gentle and
easily influenced."

"She is a dear little soul," said Rosamund, "and I don't wonder that you
and your sister love her so much."

"Of course we love her; that is just what I say to Em. Of course we
love her, and I don't think it is right of Emily to spend all her time
crying. Her eyes are as red as anything. I never saw anything like it;
and whenever she talks to me it is to say something of the way Agnes has
forsaken her; and Agnes is quite unsuspicious."

"That is just it, and I want her to be unsuspicious. You must be kind to
poor Frosty--forgive me, we always call her Frosty; but at the same time
she must exercise the wonderful and healing influence she possesses over
Irene."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You see, Irene is a very fine character"----

Hugh whistled.

"A fine character!" he said. "What about the toad in the bread-pan? What
about the horrid live things she made poor dear Emily swallow? If Em had
died, she'd have been had up for murder."

"It was a cruel and wicked thing to do; but I am sure she would never do
it now--that is, unless you goaded her to it. You are in the mood to
torment her to do wrong things. It is exceedingly wicked of you, and I
tell you plainly I don't know what I shall do if all my hard work of the
whole summer will be overthrown, unless you make me a solemn promise
before I leave."

"Well, it is good of you to trust me," said Hughie, softening in spite
of himself, for such a bold, handsome, independent girl as Rosamund had
never addressed him in such a way before; and, like all lads, he was
susceptible to a girl's influence.

"I am at a horrid common school," he grumbled. "All the fellows there
say horrid common things; but it is the best that poor old Em can
afford, and I ought to be content. Some day I'll be a tradesman--not a
gentleman. But now Aggie and I are both staying here with gentry of the
first class in every way, and you say you'll be my friend even if I am a
tradesman?"

"My hand on it," said Rosamund suddenly; and she held out her little
white hand, which the boy grasped heartily.

"Now then," she continued, "I am going to tell you my story."

She did tell it, very simply, describing her influence from the very
first over Irene, and contriving to put Irene's character into
altogether a new light to the boy.

"There is the making of a splendid woman in her," she said; "but if you
taunt her now you will undo all the good that I have done.