ave the great pleasure of comparing mamma and her boy
together. Now dears, listen to my plan--would you like to go a drive
this afternoon, or would you rather play about the garden and the little
farm? I mean Frances and Eugene--Jacinth, of course, is quite at home
here.'

The two younger ones looked at each other.

'Oh please,' said Frances, 'if we may go home in the open carriage, I
think that would be enough driving. And--it's so long since we've had a
nice big place to run about in, and--pigs and cows, you know, like at
home? Wouldn't you like that best, Eugene?'

'May we see the cows milked?' said Eugene, prudently making his
conditions, 'and, oh please, if we find any eggs, _might_ we take one
home for breakfast to-morrow?'

Lady Myrtle looked much amused.

'I will put you under Barnes's charge,' she said. 'Barnes is the
under-gardener, and whatever he lets you do will be quite right. You and
I, Jacinth, will have a long drive to-morrow, as I always go to Elvedon
church once a month, and to-morrow is the day. So I daresay you will
manage to entertain yourself at home to-day. We can go through the
houses in the afternoon.'

'Yes, thank you,' said Jacinth. 'And the house--you said you would show
me all over the house, dear Lady Myrtle.'

'Of course; that will amuse Frances and Eugene too, I daresay, when they
have had enough running about. Now your sister will go with you to your
room to take her things off;' and as the two set off, she added
playfully, 'Jacinth has a room of her very own here, you know, Frances.'

The younger girl was breathless with interest and pleasure, and the
first sight of the interior of the quaint old house--above all, of the
lovely conservatory, past which Jacinth took care to convoy
her--impressed her as much as her sister.

'Oh Jass,' she said, when they found themselves in the pleasant, rather
'old-world-looking' bedroom, where a tiny wood-fire sparkling in the
grate gave a cheery feeling of welcome as they entered--'Oh Jass, isn't
it like a _dream_? That we should really be here in this dear old house,
treated almost as if we were Lady Myrtle's own grandchildren, and you
staying here, and this called your room, and--and'----

She stopped, at a loss for words to express her feelings.

Jacinth smiled, well pleased.

'Yes,' she said, 'it really is like a fairy-tale. And'----She hesitated
a little. 'You don't know, Francie, what more may not come. Do you
remember our saying