he said. "Father took
me to the station to say good-by. He's off back to town, and he took
me with him, and I came back on the twap."

"Don't say twap, sound your 'r'--trap."

"Tw-rap," struggled Sibyl over the difficult word.

"And now you are to go into the house and ask Nurse to put on your
best dress. I am going to take you to a garden party, immediately
after lunch. Mr. Rochester and Lady Helen Douglas are coming with us.
Be quick."

"Oh, 'licious," said Sibyl. She rushed into the house, and up to the
nursery. Nurse was there waiting to deck her in silk and lace and
feathers. The little girl submitted to her toilet, and now took a vast
interest in it.

"You must make me quite my prettiest self," she said to the nurse;
"you must do your very best, 'cos mother----"

"What about your mother now, missy?"

"'Cos mother's just a little----Oh, nothing," said Sibyl, pulling
herself up short.

"She likes me best when I'm pretty," continued the child; "but father
likes me always. Nursie, do you know that my ownest father came down
here to-day, and that I dwove to the station to see him off? Did you
know it?"

"No, Miss Sibyl, I can't say I did."

"He talked to me in a most pwivate way," continued Sibyl. "He told me
most 'portant things, and I promised him, Nursie--I promised him that
I'd----Oh, no! I won't tell you. Perhaps I won't be able to keep my
promise, and then you'd----Nothing, Nursie, nothing; don't be
'quisitive. I can see in your face that you are all bursting with
'quisitiveness; but you aren't to know. I am going to a party with my
own mother after lunch, and Lady Helen is coming, and Mr. Rochester. I
like them both very much indeed. Lady Helen told me stories last
night. She put her arm round my waist, and she talked to me; and I
told her some things, too, and she laughed."

"What did you tell her, Miss Sibyl?"

"About my father and mother. She laughed quite funnily. I wish people
wouldn't; it shows how little they know. It's 'cos they are so far
from being perfect that they don't understand perfect people. But
there's the lunch gong. Yes, I do look very nice. Good-by, Nursie."

Sibyl ran downstairs. The children always appeared at this meal, and
she took her accustomed place at the table. Very soon afterwards, she,
her mother, Lady Helen, and Mr. Rochester, started for a place about
ten miles off, where an afternoon reception was being given.

Sibyl felt inclined to be talkative, and Mrs. Og