ient from Betty's point of
view, who never grew better, but was frequently worse, who spent all her
life in her bedroom and an upstairs sitting-room, her chief subject of
conversation being the misdemeanours of her hardly-worked nurses. She
had taken a fancy to the doctor's young daughter, and liked to be
visited by her as often as possible in convalescent periods; but Betty
did not return the liking.

"She doesn't understand girls," she grumbled to herself. "I don't
believe she ever was a girl herself. She must have been born about
forty, with spectacles and a cap. I can't think why she wants to see
me. I do nothing but say `Yes' and `No' while she abuses other people,
and yawn my head off in that stifling room. And I did so want to get on
with my blouse. Seems as if I could never do as I like, somehow!"

She sat looking such an image of meekness and resignation, with her
smoothly-braided locks and downcast lids, that her father's lips
twitched with amusement as he glanced at her, and quickly averted his
eyes. He knew just as well as she did how distasteful his request had
been, but he was none the less anxious to enforce it. Betty's horizon
was blocked with self at the present moment, and anything and everything
was of gain which forced her to think of something besides that all-
important personage Miss Elizabeth Trevor.

CHAPTER FOUR.

A PIECE OF LOOKING-GLASS.

"Such a joke, Jill! The sun is shining, and the Pet is sitting reading,
in the drawing-room window, and I've found a broken piece of looking-
glass in the street.--There's luck! Let's hide behind the curtains and
flash it in her eyes!"

Jill's book fell down with a crash, and she leapt to her feet, abeam
with anticipation. It was Saturday, and she had announced her intention
of "stewing hard" all the afternoon, but the claims of examinations sank
into the background before the thrilling prospect held out by her twin.

"Break it in two! Fair does, Jack! Give me a bit, and let us flash in
turns!" she cried eagerly; but Jack would not consent to anything so
rash.

"How can I divide it, silly?" he replied. "I haven't a diamond _to cut
it_, and if I crunch it with my foot it may all go to smithereens, and
there will be nothing left. I'll lend it to you for a bit now and then,
but you won't aim straight. Girls never do!"

"I do! I do!" Jill maintained loudly. "I will! I will! Come along,
be quick! She might move away, and it w