greeable
things--but some plain sewing that I had not touched for some time, and
took it downstairs to the library. I heard voices as I opened the door,
grandmamma was sitting at the writing-table speaking to the cook, who
stood beside her, a rather fat, pleasant-looking woman, who made a
little curtsey when she saw me. But grandmamma looked up, for her,
rather sharply--

'Why, have you finished upstairs already, Helena?' she said. 'You had
better go into the dining-room for a few minutes, I am busy just now.'

I went away immediately, but I was very much offended, it just seemed
the beginning of what I was fancying to myself. The dining-room door was
ajar, and I caught sight of the footman looking over some spoons and
forks.

'I won't go in there,' I said to myself, and upstairs I mounted again.

On the first landing, where grandmamma's room was, there were several
other doors. All was perfectly quiet--there seemed no servants about, so
I thought I would amuse myself by a little exploring. The first room I
peeped into was large--larger than grandmamma's, but all the furniture
was covered up. The only thing that interested me was a picture in
pastelles hanging up over the mantelpiece. It caught my attention at
once, and I stood looking up at it for some moments.

CHAPTER XI

AN ARRIVAL

It was the portrait of a young girl,--a very sweet face with soft,
half-timid looking eyes.

[Illustration: It was the portrait of a young girl.--P. 139.]

'I wonder who it is,' I thought to myself, 'I wonder if it is Mrs.
Vandeleur. If it is, she must be nice. I almost think I should like her
very much.'

A door in this room led into a dressing-room, which next caught my
attention. Here, too, the only thing that struck me was a portrait. This
time, a photograph only, of a boy. Such a nice, open face! For a moment
or two I thought it must be Cousin Cosmo, but looking more closely I saw
written in one corner the name 'Paul' and the date 'July 1865.' I caught
my breath, as I said to myself--

'It must be papa! I wonder if granny knows--she has none of him as young
as that, I am sure. Oh, dear, how I do wish he was alive!'

But it was with a softened feeling towards both of my unknown cousins
that I stepped out on to the landing again.

It did seem as if Mr. Vandeleur must have been very fond of my father
for him to have kept this photograph all these years, hanging up where
he must see it every time he came into hi