was not a very old man, though he
was a General. He had vineyards or something--yes, I am sure it was
vineyards, in the south of France, and he had had to go, suddenly, to
look after some business to do with them. And just when he was starting,
Margaret got ill. It was the illness she had spoken of several times,
which she called a very bad cold. But it was much worse than that,
though she didn't know.

Her grandfather put off going till she was getting better, and the
doctors said she must have change of air. He couldn't take her with him,
and he had to go, so the only thing he could think of was to ask old
Miss Bogle, who had been Margaret's father's governess once--or General
Fothergill's own governess when he was a little boy; I am not sure
which--to take charge of her. He had forgotten how old, Miss Bogle was,
and I think she must have forgotten it herself! She wasn't fit to look
after a child, especially as Margaret's nurse had to leave just then.

So you can pretty well understand how dull and lonely Margaret was. And
General Fothergill was in such a fuss about her, and so terrified of her
getting any other illness, that he forbade her making friends with any
one out of Miss Bogle's house, unless he was asked about it, and wrote
to give leave.

And when Mrs. Wylie found out about her, she--or Miss Bogle--_did_ write
to ask leave for her to know _us_, explaining how good and sensible
mamma was about children every way. But till the leave came Mrs. Wylie
and mamma settled that it was better to say nothing about it to us. And
in this, _I_ think, they made a mistake.

That was all. The leave _did_ come, while Margaret was with us. Of
course, all that had happened was written to her grandfather, but she
wasn't a bit scolded!

Neither was her 'Perkins'; the big people only said that they must not
be given so many fairy-stories to read.

_I_ wasn't scolded either, though, so I should not complain. And several
nice things came of it: the knowing Beryl Wylie, and the going to stay
at General Fothergill's country house, and the having Margaret with us
sometimes.

I don't know what the parrot thought of it all. I believe he is still
there, as clever and 'uncanny' as ever; at least so Mrs. Wylie said, the
last time she came to see us.

THE END

_Printed by_ R. & R. CLARK, LIMITED, _Edinburgh_

BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS.

=By Mrs. MOLESWORTH.=

=THE WOODPIGEONS AND MARY.= Illustrated by H. R.