ut all the
indignant accusations that she and Mary had been wont to make between
themselves or to Edmund; and she sent Caroline and Anne Barnard home
greatly shocked at what she had told them of their dear Judy's
surroundings.

Mrs Barnard came the next day, and begged to hear Miss Carbonel's
account. Dora was a little more moderate than she had been to the young
ladies; but, any way, it was sad enough, and Mrs Barnard gave hopes
that something should be done. All the family sent little presents of
books or articles of dress, and Dora promised to write and let her know
of their reception.

It was one of the great pleasures of the return to spread them out
before Judith, and to tell of her sight of the dear young ladies and
their mother, and how tall, and what a fine girl little Miss Selina had
become. But she did not seem quite so happy when she perceived that
Dora had disclosed a good deal of her circumstances; and observed that
her sister was always a good sister to her. Which Dora took leave to
doubt, especially when she recognised Miss Barnard's pretty gift of a
blue turnover, all on one side, upon young Polly's dirty shoulders.
Judith waited, and hoped, and gave up hope, and found fault with the
Barnards before she heard anything; but at last she did. The Barnards'
old housekeeper, with whom Judith had lived, had married their head
gardener. He had died, and she was settled in a cottage in the park,
where she would be very happy to receive Judith, and make her
comfortable. The place was only thirty miles off, and if she consented,
Mrs Barnard would pay a visit she had been asked to make to the
Duchess, and take Judith back in the easy carriage, so as to spare her
all fatigue.

Dora and Sophy were in a state of transport, and wanted to rush off at
once with the good news, but Mary withheld them. She thought it might
be too much for so frail an invalid, and insisted on going with them and
telling Judith herself. Nor would she go till after Sophy's morning
studies were over, and they had had luncheons which, by-the-by, was not
an early dinner, but a slender meal of cold meat, cake, or bread and
cheese, of which Edmund never partook at all. She devised this delay on
purpose to wear down the excitement, and Dora had begun to say how they
should miss Judith, only it was all for her good.

Molly was out, as the sisters hoped, tossing the meadow hay, and Judith
sat alone by the fire. Mary told her very gent