In consequence, just as the holidays at the Merrimans' began, on the
very day that Mrs. Merriman walked all the way to The Follies in order
to see Rosamund, the little Frosts also made their appearance on the
scene.

Mrs. Merriman came an hour before the children. She was dressed in her
usual prim and proper style, and Rosamund could not help owning to a
distasteful feeling when she saw her. She and Irene were walking about
in a considerable state of excitement. Irene had been planning every
hour of the day for her visitors.

"You know I have never had visitors before," she said. "I don't exactly
count you as a visitor. You are dearer to me than I am to myself. You
are all the world to me; but these are visitors. If I could only forget
that they belonged to Frosty all would be well."

"But you must on no account forget it. You must think of Frosty's
pleasure as well as your own. You know you have promised--yes, you have
promised me, you who don't tell lies--to go up, not down, in future. Oh,
there is Mrs. Merriman! I must run and speak to her."

"That prim, dumpling sort of woman? Oh, all right, go; but don't stay
long with her. I want you. I am beginning to count the minutes now. I
feel so terribly anxious at your leaving me."

Rosamund almost wished that she were not obliged to leave The Follies at
this juncture; but her own father and mother would not hear of her
staying away from them. She accordingly left Irene on the present
occasion, and walked across the lawn to meet Mrs. Merriman.

Mrs. Merriman paused when she saw her.

"How do you do, Rosamund?" she said. She spoke coldly, and did not hold
out her hand.

Rosamund replied in as prim a voice as the little lady had used:

"How do you do, Mrs. Merriman? I hope you are all quite well at the
school. How was Jane when you heard from her last?"

"Almost quite well, I am glad to say. She will be able to return to her
lessons in the middle of September. I have something to say to you,
Rosamund, and as we have met here in the avenue, I need not go up to the
house."

"Just as you like about that," said Rosamund. "Wouldn't you like to have
a cup of tea? I am sure Lady Jane would be pleased to see you. Are you
not tired? The walk is a somewhat long one."

"I am never tired," replied Mrs. Merriman. "If my dear husband, my
beloved Professor, had even half my strength, we should not be obliged
to keep a school full of troublesome girls at all."

"Indeed! ar