vainly

was determined not to interfere or say a word to thwart her sisters: she even went so far as to explain to Mr. Trinder that they would not have to carry parcels, as Phillis meant to hire a boy. She had no idea that this magnanimous speech was in

the shady drawing-room with 66 her mother, whom she found in a very tearful, querulous state, requ

thy, and that we are keeping the house quiet," Nan remarked, with

re common events in every-day life, and had never been known before to interfere with their afternoon receptions. A little eau de Cologne and extra petting, a stronger cup of tea served

n the tea-tray unbidden at an earlier hour than usual; there were Dulce's favorite hot cakes, and some rounds of delicately-

hen she coaxed her mother to eat, and made believe herself to enjoy the repast while she wondered how m

he usual remedies, she was obliged to retire to bed as soon as the sun set, and the three girls went out in the garden, and walked up and down the

, impatiently. "It is so narrow and confined her

voidance was necessary. They had never hidden anything before, and the though

them again!" sighed poor Nan, for which spee

ought in the supper-tray, bearing a little covered dish in triumph, which she set down before

," she said, very gently: "we ca

led if it is not eaten hot." And she stood over them, while Nan dispensed the dainty. "You must eat it while it is hot," she kept saying,

away her plate. "Don't you see that Susan is wasting

s," replied Dorothy, oracularly. "But a thi

augh. She was so tired, and Dorothy was such a droll old thing; and h

in an offended tone; but Phillis t

vating old creature you can be when you like? If I laugh, it is because

n Dulce; "we are fa

ant, but it was me that put Miss Dulce in her father's arms,-'the pretty lamb,' as he called her, an

quietly recapitulated the main points that concerned their difficulties,-their mother's loss

eness, not daring to intrust their plan to Dorothy: "the cot

ear, dear! to think of such an affliction coming upon my mistress and the dear young ladies! It is like an earthquake or a flood, or someth

My great fear is that the work may be too much for you, poor Dorothy; and that-that-we may have to keep you waiting sometimes for your wage

g a nest-egg laid up for rainy days. Wages,-when I mention the word, Miss Nan," went on Dorothy, waxing somewhat irate, "it will be tim

an; for, in spite of her eighteen years, she was still Dorothy's special charge. "She's quite

oked voice preparing to withdraw; but Nan caught h

I never meant to hurt your feelings by what I said. If you will only go to the Friary

s?" asked Dorothy, mollified b

ise, and that they should be eked out somehow. And then, the stewed pigeons being regarded as a