r child, I greatly fear you will have to go and stay with
your father's cousin, Miss Dartmoor, in Argyleshire."

"Helen Dartmoor!" said Kitty, suddenly springing to her feet, "father's
cousin, Helen Dartmoor! She came to stay with us for a month after
mother died, and if there is a person in the whole world whom I loathed
it was her. No, I won't go to her; I'll write and tell father I
can't--I won't; it shan't be. Nothing would induce me to live with
her. Oh, Mrs. Clavering, you don't know what she is, and she--why, she
doesn't speak decent English, and she knows scarcely anything. How am
I to be educated, Mrs. Clavering? I could not do it."

"There is a school not far from Miss Dartmoor's; of course, not a
school like this, but a school where you can be taught some things, my
poor child."

"I won't go to Helen Dartmoor--I won't!" said Kitty, in a passionate
voice.

"I fear there is no help for it, my love; but when you see your father
he will tell you all about it. I wish with all my heart, I could keep
you here, but I greatly fear there is no help for it."

"And is that all you have to say?" said Kitty, rising slowly as she
spoke.

"Yes, dear, all for the present."

"Then I am a very miserable girl. I'll go away to my room for a
little. I may, may I not?"

"On this occasion you may, although you know it is the rule that none
of the girls go to their dormitories during the daytime."

Kitty left the room, walking very slowly. She had scarcely done so
before a loud ring, followed by a rat-tat on the knocker of the front
door, was heard through the house.

A moment later the door of Mrs. Clavering's oak parlor was flung open,
and Sir John Wallis entered the room.

Sir John Wallis was the great man in the neighborhood.

He was the owner of Cherry Court School, renting the house and
beautiful grounds to Mrs. Clavering year by year. He was an unmarried
man, and took a great interest in the school. He was a very
benevolent, kindly person, and Mrs. Clavering and he were the closest
friends.

"Ah, my dear madam," he said, bowing now in his somewhat old-fashioned
way, and then extending his hand to the good lady, "I am so glad to see
you at home. How are you and how are the girls?"

"Oh, very well, Sir John."

"But you look a little bit worried; what is wrong?"

"Well, the fact is, one of my girls, Kitty Sharston----"

"That pretty, queer-looking half-wild girl whom I saw in church on
Sunday?"