ough, for she was
dreadfully afraid that Aunt Elizabeth would come out of the bedroom at
the other side of the passage, and order her back to the schoolroom
regions.

"Oh, I do hope father won't be dreadfully lazy this morning," she
murmured. At last welcome sounds from within reached her ears. Mr.
Wilton had evidently retired into his bath-room. Presently steps were
distinctly audible in the dressing-room; now Marjorie could venture
softly to turn the handle of the great bedroom door, it yielded to her
pressure, and she somewhat timidly entered. Mr. Wilton was in his
dressing-room, the door of which was ajar, and Marjorie had come some
distance into the outer room before he heard her.

"Who is there?" he asked suddenly.

"Please, father, it's me; it's Maggie."

"Come along in, and say good-morning, Maggie. I hope you are getting
all your possessions together for our visit to Glendower. I shall take
the twelve o'clock train. We'll arrive at four."

"Yes, father." Marjorie was now standing by her father's
dressing-table. He was shaving, and in consequence his sentences were
a little jerky.

"What a quiet Maggie," he said suddenly, looking down at her. "You're
delighted to come, aren't you, little one?"

"I was--I _loved_ it. Please, father, I don't want to go now."

"You don't want to go?" Mr. Wilton laid down his razor and looked
almost severely into Marjorie's honest but now clouded face. "You
don't want to go? Tut!" he repeated. "Don't talk nonsense--you know
you are all agog to be off!"

"So I was, but I'm not now. I've changed my mind. That's why I've come
in here, and why I'm bothering you while you are shaving."

"You don't bother me, Maggie; you're a good little tot. But about
going to Glendower, it's all settled. You're to come, so run away and
get Hudson to put up your finery."

"Father, I want you to let Ermie go instead of me."

"No, that I won't; she has been a very disobedient girl. Run away,
now, Maggie; it's all settled that you are to go."

"But Ermie was asked in the first instance?"

"Yes, child, yes; but I've explained matters to Lady Russell."

"And Lilias _is_ Ermie's friend."

"What a little pleader you are, Maggie. Ermie should be a good girl,
and then she'd have the treats."

"Father, couldn't you punish me instead of her? That is sometimes
done, isn't it?"

"Sometimes, Maggie, But I think Ermengarde would be all the better for
going through the punishment she richly merit