of
her duties towards the little girls, and that they would be the gainers
in the end by the arrangement. And so it proved.

The first intention was that Violet should return home every night, but
as the season advanced and the weather broke, the distance was found to
be too great, and besides, Violet's slumbering ambition was awakened by
the proposal that she should share in the German and French lessons
which Selina received from Professor Olendorf, and so she stayed in the
house with her pupils, only going home on Friday night to spend the
Sunday there.

She had very little share in the gay doings for which Miss Oswald was
ambitious that her father's house should be distinguished. For Miss
Oswald had strong opinions as to the propriety of young girls like
Violet and Selina keeping themselves to their lessons and their
practising, and leading a quiet life, and so had her father. Even if he
had not, it is likely that Miss Oswald's opinion would have decided the
matter. As it was, Selina became content to stay at home in Violet's
company when her sister went out, and Violet was more than content. She
enjoyed her work both of teaching and learning, and the winter passed
happily and profitably away.

Of course she was missed at home, but not painfully so. There were no
pupils for her mother to teach in the winter. Ned went to school, and
there was only Jessie to teach, and a good many of the lessons she
received was in the way of household work, and she soon began to take
pride and pleasure in it as Violet had done before.

And so the winter passed quietly and happily to them all. There was
need for constant carefulness, for rigid economy even, but want never
came near them. How to make the most of their small means, was a
subject at this time much in Mrs Inglis's thoughts. How to obtain the
necessary amount of the simplest and most wholesome food, at the
smallest cost, was a problem solved over and over again, with greater or
less satisfaction, according to the circumstances at the moment. There
was a certain amount of care and anxiety involved, but there was
pleasure too, and all the more that they knew the exact amount of their
means, and what they had "to come and go" upon.

They had some pleasant surprises in the shape of kind gifts of
remembrance from Gourlay friends, gladly given and gladly received, less
because of present necessities than because of old friendship. Want!
no, it never came near t