band's judgment and in in his power to do the
very best he could on all possible occasions for her and hers that she
was never deeply troubled about anything. Her dear husband must not be
forced to live in London if he did not like to do so, and some
arrangement must be made for the girls' home education if he could not
see his way to sending them to school.

Great, therefore, was her astonishment on the following morning when
he came hastily into her room.

"My dear," he said, "I am off to London for the day."

"What for?" she asked.

"I will tell you, darling, when I return to-night."

"Cyril, may I not come with you?"

"I think not, my love. Make all the young people as happy as you can.
I'm just off to the station, in the motor-car."

Mr. Cardew left his wife's room. The girls were told at breakfast that
their father had gone to London; but as this frequently happened, and
was invariably connected with that business which they knew nothing
whatever about, they were not keenly interested. As a matter of fact,
they were much more absorbed in getting things ready for the
entertainment of their friends; and in this Mrs. Cardew very heartily
joined them. She proposed that during Maggie Howland's visit the five
girls should have as happy a time together as possible; and as the
weather was perfect the invariable picnics and gipsy teas were
arranged for their benefit.

"You can all make yourselves happy here to-day, my darlings," said
Mrs. Cardew, addressing Cicely and Merry. "To-morrow, when your father
is here, the Tristrams, he and I, and you girls will have a very
pleasant picnic to the Aldersleigh woods. We will arrange it to-day,
for there is nothing your father enjoys more than a whole, long, happy
day in the open air. I will speak to Mrs. Fairlight, and tell her to
have all things in readiness for our picnic."

"Oh mummy, how good! how good!" said Merry, clasping her mother's
hand. Then she added, "Mummy, is it true that Miss Beverley is never
going to teach us any more?"

"I am afraid it is only too true, Merry; but this is holiday-time,
darling; we needn't talk of your education just at present."

"Only, we must be educated--mustn't we, mother?"

"Of course, dearest. Your father will see to that."

Merry ran off to join her sister, and it is not too much to say that
the whole of that glorious day was one of unalloyed pleasure. The
Tristram girls were always delightful to the Cardew girls, but now