u're too killing to live," shrieked Susy from the
other side of the window.

Antonia and Hester moved slowly away together; Hester was trying to
think of some portion of the grounds which might be sufficiently full of
weeds and thorns to satisfy the priestess of high art, and Susy lay back
in her chair and wiped her eyes.

"This is rich," she murmured to herself. "To think of poor Prunes and
Prism being thrown with Tony--to think of Tony as a sort of sister to
Prunes and Prism. Well, this is a delicious lark. Hullo! is that you,
Nan? Come along and speak to me at once, you pert puss. Why, do you know
you've grown?"

"Well, I don't suppose I've stood still for the last five years,"
replied Nan, who could be intensely pert when she pleased. "I'm too busy
to stay with you now, Susy; Nora wants me."

"Nora; who is Nora?"

"Nora Lorrimer."

"Nora Lorrimer, is she one of the Tower Lorrimers?"

"Yes; she wants me in a hurry; I must fly to her."

"Stay a moment, my dear child," Susy absolutely rose from her chair in
her strong interest. "If this girl is one of the Tower Lorrimers, I had
better know her at once; you had better bring her to me and I'll
question her."

"I can't bring her to you; she has had a fall and is lying on her back;
she can't walk."

"Dear me, what a nuisance; well, I'll go to her, then. Come along,
Nancy, show me the way this minute."

"But really, really, Susy," began Nan, raising blue, imploring eyes.
"Really, it is very sad about the Towers, you know."

"Sad; good heavens, are the drains wrong?"

"It's sad about the Lorrimers," continued Nan, stamping her foot and
growing red with anger; "we love the Lorrimers; they are our dearest,
our very, very dearest friends, and we hate their leaving the Towers.
Perhaps Nora doesn't want to see you, Susy."

"Come along," said Susy in a firm voice; "I want to see her. What
sentimental folly you talk, Nan. Squire Lorrimer was very glad indeed to
find such a purchaser as my father for his tumbledown old place."

"The Towers tumbledown!" exclaimed Nan, "the beautiful, lovely, darling
Towers! Susy, I hate you--I hate and detest you; I won't show you the
way to Nora's room, so there!"

Nan pulled her frock out of Susy's detaining hand and rushed away.

Miss Drummond stood quite still for a moment where she had been left.
Then she put up her hand to smooth her brow.

"This sort of thing would be ruffling to most people," she murmured,
"but I reall