And shall you never, never go to school again?" asked Nelly Parker, as she enviously watched the preparations for departure.

"I don't know," said Lily, "but I think not."

"Oh! I'm sure we shall never leave mama again, Lily!" exclaimed Daisy. "We shall always live with her, of course."

"I daresay you are right, Daisy; but as I didn't know for certain, I only said I thought," replied Lily. "Well," said Louie, "I wish you were going to stay. There will be so few little ones left when you go."

"Ah! but they don't want to stay.. I should think not!" said Nelly; "who would, if they could help it ?"

"Now, Nelly, we have liked being here very much, and Miss Walker has been very kind to us!" corrected Lily, not liking it to be thought that she had no kind or grateful regrets.

"And perhaps we shall all meet again, some day, when mama comes home," said Daisy, brightly.

"Shall you be rich then?" inquired the irrepressible Louie, and then, not waiting for an answer, continued, "I mean your mother? Ann says she knows your uncle's rich by his look; didn't she, Nelly?"

Daisy and Lily scarcely knew whether to laugh or be annoyed, but Nelly blushed, for she was always ashamed of idle gossip with the servants when the twin sisters were near; so she muttered.

"Do be quiet, Louie! I don't know, I'm sure." "Why," said Louie, opening her little brown eyes

wide, and perking up her sharp nose, "You asked her yourself! there!"

"Well, if I did, you needn't make such a fuss!" responded Nelly, quite vexed now.

we

"It doesn't matter," said Lily, peaceably; "only

"Mama doesn't like us to ask rude questions!" announced Daisy, not quite so peaceably; and then the call to class was heard, and the meeting dissolved.

The last thing to be done before it was time to listen for Uncle Gerald's ring at the door, was to pack up the rose-trees. This operation was kindly assisted by the house-maid, who had looked after the safety of the plants in the bed-room. She was sorry to see these little girls go. Her feelings on the matter were confided to Ann by the following remarks, made when taking away the bed-furniture from the two little beds that were no longer needed,

"T'aint like as any more like them'll come! there's plenty of sharp, mischievous girls like Miss Louie and Miss Nelly, but children as has a civil word for every one is scarce."

Before they all parted, many promises of writing and future visits, if they were possible, were exchanged. Even old people remember how warm some of their school attachments were, and in occasional cases, how a school friendship has lasted. through life; but our little friends belonged so little to the real school world, and had been so little thrown

on it for sympathy and love, that except in Flora's case they could not feel much regret at parting.

Then that journey from Brighton to London, and thence to the station that was three miles from Hadwell Grange-how every minute was bringing them nearer to a happy meeting with their aunt and cousin! The carriage was at the station, and Gerty was in it. The twins were hugged, and kissed, and questioned, and informed on so many subjects, that they had a very confused sense of things in general when they entered the hospitable doors of Hadwell Grange; just as darkness was closing round them without, the welllit brightness of the hall, and Aunt Marian's warm welcome, made their hearts feel a sense of "home" once more, which was very grateful.

G

CHAPTER X.

FASTER AT HADWELL GRANGE-LILY AN INVALIDLETTER FROM AUSTRALIA.

ON that bright Easter day all Nature's sweet spring beauty lent its pure homage to aid the joyous songs of praise which ascended from the old grey church at Hadwell. The sweet scent of violets, and the soft colours of the spring flowers that adorned the church looked bright and pleasant, and the voice of the young clergyman was earnest in its pleadings, that old and young would that day lay a welcome sacrifice before the altar of their risen Lord-the sacrifice of their hearts.

As the three girls walked homewards, Mrs Morton and they conversed on the great feast that was then celebrated in the church; and then Colonel Morton joined in the warm expression of liking for the clergyman: his charity and untiring zeal had won for him golden opinions from high and low.

"Some day, mama," said Gerty, "perhaps we might go over and see those dear little children at the Parsonage?"

"Yes dear, I am sure Mrs Leslie would allow you

to visit her two little ones. They are very little, Daisy and Lily, the girl is two, and the boy four; did you see him in church-a pretty little fellow in a man-of-war-suit, sitting by a very nice looking lady in the chancel?"

"I saw him, Aunt Marian, "said Lily, "and he stood on a high stool to sing."

"Very likely he could not see over the pew without doing that," said Mrs Morton. "How pleasant it is to have only a short walk to church! In fine weather it will always be easy for me to walk, and the whole surroundings are so purely country-like-I do not think we could have been more pleasantly placed."

"And look, Daisy! down that lane there is the sweetest little house-and it's to let!" announced Gerty.

"Oh!" and the sisters blushed rosily, and looked an enquiry at their aunt and uncle.

"Yes," said Colonel Morton, "you are quite right -we do hope that your mother will soon come back, and settle down in that pleasant cottage with you both."

"It would be beautiful!" said Lily.

"Just the thing!" said Daisy.

"Let's write and ask her!" said both together. "That has been done already, dear children," said Aunt Marian, kindly, "and we hope that an answer will come in a week or ten days."

"And," said Gerty, eagerly, "the boys won't be