n
place. Her little mind was so full of the subject that it was long
before nurse could get her to sleep that night. Her last words before
she dropped off were,--

"I wonder who will do the music and dancing!"

The next morning, the instant her breakfast was over, Milly obtained
nurse's permission to go down to the keeper's cottage under charge of
Sarah, the nursery maid. She was away the whole morning, and about one
o'clock a message came from Mrs. Maxwell to ask if she might stay to
dinner with them. So that it was not till nearly four in the afternoon
that she was brought up to the house, and then, flushed and excited, she
poured into her nurse's ear a long account of all that she had been
hearing and doing.

"Now, come, my dear, you mustn't talk forever," was nurse's remonstrance
at last; "Sir Edward told me I could send you to him for a little when
you came in, and I must make you tidy first."

It was quite dusk when Milly entered the library, but the bright
firelight showed her the figure of her uncle leaning back in his easy
chair, and indulging in a reverie.

"Well," he said, looking round, "where have you been all day? Down at
Maxwell's, I suppose?"

"Yes," said Milly, sedately; "and I'll tell you all about it, if you
like. May I make myself comfortable first?"

And after a minute's hesitation she climbed into the heavy armchair on
the opposite side of the fireplace, making a pretty picture, as she
leaned her curly head back on the cushion and gazed earnestly into her
uncle's face.

"We will have a crack together, uncle. That's what Maxwell calls it,
when Mrs. Maxwell and I talk over the fire. May I tell you all about
Tommy now?"

"You may," was the amused reply.

"Well, you know, I ran as fast as I could down to the wood this morning,
and Sarah ran after me, and Mrs. Maxwell saw me coming and she ran to
the door. I was rather out of breath, you see, so she just smoothed me
down a little, and we kissed each other, and she cried a tiny bit, for I
felt her tears on my face. Then she took me in to see Tommy--Maxwell was
out, and Tommy was in the kitchen in one of Maxwell's great-coats, and
he was eating some bacon at the table for his breakfast. He got up when
he saw me--he's a nice big man, uncle, but I think his hair wants
cutting. We shook hands, and I told him I'd been expecting him ever so
long. He looked rather shy, but after he had quite finished his
breakfast, we had a very nice talk, and Mrs