the most loving heart in the world, returned her
embrace, and nestled close to her, and felt in spite of herself a
little better than she had done before.

"I know it is very bad, dear," said Mrs. Clavering, "but we can talk
about it now if you like."

"I don't know that there is anything to say," said Kitty; "he would not
have gone but for----"

"But for what, my child!"

"But for that dreadful money. He was very anxious when he sent me
here. Oh, perhaps, I ought not to say anything about it."

"I think you may, Kitty, for I know, dear. I had a long letter from
your father this morning. He told me then news which I considered very
sad. You know, my love, that this is an expensive school. All the
girls who come here pay well; most of the girls who are here have rich
fathers and mothers."

"Oh, I know that," interrupted Kitty; "and how I hate rich fathers and
mothers! Why should only rich people have nice things?"

"Then you do like this school, don't you, my love?"

"As much as I could like any place away from father; but what did he
say this morning, Mrs. Clavering?" Kitty started restlessly and faced
her governess as she spoke.

"He said, dear, that he must go to India because he had lost a very
large sum of money. He said he would send you a telegram as soon as he
had made arrangements, as there was no good troubling you before. He
thought it best you should know by telegram, as the sight of the
telegram itself would slightly prepare you for the bad news. But, my
dear little Kitty, in some ways there is worse to follow, for your
father cannot afford to pay my fees, and you must leave Cherry Court
School at the end of this term."

Kitty sat silent. This last news, very bad in itself, scarcely
affected her at first. It seemed a mere nothing compared to the
parting from her beloved father.

"Yes," she said at last, in a listless voice, "I must leave here."

"I will keep you with me, darling, until the end of the vacation."
Kitty gave a perceptible shudder. "I am going to the seaside with
Florence Aylmer, and you shall come with us. I will try and give you
as good a time, dear little Kitty, as ever I can, but it would not be
fair to the other girls to keep you here for nothing."

"No, of course it would not be fair," said Kitty. "And where am I to
go," she added, after a very long pause, "when the vacation is over,
when the girls come back here again at the end of August?"

"Then, my dea