examine
the "Leaves," as naughty Irene called the rector's daughters; but she
wanted to watch Miss Carter, and if possible to get a word with her, and
to induce her to tell her something more with regard to the wild and
mischievous girl whom, nevertheless, she could not get for a moment out
of her head.

When the young people arrived at the Rectory they found the rector's
daughters waiting for them, not dressed in their quaint green dresses as
on Sunday, but in simple white, with green ribbons, however, round their
white straw hats. They looked particularly pretty and interesting, and
Rosamund could not help feeling that under different circumstances she
might have been glad to make friends with them. Maud, the eldest girl,
had very straight, well-formed features. She was intensely fair, with
large, clear blue eyes; and her hair, golden, with warm shades in it,
hung below her waist. Her little mouth was small and rosy and very firm.
She had a pretty cleft in her chin, a good carriage; and, in short, she
was just the sort of girl to captivate other girls. Beyond doubt she had
for some time acted as mother to her sisters; for Alice, the next in
age, was about two years younger. Then came Bertha and Mary, pretty
little girls of nine and ten years of age, and then Ivy and Jasmine.

They made an interesting group as they clustered round the girls from
Sunnyside and bade them welcome, Maud taking the lead, and finally
attaching herself to Rosamund; for she guessed, in some sort of
instinctive way, that Rosamund had more character than the other
school-girls, and would be more likely to interest her.

"Come and walk with me, won't you?" she said. "I want to introduce you
to dear Miss Carter. She is longing to see you. She knows--we all
know--about your wonderful escapade on Sunday."

Rosamund felt herself turning pale just for a moment: then the color
flooded her cheeks.

"I would rather not speak about Sunday, if you don't mind," she said.

"Certainly I don't mind," replied Maud in a very quiet and lady-like
way. "That is, if you would really rather not," she continued after a
pause. "We know a great deal of Irene Ashleigh from Miss Carter, and we
are all interested in her."

"I should have thought you would have hated her," said Rosamund
suddenly.

"No--not exactly. She has a sort of fascination for us. Whenever we want
dear Carter to make us thoroughly happy, or to give us a great treat, we
get her to tell us abo