r, and she soon
knew that there were two girls of the party, as well as the boy and his
mother; and that their voices were pretty and refined. They were all so
happy and jolly, too, that, in spite of her vexation, Audrey could not
help growing interested and amused, and, finally, even rather glad of
their company. It had certainly been rather melancholy, travelling with
nothing but one's sad thoughts for company.

She felt, too, rather than saw, that they in their turn were interested in
her, and were inclined to be friendly, and once again she experienced a
thrill of satisfaction that she was so well dressed, and that all her
belongings were so good and so dainty.

Before very long she grew tired of her self-imposed task of reading.
It seemed so silly to be continually holding open the pages and casting
her eyes over and over them without taking in a word. It gave one a crick
in the neck too, keeping it bent so long, and, after all, the people in
the carriage were so much more interesting than the people in the stories.
If she could hold her head out of the window a little while and blow away
the last signs of weeping, she would be able, she thought, to look about
her. She threw aside her magazine, took off her hat, and, lowering her
window, thrust her head out. The sun turned her red hair to a golden
radiance about her; the wind, catching the heavy locks, blew them out like
fluttering red-gold pennons. All the Carlyles had red hair of varying
shades and natures. Audrey's was long and heavy, with a pretty wave in
it. Faith's was shorter, darker, and curly. Tom's curled tightly over
his head, a fiery mat of curls. Deborah's, finest and silkiest of all,
hung in soft auburn waves to her waist. Baby Joan's fluffy curls were the
colour of newly-spun silk.

Audrey was not thinking of her hair, but of her tear-disfigured face,
until, in half turning round from the window, she caught sight of herself
in the strip of mirror, and of two large smuts ornamenting her brow and
her nose! After that she thought of them, and of how ridiculous she must
look, and she glanced quickly with shamed eyes at her companions.

They were looking at her, but there was not the ghost of a laugh on either
of their faces; indeed, on one there was gentle concern.

"That cinder is so close to your eye; may I flick it off for you?" asked
the taller of the two girls, springing to her feet. "If you had tried to
do it yourself you might hav