kind would be more than she could bear.

'Well, Miss Horatia, what will you touch with your fairy wand next, eh? I
shall expect my old mill parlour to be turned into Aladdin's palace
after your next visit,' cried a cheery, brisk voice.

Horatia turned with delight to greet Mr Howroyd. 'I'm so glad you have
come!' she said, with more feeling than she had any idea of.

Mr William Howroyd's keen, kindly eyes gave her a quick glance, and his
sympathetic nature jumped at the right conclusion. 'Yes, I'm here; and
now, as I can't skate, and you don't know any one here yet, suppose we go
to those raised seats there; we shall hear the band, and, I can tell you,
our Ousebank band is not to be despised, and we shall see the people
rinking, and if you see any one you particularly want to know we'll go
down and ask Sarah to introduce her. I don't suppose I shall know half
the people here. I'm not a society man, you know.'

The first to arrive were two tall girls and their brother, very
pleasant-looking and lady-like; and after them, people came so fast that
Horatia could not look closely at them all; but she noticed that they
were all well dressed and looked ladies and gentlemen. 'But, then, dress
makes a lot of difference,' she repeated to herself for the second time
that afternoon.

'Hallo, Horatia!' cried a boy's voice in her ear; and, turning, Horatia
saw her cousin, once removed, George Cunningham, grinning at her.

'Oh George, how on earth did you get here?' she demanded, beaming with
delight.

'In the Maddoxes' car, to be sure. Didn't you know I was staying there?'

'I knew you were staying somewhere in Yorkshire, but I didn't know it was
near here,' she replied.

'As a matter of fact, it isn't so very near; but we came over in an
hour, in spite of the beastly roads. But, I say, it's a jolly good idea
of yours this,' he observed.

'Of mine? What do you mean? This isn't my party; it's Mr Clay's and Mrs
and Miss Clay's idea--this rink, I mean.'

'Oh, well, he called it Miss Horatia Cunningham's party. That's what made
us come. I wanted to see you, and see how you get on with these people.
But I'm jolly glad I came. The old buffer does it in style.'

'This is Mr Howroyd, Mr Clay's brother,' said Horatia hastily, to warn
her cousin that he must be careful what he said; but when she turned to
introduce her cousin to him, Mr William Howroyd had disappeared. He had
slipped away as soon as he saw that Horatia had a cong