er get lighter or darker. And
she'll have a chain hanging from her waist with a lot of things that
jingle, like the lady in the train. Oh, me dear, suppose she was old!
I never thought of that. Suppose she was old, in a cap and a black
satin dress, and chilblains on her hands!" And when the door opened--it
was really a most exciting occasion!--and Miss Phipps came into the
room.

She was not in the least like any of the three pictures which Pixie had
imagined, she was far, far nicer and prettier. She was tall, and so
graceful and elegantly dressed as to be quite dazzling to the eyes of
the country-bred stranger. She had waving brown hair, which formed a
sort of halo round her face, a pale complexion, and grey eyes which
looked at you with a straight long glance, and then lightened as if they
liked what they saw. She was quite young, too, not a bit old and
proper; the only thing that looked old were the little lines about the
eyes, and even those disappeared when her face was in repose. She came
forward to where the major was standing, and held out her hand with a
smile of welcome.

"Major O'Shaughnessy! I am very pleased to see you. I hope you have
had a good journey and a comfortable crossing." Then she turned and
looked at the crumpled little figure on the sofa, and her eyes softened
tenderly. "Is this my new pupil? How do you do, dear? I hope we shall
be very good friends!"

"Oi trust we may!" returned Pixie fervently, and with a broadening of
the already broad brogue which arose from the emotion of the moment and
made her father frown with embarrassment.

"Ha--hum--ha--I am afraid I have brought you rather a rough specimen,"
he said apologetically. "Pixie is the baby of the family, and has been
allowed to run wild, and play with all the children about the place. I
hope you will not find her very backward in her lessons. She has had a
governess at home, but--"

"But she wasn't much good, either!" interrupted Pixie, entering into the
conversation with the ease and geniality of one whose remarks are in the
habit of being received with applause. "I didn't pay much attention to
her. I expect there's a good deal I don't know yet, but I'm very quick
and clever, and can be even with anyone if I choose to try."

"Then please try, Pixie! I shall be disappointed if you don't!" said
Miss Phipps promptly. Her cheeks had grown quite red with surprise, and
she pulled in her upper lip, and bit at it hard