poor, but
we have never stooped to bribery and corruption yet. Go your own way,
Penelope. If you think you can injure us you are very much mistaken."

Penelope shook her fat back, and resumed her peregrinations round and
round the lawn.

"Really she is quite an uncomfortable child," said Pauline, returning to
her other sisters. "What do you think she is doing now? Picking grasses
to put in Aunt Sophia's room."

"Oh, let her alone," said Verena; "it's only her funny little way. By the
way, I wonder if Padre has any idea that Aunt Sophia is coming to-day."

"Let's invade him," said Patty. "The old dear wants his exercise; he
hasn't had any to-day."

The eight girls ran with whoops and cries round the house. Penelope
picked her grasses with more determination than ever. Her small, straight
mouth made a scarlet line, so tightly was it shut.

"I am only seven, but I'm monstrous clever," she whispered to herself. "I
am going to have my own way. I'll love poor Aunt Sophy. Yes, I will. I'll
kiss her, and I'll make up to her, and I'll keep her room full of lovely
grasses."

Meanwhile the other girls burst into the study. A voice was heard
murmuring rapidly as they approached. A silvery-white head was bending
over a page, and some words in Latin came like a stream, with a very
beautiful pronunciation, from the scholar's lips.

"Ah, Verena!" he said, "I think I have got the right lines now. Shall I
read them to you?"

Mr. Dale began. He got through about one line when Patty interrupted him:

"It can't possibly be done, Paddy. We can't listen to another line--I
mean yet. You have got to come out. Aunt Sophia is coming to-day."

"Eh? I beg your pardon; who did you say was coming?"

"Aunt Sophia--Miss Tredgold. She's coming to-day on a visit. She'll be
here very soon. She's coming in an old cart that belongs to Farmer
Treherne. She'll be here in an hour; therefore out you come."

"My dears, I cannot. You must excuse me. My years of toil have brought to
light an obscure passage. I shall write an account of it to the _Times_.
It is a great moment in my life, and the fact that---- But who did you
say was coming, my dears?"

"Really, Paddy, you are very naughty," said Verena. "You must come out at
once. We want you. You can't write another line. You must not even think
of the subject. Come and see what we have done for Aunt Sophia. If you
don't come she'll burst in here, and she'll stay here, because it's the
most comfo