'My certie!' she exclaimed--a dreadful exclamation in the eyes of the
family, who knew it implied that in all her experience Mrs. Halfpenny
had never known the like! And taking Dolores by the hand, she led the
wrathful and indignant girl back into her bedroom, untied and tied,
unbuttoned and buttoned, brushed and combed in spite of the second bell
ringing, the general scamper, and the sudden apparition of Mysie and
Val, whom she bade run away and tell her leddyship that 'Miss Mohoone
should come as soon as she was sorted, but she ought to come up early
to have her hair looked to, for 'twas shame to see how thae fine London
servants sorted a motherless bairn.'

Dolores felt herself insulted; she turned red all over, with feelings
the old Scotchwoman could not understand. She expected to hear the
message roared out to the whole assembly round the tea-table, but Mysie
had discretion enough to withhold her sister from making it public.

The tea itself, though partaken of by Lady Merrifield, seemed an
indignity to the young lady accustomed to late dinners. After it, the
whole family played at 'dumb crambo.' Dolores was invited to join, and
instructed to 'do the thing you think it is;' but she was entirely
unused to social games, and thought it only ridiculous and stupid when
the word being a rhyme to ite, Fergus gave rather too real a blow to
Wilfred, and Gillian answered, ''Tis not smite;' Wilfred held out a
hand, and was told, ''Tis not right;' Val flourished in the air as if
holding a string, and was informed that 'kite' was wrong; when Hal ran
away as if pursued by Fergus by way of flight; and Mysie performed
antics which she was finally obliged to explain were those of a sprite.
Dolores could not recollect anything, and only felt annoyed at being
made to feel stupid by such nonsense, when Mysie tried to make her a