s presence, she introduced her kindly enough, if with
somewhat of a condescending air.

"This is a little friend of Rosalind's who has come up to help. She is
fond of this sort of work," she said; then, before any of the strangers
had time to acknowledge the introduction, she added hastily, "And now I
am sure you must all be tired after your journey, and will be glad to go
to your rooms and rest. It is quite wicked of me to keep you standing.
Let me take you upstairs at once!"

They sailed away with the same rustle of garments, the same babel of
high-toned voices, and Peggy stood alone in the middle of the deserted
room. No one had asked her to rest, or suggested that she might be
tired; she had been overlooked and forgotten in the presence of the
distinguished visitor. She was only a little girl who was "fond" of
this sort of work, and, it might be supposed, was only too thankful to
be allowed to help! The house sank into silence. She waited for half
an hour longer, in the hope that someone would remember her presence,
and then, tired, hungry, and burning with repressed anger, crept
upstairs to her own little room and fell asleep upon the couch.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

ANOTHER ACCIDENT!

Dinner was served unusually early that evening, and was an embarrassing
ordeal from which Peggy was thankful to escape.

On her way upstairs, however, Rosalind called her back with an eager
petition.

"Oh, Peggy! would you mind awwanging some flowers? A big hamper has
just awwived from town, and the servants are all so dweadfully busy. I
must get dwessed in time to help mother to weceive, but it wouldn't
matter if you were a few minutes late. Thanks so much! Awfully
obliged."

She gave her thanks before an assent had been spoken, and tripped
smilingly away, while Peggy went back to the big room to find a great
tray full of hothouse treasures waiting to be arranged, and no availing
vases in which to place them. The flowers, however, were so beautiful,
and the fronds of maidenhair so green and graceful, that the work was a
pleasure; she enjoyed discovering unlikely places in which to group
them, and lingered so long over her arrangements that the sudden
striking of the clock sent her flying upstairs in a panic of
consternation. Another quarter of an hour and the vicarage party would
arrive, for they had been bidden a little in advance of the rest, so
that Robert might help his mother and sister in receiving their