and whom Hester had not
before noticed. Instantly the girls rose from their seats, and began to
file in orderly procession out of the tea-room. Hester looked round in
terror for the friendly Miss Danesbury, but she could not catch sight of
her anywhere. At this moment, however, her companion of the tea-table
touched her arm.

"We may speak English now for half an hour," she said, "and most of us
are going to the play-room. We generally tell stories round the fire upon
these dark winter's nights. Would you like to come with me to-night?
Shall we be chums for this evening?"

"I don't know what 'chums' are," said Hester; "but," she added, with the
dawning of a faint smile on her poor, sad little face, "I shall be very
glad to go with you."

"Come then," said Cecil Temple, and she pulled Hester's hand within her
arm, and walked with her across the wide stone hall, and into the largest
room Hester had ever seen.

Never, anywhere, could there have been a more delightful play-room than
this. It was so large that two great fires which burned at either end
were not at all too much to emit even tolerable warmth. The room was
bright with three or four lamps which were suspended from the ceiling,
the floor was covered with matting, and the walls were divided into
curious partitions, which gave the room a peculiar but very cosy effect.
These partitions consisted of large panels, and were divided by slender
rails the one from the other.

"This is my cosy corner," said Cecil, "and you shall sit with me in it
to-night. You see," she added, "each of us girls has her own partition,
and we can do exactly what we like in it. We can put our own photographs,
our own drawings, our own treasures on our panels. Under each division is
our own little work-table, and, in fact, our own individual treasures lie
round us in the enclosure of this dear little rail. The center of the
room is common property, and you see what a great space there is round
each fire-place where we can chatter and talk, and be on common ground.
The fire-place at the end of the room near the door is reserved
especially for the little ones, but we elder girls sit at the top. Of
course you will belong to us. How old are you?"

"Twelve," said Hester.

"Oh, well, you are so tall that you cannot possibly be put with the
little ones, so you must come in with us."

"And shall I have a railed-in division and a panel of my own?" asked
Hester. "It sounds a very nice arrange