tler at the Hall, and who consequently knew all about
Hetty's history. He did not intend to do more than just show the little
girl which was the school-room door, and was amused and surprised when
the child said to him with great dignity,

"Please announce Miss Gray."

Peter hid his smile, and throwing open the door very wide he pronounced
her name, as she desired, in an unusually loud tone of voice.

Miss Davis, the governess, had just raised the tea-pot in her hand to
fill the cups, and her two pupils had each a thick piece of bread and
butter in hand, when the door was flung open as described and Hetty in
all her magnificence appeared on the threshold.

"My mamma has brought me to see you," said Hetty boldly, her chin very
high, "and Mrs. Enderby sent me here to you"; and she remarked as she
spoke that the Enderby girls wore plain holland dresses with little
aprons and narrow tuckers, no style or elegance whatever about their
attire.

Miss Davis looked in surprise at the young stranger, not knowing her
story, and thinking her a very handsome, but haughty looking little
girl, while Phyllis and Nell put down their bread and butter on their
plates, and rose slowly from their seats.

"How do you do?" they said, each just touching her hand, and then the
three girls stood looking at one another.

The words "my mamma" had already annoyed Phyllis, who was one of those
persons who even from childhood cherish an extraordinary degree of quiet
pride in their good birth. She was willing that Hetty should be treated
with kindness, but had often told herself that she would never be
persuaded to look upon her as her own cousin. Nell only thought of how
pretty their new playfellow was, and how nice it would be to have her
sometimes with them.

"I am very glad you have come," she said, looking at Hetty with
welcoming eyes.

"Nell, you ought not to speak before your elder sister," said Miss
Davis, who, though an excellent lady, was rather prim in her ways and
ideas.

"I hope you are quite well," said Phyllis politely; "will you take some
tea?"

"I have just had some," said Hetty, "thank you. Do you never have tea
with your mamma?"

"Oh, no," said the girls, with a smile of surprise.

"Little girls never do," said Miss Davis emphatically.

"I do always," said Hetty; she might have added, "except when she
forgets all about me," but she did not think of that now.

"I did not know you had any mamma," said Phyllis coldly