t, more enthusiastic,
more full of spirit, more full of zeal. You have set your face steadily
towards everything that has been naughty. You don't know yourself. Just
tell that thing, as you call it, inside you that you are going up, not
down, in future, and see if it won't behave itself and help you all the
time."

"I wonder if it will?" said Irene. "It is a good thought."

CHAPTER XVIII.

FROSTY'S DARLINGS.

Miss Frost's alarm, surprise, and delight when Rosamund had an earnest
talk with her on the following morning can be better imagined than
described.

"Of course, you can understand," she said, "that nothing would give me
greater pleasure than having the darlings here with me; but how am I to
trust Irene? Agnes is rather a timid little thing. Hughie is brave
enough. I should not be afraid of him. He is fourteen; Agnes is only
eleven. I am so afraid that Agnes, who has a little bit of me in her
nature, will succumb utterly and show Irene that she is afraid of her.
Then all would be lost."

"Nothing will be lost," replied Rosamund. "It is the very best plan
possible. You must make Irene the guardian of Agnes from the very first.
You must make her take that position with her; it is the only thing to
do. The mistake has been that people were terrified of her. Her
character, which is really very fine, has been spoiled by such a course.
Give her a little tender thing to love, and make her guard that
creature, and she will fight for her to the very death. I do believe it.
Trust me, I have studied her character so carefully."

"I do indeed trust you, dear," replied Miss Frost, with tears in her
eyes. "Well, then, if Lady Jane approves"----

Of course Lady Jane approved. She said at once that she did not wish to
leave The Follies.

"I like to go away sometimes in November," she said, "or at the end of
October, when the leaves are falling. But I love my own beautiful home
in the summer weather best of all places on earth, and I am afraid of
taking Irene to fashionable places. I tried her once at the seaside for
a week; but her conduct was scandalous, and I was forced to bring her
home at a minute's notice. I needn't repeat what she did; but she really
was unbearable to every one in the house. Of course, Miss Frost, if your
little brother and sister can be happy here, I shall be delighted to
receive them."

"Then I will write this very day," said Miss Frost; and Rosamund took
care that she kept her word.