ight, but to be chosen
Queen herself would be a height of bliss she could hardly imagine. It
was impossible therefore, to think her cousin really indifferent, and
indeed this was very far from the case, for Agnetta had set her heart on
being Queen, and felt tolerably sure that she should get the greatest
number of votes this year.

"I don't know as I care much," she answered; "let's sit down here a
bit."

They sat down one each side of a stile, with their faces turned towards
each other, and Agnetta again fixed her direct gaze critically on her
cousin's figure. Lilac twirled her sunbonnet round somewhat confusedly
under these searching glances.

"It's a pity you wear your hair scrattled right off your face like
that," said Agnetta at last; "it makes you look for all the world like
Daisy's white calf."

"Does it?" said Lilac meekly; "Mother likes it done so."

"I know something as would improve you wonderful, and give you a bit of
style--something as would make the picture look a deal better."

"Oh, what, Agnetta?"

"Well, it's just as simple as can be. It's only to take a pair of
scissors and cut yer hair like mine in front so as it comes down over
yer face a bit. It 'ud alter you ever so. You'd be surprised."

Lilac started to her feet, struck with the immensity of the idea. A
fringe! It was a form of elegance not unknown amongst the
school-children, but one which she had never thought of as possible for
herself.

There was Agnetta's stolid rosy face close to her, as unmoved and
unexcited as if she had said nothing unusual.

"Oh, Agnetta, _could_ I?" gasped Lilac.

"Whyever not?" said her cousin calmly.

Lilac sat down again. "I dursn't," she said. "I couldn't ever bear to
look Mother in the face."

"Has she ever told you not?"

"N-no," answered Lilac hesitatingly; "leastways she only said once that
the girls made frights of themselves with their fringes."

"Frights indeed!" said Agnetta scornfully; "anyhow," she added, "it 'ull
grow again if she don't like it." So it would. That reflection made
the deed seem a less daring one, and Lilac's face at once showed signs
of yielding, which Agnetta was not slow to observe. Warming with her
subject, she proceeded to paint the improvement which would follow in
glowing colours, and in this she was urged by two motives--one, an
honest desire to smarten Lilac up a little, and the other, to vex and
thwart her aunt, Mrs White; to pay her out, as she e