in the doorway,
scrutinised the three, and felt a sinking at the heart. Basil Montfort
was a tall boy for his age, slender and wiry, with tow-coloured hair
that stood straight on end, thin lips that curled up at the corners with
a suggestion of malice, and piercing gray eyes, which he had a trick of
screwing up till they were like gimlet points. The second, Merton, was
decidedly better-looking, with pretty curly hair, and blue eyes with an
appealing look in them; but Margaret fancied he looked a little sly; and
straightway took herself to task for the unkind fancy. The little girl
was Basil over again, save that the tow-coloured hair was put back with
a round comb, and the gray eyes widely opened, instead of half shut,
when she looked at any one. All three children were neatly dressed, and
all looked as if they were not used to their clothes.

"Well," said Mr. Montfort at last, after a long, silent look at each one
in turn, "I am very glad to see you, children. I hope we are going to be
good friends. Boys, I was a boy myself, just two or three years ago,--or
it may be four,--so you can ask me about anything you want to know.
Susan, I never was a girl, you see, but that need not make much
difference. Your Cousin Margaret--oh, here _is_ your Cousin Margaret!
She will be good to you, and--and in short, you are all very welcome to
Fernley, and there is a swing in the garden, and the rest you can find
out for yourselves."

Margaret came forward, and shook hands with the boys, and kissed the
little girl warmly. Evidently Susan D. was not used to being kissed, for
she blushed, and her brothers giggled rather rudely, till they caught
Mr. Montfort's eye, and stopped.

"Young gentlemen," said Uncle John, with an emphasis which brought the
blood to Basil's cheek, "dinner will be ready"--he looked at his
watch--"in an hour. I daresay they would like something now, Margaret;
crackers and cheese, gingerbread,--what? You'll find them something."
Mr. Montfort nodded kindly, and strode away to his study. Margaret was
left alone with the three strange children, feeling shyer than ever
before in her life. The meeting with the three cousins of her own age,
two years ago, was nothing to this.

"Are you hungry, boys?" she asked.

"Starving!" said Merton.

"He isn't," said Susan D. "He's been eating all the way, ever since we
left home. He's a greedy,--that's what he is." Then, scared at her own
voice, she hung her head down, and put