y than our own. Sideboards and
cabinets of carved Indian wood blocked up the roadway, and made black
patches against the oak-panelled walls; overmantels of the same dusky
hue stretched up to the ceilings, and Oriental rugs of priceless value,
but distressing shabbiness, were spread over the floors, while the lower
windows were covered with screens of carved wood, such as are to be seen
over the windows of Turkish harems.

Lilias, the worldly wise, was pleased to pronounce the equipments of the
house as in "a style of quiet magnificence," but her sisters were less
enthusiastic, and Nan screwed up her saucy nose in open disdain.

"Very grand and antique-y, and all that sort of thing, but my, how dull!
Fancy sitting in that oak-panelled room, with those black ghosts reared
up against the walls, and the light shut out by those carved screens. I
should go stark, staring mad! Give me something bright and cheerful,
and lots of sunshine. What worries me is that there is so little that
is feminine and frivolous. I haven't seen a single thing as yet that
looks suitable for a girl's room."

"But think of the cases! All those dozens and dozens of cases. You can
never tell what may be inside them. They may be stored with--"

"Treasures of buhl and ormolu!" sighed Kit softly. "That's what they
always say in books, though I haven't the slightest idea what it means.
Wouldn't it be a terrific blow if there were no girls after all?"

But such a possibility the Rendells absolutely refused to admit. The
prospect of finding friends of their own age in the deserted Grange had
taken such firm hold of their imagination, that Veronique, Evangeline,
and Ermyntrude had already become living companions who played a part in
their lives, and whose tastes had to be seriously considered in
arranging the future. They longed for the time to come when doubt would
be put at an end; but the Vanburghs seemed in no hurry to appear, and
meanwhile April was at hand, and, as was their custom, Mr and Mrs
Rendell prepared to leave home on a short holiday, leaving the girls
alone to battle with the terrors of spring-cleaning.

Mrs Rendell had strong ideas on the subject of domestic education, and
would allow no extra help to be engaged for this yearly upheaval. It
was timed to take place in the Easter holidays, and each girl was
expected to take a special task in hand, and to bring it to a
satisfactory conclusion. She herself frankly confessed th