ful sketches, I should have remained where I was, as you have done.'

'Well!' cried Georgie, 'it really was cowardly in me to give up when I saw how you were beating me. I think I will try again. You shall advise me, Nellie, what to do. I must not take too high flights just at first.'

'You cannot,' said Nellie, try anything better or more simple than this archway that we are now drawing; but instead of taking the whole landscape through the arch, sit further on one side, so that you will only see the ivy on the edge of the arch, and that light birch-tree. We shall need another day at ours, I think, Agnes. If we come to-morrow, do bring your materials, Georgie, and sketch too.'

'I really will,' said Georgie; and you too, Constance?'

'I do not think I have much taste for drawing,' replied Constance; 'otherwise why should I not draw as well as Agnes and Nellie? I had lessons, and I do not care to do a thing in which I am not likely to excel.'

'You never sketched from nature,' said Agnes; 'that is what has got me on so much. It is so very different from copying in the house. Do try it, Constance; it is worth while to take a little trouble for so delightful an occupation.'

THEY ALL BEGIN AGAIN.

175

'Pray keep me company, Constance,' cried Georgie; "I mean to "put my pride in my pocket," as I have heard Susan say, and submit to being the worst artist of all four.'

'Well, if I do draw,' said Constance, I shall come to you, Agnes, for help. Georgie is to be advised by Nellie. You must show me a little, and I will try it for a time. But if I draw anything, I should like it, I think, to be a bit of my dear old home-that old wing. Do you think I could draw that, Agnes ?'

'That is rather difficult, I should say. Suppose you began with a bit of your favourite ruin. There is a very picturesque buttress beside a narrow window at the end of the cloister.'

'I know it,' returned Constance; 'I will begin with that.'

'Then we must look up our poor forgotten pencils and blocks,' exclaimed Georgie; 'I scarcely know where mine are!'

'I will lend you anything you want,' said Nellie. 'You remember what a heap of such things I showed you?'

'Yes,' cried Georgie; but I won't borrow from you, Nellie. I find one never can return your lends, so they turn into gifts; and I don't like gifts when I can return none. So I thank you all the same, my dear Nellie; but I know that I ought to rummage up my

own possessions, for really mamma did give me all that was necessary, though not such a lavish turn-out as yours.'

'Have you all that you want, Constance?' said Agnes.

'Yes,' she returned very shortly; and Nellie could not help thinking that Constance feared her making her the same offer as to Georgie. So it was settled that the following day the four artists should meet at the ruin.

CHAPTER X.

Mrs. Walton finds fault with the Conceit displayed by Constance -Nellie takes up the idea that the Lost Will might be found-She makes a vigorous Search for Secret Drawers in her Father's Table-Constance dreads a London Life.

AM so glad,' said Mrs. Walton, 'to hear that you, Constance, are intending to take up your drawing again. I should have

spoken about it before, but I am not so good an instructress as your mamma; so, as there seems a probability of your being soon again with her, I thought I would let it pass. But if you will work out of doors by yourself, it will be better than any teaching.'

'Indeed I think so,' said Agnes; 'you say I have improved much, mamma!"

'But remember,' exclaimed Georgie, 'that it is not only the open air and the real landscape that has improved you, Agnes. Nellie has taught you a I have often heard her saying, "Use that "Put this shade first ;" "Take a larger

great deal.

colour;"

M

brush ;" and so on. And, mamma, she is kind enough to promise to help me too!'

'And are you left out of this instruction, Constance?' asked Mrs. Walton.

'No,' she replied; ‘Agnes will help me if I want any help; but if I do not very soon equal her, I shall not draw at all. I shall let it alone till mamma returns.'

'Do you seriously mean,' asked Mrs. Walton, 'that unless you are the best among all your companions, either in music, drawing, or any other pursuit, that you do not wish to carry it on?'

'Yes,' said Constance; 'I cannot bear to be behind others. Certainly I do not expect to do things as well as grown-up people; but there is no reason why a girl of my own age should do anything better than

'All people are not gifted in the same way,' returned Mrs. Walton; 'your mother or I might as well say, "We cannot paint like Raphael or Titian, therefore we will not paint at all." It is but a very mean and narrow mind that cannot admire talent in others without murmuring at our own share.'

6

'But do you not think it very disagreeable,' said Constance, when, perhaps, you have done a drawing as well as you possibly can, to find that another, not better taught and not older, does it a very great deal better ?'