py as the day's long, _you_ would all feel happy just to see it.
Nearly every night, when we say our prayers, Margaret and I thank God
for having sent you and Jacinth to be our school-fellows at Miss
Scarlett's, and for the wonderful way things have come right."'

Then followed a few details more interesting to Frances than of
consequence in themselves, about the lessons Bessie and Margaret had
been doing, and how well Camilla managed to teach them, and hopes that
'some day' the former school-fellows might meet again; ending up with
repetitions of the gratitude they felt _sure_ they owed to somebody, and
'much love' from 'your affectionate friend, Elizabeth Vandeleur Harper.'

'"Vandeleur" was Bessie's mother's name. She's very proud of it,' said
Frances, gazing admiringly at the pretty writing. Then she looked up
with glistening eyes. 'Mamma, Jass, isn't it _beautiful_? Isn't it
lovely to think they're so much happier?'

Mrs Mildmay's own face was nearly as bright as Francie's.

'I cannot _tell_ you how glad and thankful I am,' she said. And she took
hold gently of Jacinth's hand. 'Doesn't it seem to follow up what we
were saying the other day after we had been at old Mrs Burton's?' she
whispered.

But Jacinth's face looked pale, and her eyes had tears in them.

'Mamma,' she said, 'I suppose you thought I wouldn't have been nice
about it, but I think you might have told me that you did get Lady
Myrtle to do something to help the Harpers. I can see that Francie knew
about it, and it is horrid to be in a way _thanked_ by them, when--when
I have really been more a sort of enemy to them than a friend.'

Mrs Mildmay had started a little at Jacinth's first words, for she had
in fact forgotten, in the consciousness of increasing sympathy between
her elder daughter and herself, how, at the time of her first appeal to
Lady Myrtle, she had judged it wiser to say nothing about it to Jacinth.
And now to her candid and naturally confiding nature this reticence gave
her almost a guilty feeling. But as Jacinth went on speaking, her mother
realised that she had done wisely.

'Dear Jassie,' she said quietly, 'at that time I did think it better not
to tell you that I had interfered. I wanted to avoid all possibilities
of irritation till you got to know me better. And I did see that you
were prejudiced to some extent. But now I feel quite differently about
it, and I wish I had thought of telling you lately, though you must take
m