in the least understand, but even Antonia was not proof against the
gracious sympathy of this high-minded woman.

The girls had, therefore, plenty of time for self-pity. Annie was the
very soul of sympathy, and it was a comfort to poor Nora and Hester to
pour out their sorrows in her affectionate ears. As for Nan, she took
refuge a good part of the time with Mrs. Martin, who shook her fists,
when Nan was not looking, at the backs of Sir John and Mrs. Bernard
Temple as they walked down one of the lawns side by side.

"She's his match!" murmured the old woman. "She'll give it to him; now
he'll know what a selfish wife means! He have 'ad his turn of the other
kind, and now he'll know what the selfish sort is. Serve him right, I
say; serve him well right!"

At last the weary Sunday came to an end and on Monday, after breakfast,
Susy announced her intention of going over to the Towers.

"I suppose I can have a carriage?" she said, turning to Sir John, who
paused in his exit from the dining-room to give her his polite
attention.

"I suppose I can have a carriage?" she repeated.

Annie interrupted--

"The Towers is scarcely a mile away across the fields," she said.

"I don't think I can walk a mile," replied Susy; "my muscles are awfully
weak--I dare not strain them."

"You can have a carriage with pleasure," said Sir John. "I will order
one to be round at whatever hour you wish to name."

"At once, please," said Susy; "there's a good deal to be done. I've to
measure all the rooms for carpets and druggets."

"You surely won't cover the rooms with carpets?" exclaimed Antonia. "I
never heard of anything so Philistine. Oak parquetry, with rugs that
slip about, is the only thing admissible. Better bare boards than
carpets--carpets are simply atrocious!"

When Antonia began to speak, Sir John was heard to slam the door behind
him; he had had quite enough of this young lady.

An eager discussion followed his departure, and it was finally decided
that Susy, Hester, and Antonia, accompanied by Annie Forest, should
drive over to the Towers.

"My part in the expedition will be this," exclaimed Annie, taking Hester
aside for a moment. "I'll collect every single Lorrimer child I can lay
hold of and carry them away to the most remote part of the grounds I
can find, to be out of the reach of that detestable Susy and the torture
she means to inflict. I should recommend you, Hester, to come with us."

"I'd like to very much