ll about, or just sit here and be
lazy?"

"Do let us sit here," said Ermengarde. "You don't know what a comfort
the stillness is, Lily. At this hour at home all the little ones are
about, and they make such a fuss and noise. I think it's the worst
management to allow children to keep bothering one at all hours of the
day."

"Well, I'm not tried in that way," said Lilias, with a quick
half-suppressed sigh, "and as I adore children, I am afraid I can't
quite sympathize--O Ermie, what a queer old shandrydan is coming up
the avenue! Who can be in it? Who can be coming here at this hour?
Why, I do declare it's the one-horse fly from the station! Noah's Ark,
we call that fly, it's so rusty and fusty, and so little in demand;
for you know, when people come to Glendower, we always send for them,
and I don't think the station is any use except for shunting purposes,
and to land our visitors. Who _can_ be coming in Noah's Ark?"

Just then a very rough little head, surmounted by a brown straw hat,
was pushed out of one of the windows of the old fly; a lot of wild,
long, disordered hair began to wave in the breeze; and a hand was
waved frantically to the two girls, as they sat in the cool veranda.

"Why, it's Maggie!" exclaimed Lilias. "It's Maggie, the duck, the
sweet! How delicious! _What_ has brought her?"

She took a flying leap down the veranda steps, and across the lawn, to
meet the old fly.

"It's Maggie!" echoed Ermengarde, who did not rush to meet her little
sister. "What has happened? what _has_ gone wrong now?"

She rose from the luxurious chair in which she was lounging and,
throwing back her head, gazed watchfully at the fervent meeting which
was taking place between Lilias and Marjorie.

"Detestable of Maggie to follow me like this!" muttered Ermengarde. "I
wonder Miss Nelson allows it. Really our governess is worse than
useless, not a bit the sort of person to teach girls in our position.
Now, what _can_ be up? Oh, and there's Hudson! Poor, prim, proper old
Hudson. She has come to take care of the darling cherub who never does
wrong. Well I think it's taking a great liberty with Lady Russell's
establishment, and I only trust and hope father will give it hotly to
Miss Nelson."

"Well, Maggie." Ermengarde advanced a step or two in a very languid
manner. "Oh, don't throttle me, please. How very hot and messy you
look! and what has brought _you_ to Glendower?"

"The dear kind train, and the dear kind Noah's