each moment of lesson-time fully occupied,
leisure was delicious. They wandered under the trees; they opened the
wicket-gate which led into the Forest, and went a short way into its deep
and lovely shade. When lunch-bell sounded they returned with hungry
appetites.

The rest of the day passed pleasantly. Even preparation hour was no
longer regarded as a hardship. It brought renewed appetites to enjoy tea.
And in the midst of tea a wild dissipation occurred, for a piano-van came
slowly down the rutty lane which led to the front avenue. It stopped at
the gates; the gates were opened, the piano-van came up the avenue, and
John and two other men carried the beautiful Broadwood into the big
drawing-room.

Miss Tredgold unlocked it and touched the ivory keys with loving fingers.

"I will play to you to-night when it is dusk," she said to the girls.

After this they were so eager to hear the music that they could scarcely
eat their dinner. Mr. Dale now always appeared for the evening meal. He
took the foot of the table, and stared in an abstracted way at Aunt
Sophia. So fond was he of doing this that he often quite forgot to carve
the joint which was set before him.

"Wake up, Henry," said Miss Sophia in her sharp voice; "the children are
hungry, and so am I."

Then the student would shake himself, seize the knife and fork, and make
frantic dashes at whatever the joint might happen to be. It must be owned
that he carved very badly. Miss Tredgold bore it for a day or two; then
she desired the parlor-maid to convey the joint to the head of the table
where she sat. After this was done the dinner-hour was wont to progress
very satisfactorily. To-day it went quickly by. Then Verena went up to
her aunt.

"Now, Aunt Sophy," she said, "the gloaming has come, and music is waiting
to make us all happy in the drawing-room."

"I will play for you, my dears," said Aunt Sophia.

She was just leaving the room when she heard Verena say:

"You love music, father. Do come into the drawing-room. Aunt Sophia has
got her new piano. She means to play on it. Do come; you know you love
music."

"Indeed, I do nothing of the kind," said Mr. Dale.

He pushed his gray hair back from his forehead and looked abstractedly at
Miss Sophia, who was standing in the twilight just by the open door.

"You remind me, Sophia----" said Mr. Dale.

He paused and covered his eyes with his hand.

"I could have sworn that you were she. No music, thanks;