rew her arms round Hilda as she was coming up from the kitchen
premises.

"Hilda, the day is so fine!"

"No, Judy, you mustn't tempt me to go out. I really have to get those
accounts straight, they quite weigh on my mind."

"So you shall, Hilda darling; but I was wondering if after I've read my
history and done my sums, and a little bit of writing I want to get
through, if you'd let Susan--if you'd let Susan take me out."

"Susan!" repeated Hilda, "but I can go with you myself this afternoon."

"I know, only I do so want a run on this fine morning, and Susan says
it's not laundry day, nor drawing-room day, nor silver day; it's
Thursday, which is nothing special; she can come, may she, Hilda?--do
say yes."

"It's not like you, Judy," said Hilda, "to be in this impatient state. I
would rather you did not propose plans to the servants without first
consulting me, darling, it rather puts them out of their place; but as
you have done it, and as you are the best of dear little girls, I
suppose I must say 'yes' on this occasion. If Susan hurries with her
work, she may take you out: but of course you won't be very long, will
you?"

To this question Judy made no reply. She gave Hilda a tight clasp and a
fierce kiss, and rushed away.

"Susan, you're to hurry with your work, for you may come," she shouted,
almost boisterously, to the parlor-maid, and then she ran down to the
dining room and shut the door behind her.

"It's happening beautifully," she murmured again; "how lucky that I
never spent godmother's sovereign. And now to write my letter to Hilda.
I'm not going to waste my time crying, there'll be time enough for that
by and by--that's if I want to cry, perhaps I shan't. When I think of
how very happy Hilda will be, perhaps my heart will sing. But now for
the letter--Hilda mustn't find it too soon; I'll put it under her
pin-cushion, then perhaps she won't see it for some hours after I've
gone, but now I must write it."

Judy took out her own little blotting-book, placed a sheet of paper
before her, and began laboriously, with little fingers which rapidly got
ink-stained, to put a few words on the paper.

"DARLING HILDA,

"You'll be s'prised when you get this. I'm going home. I'm quite
well now, and I'm not going to fret, but I'm going to be
_really_ happy. Good-by, Hilda; I love you awfully.

"Your
"JUDY."

This little note was put into an enve