161

XIX. TOPSY-TURVEY 171

XX. THE NEW OWNERS 179

XXI. HESTER SPEAKS HER MIND 194

XXII. ANTONIA'S GIFT 207

XXIII. TRUTH AND FIDELITY 215

XXIV. A WET SPONGE 222

XXV. MOLLY'S SORROW 234

XXVI. PLOT THICKENS 245

XXVII. NELL IS IN TROUBLE 252

XXVIII. THE LION AND MOUSE 262

XXIX. GOD BLESS ANTONIA 274

RED ROSE AND TIGER LILY

OR

IN A WIDER WORLD

CHAPTER I.

NAN'S GOLDEN MANE.

It was a perfect summer's evening. The sun had just set, and purple,
gold, violet, rose colour still filled the sky in the west. There was a
tender new moon, looking like a silver bow, also to be seen; before long
the evening star would be visible.

Hester Thornton stepped out of the drawing-room at the Grange, and,
walking a little way down the broad gravel sweep, began to listen
intently. Hester was about seventeen--a slender girl for her age. Her
eyes were dark, her eyebrows somewhat strongly marked, her abundant
hair, of a much lighter shade of brown, was coiled in close folds round
her well-shaped head. Her lips were slightly compressed, her chin showed
determination. Hester had not been beautiful as a child, and she was not
beautiful as a girl, but her face was pleasant to look at, very bright
when animated, very steadfast and sweet when in repose. The air was like
nectar to her cheeks. She was naturally a pale girl, but a faint rose
colour was now discernible in her complexion, and the look of
expectation in her dark eyes made them charming.

A step was heard on the gravel behind, and she turned quickly.

"Is that you, father?" she exclaimed.

"Yes. Are not you very imprudent to come out at this hour in your thin
house shoes, and with nothing on your head? There is a very heavy dew
falling."

"Oh, I never take cold," replied Hester with a smile, which showed her
even and pretty white teeth; "and I certainly shan't to-night," she
continued, "for I am feeling far too excited."

Sir John Thornton was considered by most of his acquaintances (he could
boast of scarcely any friends) as a reserved and almost repellent
person, but now, as his eyes rested on his young daughter, something
se