ing her eyelids with an air of
stony displeasure.

Sylvia glanced at her from time to time during the next half-hour, and
felt ashamed of herself, and wished she were sweet-tempered like
Bridgie, and thought how nice it would be if she could learn to think
before she spoke, and be cautious and prudent, and never say what she
was sorry for afterwards. She also wished that Aunt Margaret would not
look so particularly old and frail this morning of all others. How thin
she was! What great big hollows she had in her cheeks! It was rather
dreadful to be old like that, and have no one to love and care for one
best of all, no one but a thoughtless girl, who was never so grateful as
she ought to be, and sometimes even really impertinent. The wave of
penitence could not be repressed, and she jumped from her seat with her
characteristic impetuosity, and threw her arms round her aunt's
shoulders.

"I'm sorry I answered you back, auntie; it was horrid of me. I've been
a great trouble to you this winter, but I really am awfully grateful for
all your goodness. Do give me a kiss, and say you forgive me!"

"Well, well, well, my dear child, don't be so impetuous! You have
nearly pulled the cap off my head. Extremes, as I said before, always
extremes! Do please try to exercise some self-control. I quite
understand that you are troubled about your foot, but as the doctor says
it is only a question of time, and if you are patient for a month or two
more, you will be able to go about as well as ever. There is no
necessity to brood about it as you do, no necessity at all!"

Sylvia was not brooding about her foot, but she did not choose to say so
to Miss Munns, and her silence being accepted as a sign of submission,
the old lady became so mollified as to suggest that the two Miss
O'Shaughnessys should be invited to tea forthwith.

Afternoon tea under Miss Munns's _regime_ was a more formal meal than is
usually the case, and also a trifle more solid, for it was followed by
no dinner, but a supper of cocoa and potted meat served at nine o'clock.
This arrangement was one of Sylvia's minor trials in life, but Pixie
O'Shaughnessy saw great compensations in a tea where you really sat up
to the table, and had jam in a pot, and a loaf, and scones, and eggs.
It fascinated her to see how the table was laid, with a white cloth
spread diamond-wise under the tea-tray, and the different viands dotted
about on the green baize.

Miss Munns