her sisters, taking Fergus with her, whereas Dolores had never been out
in the carriage. There was partiality! Though, to be sure, Fergus was
to have a tooth out! Harry and Gillian were playing with the rest, and
she had been invited to join, but she had made answer that she hated
romping, and on being assured that no romping was necessary, she
replied that she only wanted to read in peace. She had refused the
"Thorn Fortress,' which she was told would explain the game, and had
hunted out "Clare, or No Home,' to compare her lot with that of the
homeless one.

Certainly, she had not yet been sent to bed with a box on the ear
because a countess had shown symptoms of noticing her more than her
ugly, over-dressed cousin. But then Aunt Lily would not allow her to
walk down alone to the Casement Villas to see dear Constance, and would
let that farmer keep all those dreadful cows in the paddock, so that
even going escorted was a terror to her.

Nor had her handsome mourning been taken from her and old clothes of
her cousin substituted for it. No, but she had been cruelly pulled
about between Mrs. Halfpenny and the Silverton dressmaker with a
mouthful of pins; and Aunt Lily had insisted on her dress being trimmed
with velvet, instead of the jingling jet she preferred.

Did they intercept her letters? She had had one from her father, sent
from Falmouth, but only one from Maude Sefton in ten days! Moreover,
she had one from Constance in her apron pocket, arrived that very
afternoon, asking her to come down with Gillian on the Sundays, that
the friends might enjoy themselves together while the classes were
going on; but she made sure that all were so jealous of her friendship
with Constance that no consent would be given.