ut this wild, this formidable little Irene. She
could not do it at first, poor thing! for, you know--but I can't speak
of that to-day. Oh! here she is, coming down the path. Ah, Miss Carter,"
called Maud, "this is Rosamund"----

"Rosamund Cunliffe," said Rosamund.

"Rosamund Cunliffe, the girl who was so plucky and went on the lake with
Irene Ashleigh on Sunday afternoon."

"You were very fortunate," said Miss Carter, speaking in a prim voice.
"It was, I regret to say, otherwise with me. I could not command her,
and she took me"----Miss Carter's lips trembled.

"Don't speak of it now, dear Cartery. It always upsets you, doesn't it?
Let us talk of something else. You are very happy with us, aren't you,
Cartery love?"

"Cartery love" expressed that she was, and Maud slipped her hand
affectionately through her governess's arm.

Rosamund gave the latter lady a keen glance. She saw that she was
naturally extremely kind, but also shy and wanting in courage.

"She could never master Irene," thought the girl. "Irene is going to be
given to me. She shall be mine. I mean to help her. I mean, whatever
happens, to save her. But I don't mind talking a wee little bit about
her to 'Cartery love,' as that funny Maud calls her."

The rest of the girls came up in a group, and the next hour or two were
spent wandering through the pleasant gardens, while laughter, jokes, and
good-humored chatter of all sorts filled the air.

Then came tea. Now, the rector's teas were celebrated. They were, in
fact, that old-fashioned institution, now, alas! so rapidly disappearing
from our English life, known as "high tea." Eggs, boiled ham, chickens,
stewed fruits, fresh ripe fruit of every sort and variety, graced the
board. No dinner followed this meal; but sandwiches and lemonade
generally concluded the happy day.

The girls knew that they were not expected back until bedtime, and gave
themselves absolutely up to the pleasures of the time. The Rectory was a
charming old house, being quite a hundred and fifty or two hundred years
old; and the study, or schoolroom, as the girls called it, where they
invariably partook of tea, was a low-roofed apartment running right
across the eastern side of the house. It was, therefore, at this hour a
delightfully cool room, and was rendered more so by the bowery shade of
green trees.

Rosamund found herself sitting near Maud at the meal, and she suddenly
turned to her and said, "I quite understand now why