g for me?" asked her
father.

"Oh, father, I beg your pardon; I wanted to catch Lucy and bring her
back to prayers. She's quite wild this morning; I expect it's because
of the birthday being so near, but it does tease Miss Nelson so when
the children don't come in quietly to prayers."

"Run into the house this moment, Lucy," said Mr. Wilton, in a tone
which all the children immediately obeyed. "You stay, Maggie."

Lucy trotted off.

"Was I right in hearing you say, Maggie, that Miss Nelson was ill?"

"Not exactly ill, father, but she's fretting."

"Fretting? What about?"

Marjorie edged up to her father in the confidential way which made
people take to her at once.

"It's her little sister's picture," she said. "A miniature, and
it's--it's lost. It--it can't be found."

"I never knew Miss Nelson had a sister."

"Oh, yes; only she's dead--a dear little girl--she died a long time
ago, and Miss Nelson is very fond of her miniature, and it's--it's
lost!"

Just at this moment the groom appeared, leading Mr. Wilton's spirited
bay mare.

"What a tragic face, Maggie," said her father, chucking her under the
chin. "We must only trust that the picture is mislaid, not lost. Now,
good-by, my dear, I am off to Quarchester."

As Mr. Wilton rode down the avenue he thought in a slightly
contemptuous way of Marjorie's information.

"I do trust Miss Nelson is not too sentimental," he murmured. "Poor
Maggie looked absolutely tragic over her governess's loss. I really
was prepared to hear of some recent bereavement; but the loss of a
miniature, and of course it is only mislaid! I do trust Miss Nelson is
the right person to bring up a tender-hearted little thing like
Maggie. Now, Ermengarde----Hullo! there _is_ Ermengarde!"

Yes, just ahead of him, and quite unconscious that she was observed,
walked Ermengarde in close confabulation with Susan Collins.

Mr. Wilton's brow darkened as he saw the two together.

"This is absolute carelessness on Miss Nelson's part," he said to
himself. "She knows my wishes, and it is her business to _see_ that
Ermengarde obeys. I must have a very serious talk with Miss Nelson
when I return home this afternoon, but I have no time to attend to the
matter now. If I don't hurry, I shall miss seeing Furniss."

Mr. Wilton galloped quickly away, found his friend at home, and in
conversation with him forgot all home worries. He forgot them so
absolutely that he accepted an invitation to spend th