and I
reckon there's a screw loose somewhere in our home."

With that there followed a long silence, and Winnie was almost in the
land of dreams when the carriage stopped at No. 3 Victoria Square, and
Dick shouted roguishly in her ear the one word--"Awake!"

The windows were ablaze with light, and there were sounds of music and
singing as brother and sister, entering the house, wended their way to
the oak parlour and warmed their hands at the cheerful blaze. The gas
was lit, the curtains drawn, the room tidy and inviting-looking; but no
kind motherly face was there to welcome them and ask if the evening had
been a pleasant one. At other times Winnie would not, most probably,
have felt the blank, having been accustomed to such neglect; but coming
straight from Aunt Judith's gentle presence, and with the remembrance
of her loving words and kind voice stirring the lonely little heart, it
struck home to her with a chill. Leaving Dick to his own meditations
she slipped away to the large nursery, where old nurse sat quietly
watching the slumbers of her young charge, Winnie's little step-brother.

Here at least there was no lack of sympathy or welcome, for dearly did
the faithful servant love her first mistress's children, and bitterly
did she bewail the neglect with which the two youngest were treated.
Kneeling down by her side, Winnie rehearsed the whole history of the
afternoon and evening at Dingle Cottage; and old nurse, listening
intently, did not fail to raise her hands and express due astonishment
at the knowledge of Aunt Judith's authorship. So the young girl was
comforted, and after kissing her little brother lovingly, she rejoined
Dick in the oak parlour, and passed the rest of the evening contentedly
in his society.

CHAPTER VIII.

FORGING THE FIRST LINK.

Autumn, with its sobbing winds and falling leaves, was over now, and
cold, sterile winter reigned supreme all around. Day after day the
chill northern blasts swept over the busy town, bringing with them now
a tempest of blinding sleet, and again showers of softly-falling snow:
rich people wrapped themselves warmly in their furs and velvet; and the
poor, gathering their tattered garments more closely round them,
shivered under the touch of the icy king. But if winter days brought
cold, bleak winds and murky skies, they also brought many pleasures in
their train; and young hearts beat joyfully as the Christmas-tide drew
near, and bright visions