not a breath of air,
and the sun was hidden by a red glaring mist.

"'We shall have a tempest,' said Mrs. Howard to a maid who had been
hired to wait upon her; 'I hope the little girls will get home before
it comes on--have they far to go?'

"When Mrs. Howard had explained what little girls she meant, the maid
told her that they were the children of a farmer of the name of
Symonds, and that the house was not a half-mile distant up the lane.

"Whilst Mrs. Howard was talking with the servant, the heavens had grown
black, the clouds hung low; there was a creaking, groaning sort of
sound among the trees, and the larger birds arose and flew heavily over
the woods, uttering harsh cryings.

"'It's coming,' said the servant; and at the same instant the two
little ones appeared walking from the village.

"'There they are,' cried Mrs. Howard; and at the same moment a
tremendous flash of lightning covered the whole heavens, followed by a
peal of awful thunder. Mrs. Howard put her head out of the window, and
called the little girls, who, from very fright, were standing still.

"They gladly obeyed the call, the maid went down to meet them, and the
next minute they stood curtseying within the parlour-door. The maid had
seen a boy who had been sent to meet them, and sent him back to tell
his mistress that the Misses were with the lady, and that she would
keep them till the storm was over.

"'What lady am I to say?' asked the boy.

"'Our lady,' replied the maid; 'Surgeon Johnson's aunt.'

"The boy ran home, and told Mrs. Symonds not to be uneasy, for the
little Misses were safe with Madam Johnson, who lodged at the Wood
House; so Mrs. Symonds was made easy about her pretty daughters.

"'Well, my dears,' said Mrs. Howard, putting her hands out to the
little people, 'I am glad to see you in my parlour.'

"'Thank you, ma'am,' said one of them; and the other repeated the same
words.

"As they spoke they came near, and put each a hand into Mrs. Howard's.

"'Let me look at you, my children,' said the old lady in her pleasant
smiling way; 'you are like two lilies growing out of one root; I cannot
tell one from the other; what are your names?'

"'I am Mary, ma'am,' said the eldest.

"'And I am Amelia,' added the other.

"'Amelia,' said Mrs. Howard, 'why, that is my name: but which is the
oldest?'

"'We came to our mother the same day,' replied Mary; 'but I came first,
only a very little while though.'

"'Indeed!' said Mr