re their children, Thunder and Lightning, and the
little Stars. The Stars are the tiny ones. I manage them myself. I love
them better than any of my pets. Would you like me to take them out?
You'll see how they crawl about on the floor; only they get rather
dusty. Do you mind?"

"Not in the very least," said Rosamund.

"Well, you have spunk! You know, if you annoy me in any way, I should
think nothing of putting either Fuzz or Buzz into your bed."

"Then I should leave the next day, that's all," replied Rosamund in a
calm voice. "I shouldn't be afraid; but I should simply go. If you want
me to be your friend you must not play tricks of that sort. But we
needn't talk any more about leeches now. They seem happy and well. Let
me see what dresses you have."

Rosamund herself opened the wardrobe and took out a quantity of
beautiful dresses of all sorts and descriptions, mostly white washing
silks and muslins and cambrics. She chose a neat white cambric, and
insisted on Irene putting it on. She fastened it on the little girl
herself, and saw that it fitted her perfectly. She then brushed her hair
and made her wash her hands, which this wild tomboy strongly objected
to. But Rosamund was firm.

"I hope you're not always going to be like this," said Irene, stamping
her foot.

"Oh, dear, no! because soon you will do it for its own sake. Now, here's
a long mirror; come and see yourself in the glass. Can't you fancy what
you are like?"

But Irene started away.

"No, no, no!" she said. "There's a pool at the bottom of the garden, and
there are water-lilies all around it. We'll go, both of us, and look at
ourselves there; that will be much prettier."

"As you please. I am quite indifferent; only I want you to respect
yourself, Irene."

"Respect myself? But then, no one else does."

"Well, I intend to respect you, and I can only do it by your respecting
yourself. Come along; let us look at ourselves in the pool. I am
considered fairly good-looking--I don't pretend to deny it; but I am
nothing to you to-day, for you gave me a very tiring night."

"So I did, you poor dear! This white dress is rather nice, but I
wouldn't wear it for mother for all the world; I only wear it now. Now
then, come along."

The two raced downstairs; the servants peeped out from different corners
in astonishment. Miss Irene, who would make such a show of herself, was
absolutely pretty in her shady hat of softest white, and her white dress
to m