t the difference between her position and that of Nina and
Ann Eliza struck her like a blow, and she thought to herself:

'For them everything, for me nothing.'

Then she rallied, and passing her checks to the baggage master, said to
him:

'If there is a boy here with a cart or a wheelbarrow, let him take my
trunks, otherwise send them by express. I see there is no one to meet
me.'

'Yes'm, but they's comin',' the man replied, with a significant nod in
the direction where a cloud of dust was visible, as the Tracy victoria
came rapidly up to the station, with Maude and Harold in it.

The former was standing up and waving her parasol to the party upon the
platform, while, almost before the carriage stopped, Harold sprang out,
and had both of Jerrie's hands in his, and held them, as he told her how
glad he was to welcome her home again. He looked tired and flurried, and
did not seem quite himself, but there could be no doubt that he was
glad, for the gladness shone in his eyes and in his face, and Jerrie
felt it in the warm clasp of his hands, which she noticed with a pang
were brown, and calloused, and bruised in some places as if they had of
late been used to harder toil than usual. But she had not much time for
thought before Maude's arms were around her neck and Maude was standing
on tiptoe and drawing down her face which she covered with kisses; and,
between laughing and crying, exclaimed:

'You darling old Jerrie, how glad I am to see you again! and how tall
and grand you have grown! Why, I don't much more than come to your
shoulder. See, Harold, how Jerrie outshines me,' and she lifted her
sparkling face to Harold, who looked down at her as a brother might have
looked at an only sister of whom he was very fond.

How pretty and piquant she was with her brilliant complexion and her
black eyes, and how stylish she looked in the Paris gown of embroidered
linen, which fitted her perfectly, and the big hat, which turned up just
enough on the side to give her a saucy, coquettish air, as she flitted
from one to another, kissing Nina twice, Ann Eliza once, and shaking
hands with all the young men except Tom, who put his in his pockets out
of her way.

He could not stand Maude's gush, he said, and he watched her with a
half-sneering smile as she tiptoed around, for it always seemed as if
she walked upon her toes, courtesying as she walked.

'I meant to have been here before the train,' she said to Jerrie, 'and I
wa