DIVIDED FRIENDSHIP.

101

Flora hesitated. "I don't quite know yet; they spoke of a ride on ponies this afternoon."

"But if you have not yet agreed to go with them, you are not tied; and you did promise me to go to Carnelian bay, so I consider you engaged to mamma and to me."

"What time do you mean to start, Caroline?" asked Flora, eagerly looking after the three girls, who had nearly reached the end of the terrace.

Why the time that we always go out in the afternoon, you surely have not forgotten that."

Well, Caroline, if I am not with you when you are ready to start, you may suppose that I am gone to ride with Augusta and Harriet, and if they don't ride, I will come with you. Now I must go." And she ran quickly to overtake her friends, who appeared to laugh immoderately as Flora joined them.

"She might at least have asked me to walk with them," thought Caroline, and her eyes filled with tears as she turned to go home. When she reached the top of the hill she sate down on a bench, and meditated on Flora's behaviour rather resentfully. This mood was not softened by Flora's touch again on her shoulder, and the words, "It is settled, Caroline, that we are to ride to-day, so don't wait for me any longer, but go to Carnelian bay when you like, I dare say I shall be very uncertain as long as the Seymours are here; goodbye!"

Caroline scarcely looked round, but she saw their figures retreating up one of the walks that led to the upper part of the garden, and she fancied she saw a mocking sort of smile on the lips of Augusta. With her heart full, she went home. "Papa will laugh at me still more this morning," she thought, as she opened the dining-room door. But her papa saw at a glance that she was in no humour for laughing, and simply giving her his morning kiss, he went on talking to Mrs. Leslie.

"Well, Caroline," said her mother, when Caroline had hastily swallowed her cup of tea, "I see you have been vexed this morning, are we not to hear what has happened? I suppose Flora is again engaged for the afternoon with her new friends."

“Worse than that, mamma," said Caroline, trying not to cry; "I waited a long time on the bridge for her, and then I went to the house to ask if she were ill, and heard that she had gone out long before. Then I looked about the garden for her, and at last I saw her walking with the three Miss Seymours, and she only spoke to me to say that she was going to ride with them this afternoon."

"I confess, Caroline, that it was rude; but you know I warned you to expect this kind of thing, and you must determine to have great patience."

"I could, dear mamma, if it were only Flora's

neglect, but I am sure those girls were laughing at me, and quizzing me. Both times when they turned away with Flora, they looked at me so mockingly that I could not help feeling vexed with them ; and more sorry still that Flora should join in making fun of me."

"Very likely your imagination has a little to do with that idea, Caroline."

"No, mamma; if they did not despise me they would ask me to walk with them as well as Flora."

"It is a different thing, my dear girl; I know that Mrs. Staunton was formerly intimate with Lady Seymour, and you know she took Flora with her to call one morning; therefore it is quite natural that the little girls should invite Flora to walk and ride with them; and quite as natural that they should not invite a little girl whose parents are unknown to their mother. Very probably Lady Seymour does not wish her children to associate with others whose families are quite strangers to herself. Do not you think that reasonable? I have no acquaintance with Lady Seymour."

"I did not think of that, mamma. I will allow that it is reasonable that they should not ask me to join them; but they need not laugh at me! I dare say I looked very forlorn, and perhaps cross, 'staring at the sea,' as Flora said, all by myself;