ld whose beauty has
brought war and suffering upon whole nations, because they loved
themselves most, and sacrificed everything for the gratification of
vanity. You are young, Lettice, and have no mother to guide you, so
perhaps you have never thought of things in this way before. But when I
saw you first, I looked in your face and thought, `I should like to help
this girl; to help her to forget herself, and think of others, so that
she may do good and not evil, all the days of her life.'"

The ready tears rose to Lettice's eyes and flowed down her cheeks. She
was awed and sobered, but the impression was rather pleasurable than
otherwise. "A beautiful woman"--"a power over
others"--"sunshine"--"success"--the phrases rang in her ear, and the
sound was musical. "Of course I'll be good. I want to be good--then
everyone will like me," she said to herself, while she kissed and clung
to Miss Carr, and whispered loving little words of thanks, which charmed
the good lady's heart.

For the next three days all was excitement and bustle. Lettice's
belongings had to be gathered together and packed, and though Miss Carr
would hear of no new purchases, there were a dozen repairs and
alterations which seemed absolutely necessary. Mr Bertrand took his
two guests about every morning, so as to leave the girls at liberty, but
when afternoon came he drove them out willy-nilly, and organised one
excursion after another with the double intention of amusing his
visitors and preventing melancholy regrets. Norah was in the depths of
despondency; but her repinings were all for her beloved companion, and
not for any disappointment of her own. Now that she had the interest of
her music lessons, and the friendship of Rex and Edna, she was unwilling
to leave home even for the delights of London and the College of Music.
Poor Hilary, however, was in a far worse case. She had made so sure of
being chosen by Miss Carr, had dreamed so many rosy dreams about the
life before her, that the disappointment was very bitter. The thought
of seeing Lettice driving away in the carriage with Miss Carr and Mr
Rayner brought with it a keen stab of pain, and the life at home seemed
to stretch before her, still and uneventful, like a stretch of dreary
moorland. Her pride forbade her showing her disappointment, since no
one had expressed any satisfaction in retaining her company. Stay!
there was one exception. Mr Rayner had said a few simple words of
r