our or more in pacing along the paths
enjoying my self-pity to the full.

There were a few other children playing together; how I envied them!

'If I had even a little dog,' I said to myself, 'it would be something.
But of course there's no chance of that--he would disturb Cousin Agnes.'

I went back to the house an hour or so before the expected arrival.
Grandmamma had already returned. She was in her own room, I peeped in on
my way upstairs.

'What do you want me to do, grandmamma?' I said.

She glanced at me.

'Change your frock, dear, and come down to the library with your work.
Of course Cosmo will want to see you, once Cousin Agnes is settled in
her room. Dear me, I do hope she will have stood the journey pretty
well!'

I came downstairs again with mixed feelings. I should rather have
enjoyed making a martyr of myself by staying up in my own room. But, on
the other hand, I had a good deal of curiosity on the subject of my
unknown cousins.

'I wonder if Cousin Agnes will be able to walk,' I thought to myself,
'or if they will carry her in. I should like to see what an invalid
carriage is like!'

I think I pictured to myself a sort of palanquin, and eager to be on the
spot at the moment of the arrival I changed my frock very quickly and
hastened downstairs with my knitting in my hand--a model of propriety.

'Do I look nice, grandmamma?' I asked. 'It is the first time I have had
this frock on, you know.'

For besides the new clothes grandmamma had ordered from Windy Gap, she
had got me some very nice ones since we came to London. And this new one
I thought the prettiest of all. It was brown velveteen with a falling
collar of lace, with which I was especially pleased, for though my
clothes had been always very neatly made, they had been very plain, the
last two or three years more especially. So I stood there pleasantly
expecting grandmamma's approval. But she scarcely glanced at me, I doubt
if she heard what I said, for she was busy writing a note about
something or other which had been forgotten, and almost as I spoke the
footman came into the room to take it.

'What were you saying, my dear?' she said quickly. 'Oh yes, very
nice---- Be sure, William, that this is sent at once.'

I crossed the room and sat down in the farthest corner, my heart
swelling. It was not _all_ spoilt temper, I was really terribly afraid
that grandmamma was beginning to care less for me. But before there had
been time for h