a few hours' amusement? What made
you think anything was wrong?'

'I don't really know, now that I come to think of it. I don't think I had
any reason; it was an idea that came to me while your father was talking
at lunch,' replied Horatia, hesitating.

'It must have been intuition,' said Sarah solemnly.

Horatia was not only a year younger than her schoolfellow, but she was
far less fond of study, and she said frankly, 'What's intuition? I know
what tuition is, because my brother has it--private tuition from his
tutor; but what you mean I can't think, and I do wish you'd speak out
plainly and tell me if you are in any trouble about money; because, you
know, you need not go spending it on me. I'm quite content to play
battledore and shuttlecock in the hall, and I didn't want a rink,
really.'

Sarah interrupted her with a smile. 'You need not mind father spending
money like that; he's got more than he knows what to do with at present,'
she said.

'But if he won't have any by-and-by, why don't you save it up for then?'
inquired Horatia.

'He thinks he will always be a millionaire, and so did I till the other
day; and then the idea came into my head, just as it came into yours--I
can't tell how or why--that there was something the matter, or that
there was going to be something the matter, and that one day we should
not be so rich. But, Horatia, please don't ever say such a thing to
anybody; it would do us great harm, even if it were quite untrue, and
perhaps make it come true. And, after all, it may be only my
imagination.'

Horatia looked very grave. 'But, Sarah, if there is any chance of such a
thing, why don't you begin to save up?' she repeated.

'But, don't you see? if the mill failed we should have to give up every
penny we had, however much we had saved. But, of course, you don't
understand these things, and the more I think of it the more impossible
it seems. Clay's Mills are as prosperous as ever. Do let's forget about
it. Not that I should mind for myself, but I should be sorry for mother,
because she likes having lots of money and motors, though she is afraid
to go out in them, so let us hope she will live and die in this hateful
house.'

Horatia did not argue with Sarah as to whether the house was hateful or
not. She rather liked it, for she was too young to perceive that it was
overladen with costly ornaments, and she revelled in the royal rooms in
which she was installed, and of which she had wri