he retained his post as gamekeeper, was regarded by Mr.
Wilton as a somewhat shady character. Ermengarde fancied she liked
Susy because of the little girl's remarkable beauty, but the real
reason why her fancy was captivated was because Susy was an adroit
flatterer.

When she spoke about trees having ears, Ermengarde glanced to right
and left.

"Perhaps you had better go," she said. "I have got into one scrape. I
don't want to get into a second."

"There's no one round yet, miss. The men are all at their dinners."

"Well, but some of the house-servants."

"There are none of them in sight, Miss Ermengarde. Do you think I'd
get you into trouble on my account? Oh, dear, I wish I could come up
and sit with you for a little."

"I wish you could, Susy."

"Well, miss, it's easy done, if you'll only say the word."

"What do you mean? This door is locked. Hudson has to bring me my
meals, and no one in all the world can bribe Hudson to open the door."

"I don't want her to, miss. Oh, Miss Ermengarde, you are treated
'ard."

"Yes, Susy, I am treated very hard. Well, as you can't come and keep
me company, you had better go away."

"But I can come to you, miss. A locked door won't keep me out. I'll
hide my basket of eggs behind that laurel bush, and then I'll be with
you in a jiffy."

"Can you really come? What fun! You are a clever girl, Susy."

"You wait and see, miss."

Susan Collins rushed off, adroitly hid her basket, and returning,
climbed up an elm tree which happened to grow a few feet from the
window, with the lightness and agility of a cat. When she reached a
certain bough she lay along it, and propelled herself very gently
forward in the direction of the window.

"Now stretch out your two hands, miss."

Ermengarde did so, and in a moment Susy was standing by her side in
Miss Nelson's pretty little room.

"My word!" she exclaimed. "I never see'd such a lot of grand things
before. Tell me, Miss Ermengarde, do all these fine books and pictures
belong to the governess?"

"Oh, yes; those are pictures of Miss Nelson's friends."

"Dear me, what a queer-looking young lady that is, that one in the
white dress, and long legs, and the hair done old-fashioned like."

"That?" said Ermengarde. She went over and stood by the mantelpiece,
and looked at a large, somewhat faded miniature which held a place of
honor among a group of many other pictures and photographs.

"Ain't she a queer-looking child?" said Sus