ked at her stolidly, and remarked--

"You are tired, my dear. Go to bed, and have a good night's rest."

Hilary bridled, and held her little head at the angle of injured dignity
which her sisters knew so well. Nine o'clock indeed! As if she were a
baby!

"Oh, thank you, Miss Carr, but I am not tired. It was such an easy
journey. I am not sleepy at all."

"My dear, all young girls ought to get to bed and have their beauty
sleep before twelve o'clock. Don't mind me. Your father will manage to
entertain me. He and I have always plenty to say to each other."

After such plain speaking as this, it was impossible to object any
further. Hilary rose with a flush on her cheeks, kissed her father, and
held out a stiff little hand towards Miss Carr. The old lady looked at
her, and her face softened. She was beginning to repent, in the
characteristic manner to which Norah had referred. Hilary felt herself
pulled forward, kissed lovingly on the lips, and heard a kindly tone
take the place of the mocking accents, "Good-night, dearie, good-night!
We must have some good times while you are here. Sleep well, and to-
morrow we will talk things over, and make our plans."

The door shut behind the girl, and the two occupants of the room looked
at one another in silence. Miss Carr's expression was self-conscious
and apologetic; Mr Bertrand's twitching with humorous enjoyment.

"Too bad, Helen, too bad! I can't have my poor little lass snubbed like
that!"

"My dear Austin, it will do her all the good in the world. What a
little Miss Consequence! What have you been about to let the child
think so much of herself?"

"Put a woman's responsibilities on her shoulders before she was ready to
bear them. My dear Helen, that's the very thing about which I am
anxious to consult you. These girls of mine are getting on my nerves.
I don't know what to do with them. Hilary has the audacity to be
seventeen, and for the last eighteen months she has practically done all
the housekeeping. Miss Briggs looks after the Mouse--Geraldine, you
know--gives lessons to Lettice and Norah, but beyond that she does
little else. She is a good, reliable soul and a great comfort in many
ways, but I fear the girls are getting beyond her. We had a conference
on New Year's Day, and I find that they are tired of present
arrangements, and pining for a change. I promised to think things over,
and see what could be done, and I want your advice. H