is some warm water; you can prepare for luncheon, and I must do the same.'

Elfrida was, however, mute, as was her habit when she was expected to speak.

Miss Ponsonby was turning to leave the room when a sudden shock of remembrance stopped her. 'My child,' she said, 'you are welcome here for your father's sake, and for your father's sake I hope we shall get on pleasantly together.'

The colour rushed to Elfrida's face, and she said in a low tone, 'I will try.' And then Miss Ponsonby left her alone.

'What a small room!' was the passionate exclamation when her aunt closed the door. 'Oh, I shall be suffocated!'-and the full chintz curtains were pulled back with a vigorous hand, and the Venetian blind drawn up with a jerk. 'I can't endure all these things!' Elfrida went on. What a hideous mat! Fancy putting a Bible on a mat on a table, and the chimney-piece crammed with those frightful little jars and old wax flowers! I am certain Adelaide made them; the glass is cracked, and the dust has got in, so that the yellow rose looks very like the poor old thing herself. And what a small lookingglass! Why, it screws up my face into puckers ;' and Elfrida, who had been accustomed to the spacious scantily-furnished French saloon, with its long mirrors, and faded French tapestry, and cool parquet floor, felt like a young kestrel confined in a canary's cage, like that on the table in the drawing

room.

T

CHAPTER V.

HE result of all Elfrida's examination of her room was, that when the gong sounded she had not even taken off her hat nor arranged her hair. She was in the act of washing her hands, when a sharp tap at the door was heard, and Bella entered.

'If you please, miss, I was to say the ladies are waiting to go in to the dining-room; and can I assist you, miss?' Bella added, approaching the tall young lady with something between shyness and admiration. You have got a dreadful rent in your crape, miss,' she said, fingering it with some trepidation.

'Oh, so I have! I forgot. Stick a pin in, will you?"

'One pin won't do it, miss, it will take a dozen at least, and the ladies are waiting.'

'Oh, well, never mind! tear it off the whole width, and let me go.'

'I daren't tear it, miss; it will ruin it.'

'Then here goes!' and the crape fold was torn off. Before Bella could recover her astonishment, it was lying in a long jagged string on the floor, and Elfrida was gone down the stairs with two flying leaps.

Mr. Broome was at the bottom of the stairs waiting till his ladies should cross the hall to the dining-room. Elfrida rather miscalculated the last half of her descent, and came in collision with Mr. Broome in a very undignified fashion.

'I hope I have not hurt you?' she said; 'I am awfully sorry!'

Mr. Broome was more shaken out of his proprieties than hurt, and distressed that through the open door 'his ladies' should be surveying his discomfiture. But he trembled for the author of it, who was all unconscious of the impression she was making on the spectators from the interior of that little, quiet, shady drawing-room, where all was cool, peace, and calm.

Miss Adelaide uttered one little exclamation, and Miss Ponsonby said in a low, stern voice, 'Elfrida, be so kind in future to walk down-stairs, instead of jumping in that unladylike manner. Luncheon is waiting.'

Then Miss Ponsonby swept past into the diningroom, and Miss Adelaide put her hand into Elfrida's, saying, 'Dearie, you frightened us so! I thought poor Broome might well-have had a tooth. knocked out, or '

Elfrida snatched her hand away, and said, ' What

a fuss to make about nothing!' stalked across the matted corridor, and took her seat at the little wellappointed table.

The Misses Ponsonby failed in no detail of domestic arrangement which befitted their rank. The silver and glass were bright and clear as hands. could make them, and the finest damask cloth was smooth and purely white. Mrs. Broome's cooking was perfect in its way, and Broome handed the delicate cutlets with the air of one who knew his proper functions, and fulfilled them. He left the room when the plates had been changed for the second course, and then the awkward silence which followed had a strange effect on Elfrida. She despatched her portion of pudding in a very short time, and clinked her tumbler against her wine-glass, crunched some hard crust with her strong ivory teeth, and at last broke the silence by saying, 'May I have some cake?'

Miss Ponsonby had scarcely time to reply, when Elfrida had pulled the dish towards her and cut a large three-cornered wedge from the seed-cake. Misunderstanding an appealing glance from Miss Adelaide, she held up the slice on the point of the knife, saying, 'Will you have some cake?'

'O no, no! thank you, dearie; only a tiny wee bit, please!'

Elfrida put the wedge on her own plate, and was proceeding to cut a thinner one, which would be more suitable to her aunt's delicate appetite, when her arm unhappily came in contact with a carafe

of water, and in an instant the spotless cloth was deluged.

'How stupid!' she exclaimed, taking her napkin to mop up the water which was insidiously creeping all over the table.

'Stop!' said Miss Ponsonby, rising to ring the bell, you are only making it worse. Look at the condition of the napkin.'

Broome appeared in answer to the summons, and Miss Ponsonby, rising, said, 'We must leave the table; unless the cloth is removed the mischief will spread.'

Elfrida took the wedge of cake in her hand, and before anything further was said took refuge in her own room again. 'What shall I do now?' she said to herself as she ate her cake, 'it's so fearfully dull. O dear, how they will hate me! It was clumsy to upset the water. I know I am clumsy! mother used to say so. How long shall I have to stay here?-years, for ever! I shall never, never be able to put up with them, nor they with me! I think I will unpack my box. Why, they have not brought it up. Come in!' This was in answer to a knock at the door.

'If you please, Miss Elfrida Ponsonby, the ladies wish you to go down into the drawing-room;' and Mrs. Broome, who had volunteered to bring the message, which had been delivered to her husband to hand on by Bella, stood before this disturber of the peace, whom she was curious to see. 'The ladies always sit quiet after luncheon, and I was to