'I think that is quite fair, and you shall have the
first chance, Susan;' and so I went.

"Florence and Janet were not a bit angry, poor dears! They kissed me and
helped me to pack my things, and Florence offered me one of her
prettiest necklaces, and Janet some wonderful embroidered gloves which
had been given to her by Roger at Christmas. But I was too jealous to
accept any of their trinkets, and I went away with a sore feeling in my
heart. Ah, Lucy! that was a long time ago."

Aunt Susan paused. A spasm of pain crossed her face. After a time she
said slowly, "I enjoyed myself for a week or two. Then came news from
home. The fever which had been lurking in the town for some time reached
our house, and the two beautiful little twins were smitten with it. And
before I could hear again they were both dead. Had I given up my own
way, and let them go to see my old cousin, they might have been alive
now."

"But you--you might have taken the fever. Oh! I think it is fearfully
sad; but how could you know? And you could not be blamed--you could not
really be blamed," said Lucy with great earnestness.

"Perhaps not," said Aunt Susan, recovering herself on the spot. "And I
do not mean to be morbid about it; only, at the time, my conscience
troubled me, and your poor aunty had a very bad time. It was soon
afterwards that my dear father wrote to me, and I shall always keep his
letter. Since then I have never been jealous of any one, and I would
advise you to lay my story to heart, Lucy, and to do your utmost to keep
down the seeds of jealousy, for they make a man or woman miserable, and
they do no good in the world."

Lucy did not know why Aunt Susan's talk affected her so much. She still
kept her hand on the old lady's arm, and they walked slowly up to the
house. As they were approaching it she said suddenly, "Now that I have
seen you, I mean to do my very best. I know it is remarkably brave of
mother to have started the school and to have the girls here, and I know
I ought to help her, and not to be cross because her ideas are not my
ideas. And I will try, and I will remember your story and what you have
said, for you always suit me, and you always understand me, Aunt Susan.
But may I ask you one thing, one great favor?"

"What is that, my dear?" asked her aunt.

"If I find matters quite intolerable, may I come to you for a week to
the Rectory at Dartford--just for one week? Will you invite me?"

"You have a hearty welc