an only let them know how grateful you are.
And if a chance comes of doing anything for them--why, do it. Now, you
come along in, my girl, and sit down. You've done enough for one while.
You've got to sit there and rest while I make you a cup of tea.
That's right, the fire's just proper for making a nice bit of toast."

Mona sank down in the arm-chair, and stared about her in speechless
surprise. "Why, it's like a palace! I came home meaning to clean it from
top to bottom, and there's nothing for me to do. Has Mr. Luxmore been
acting the fairy here too, father!"

"No, the fairies in this department were a smaller sort, and more like my
idea of fairies. It's Millie Higgins and Patty that have set this all to
rights for you. They came and begged of me to let them, till I couldn't
refuse any longer. Patty's mother has cooked for me and looked after me
all the time. There never was such folk as Seacombe folk I'm certain
sure. There, there's a nice bit of toast for you, child, and the kettle
just going to boil right out over our shining fender. We'll have a cup of
tea in a brace of shakes now. Then you will feel like a new woman."

"I do that already," said Mona. "I mean," she added softly, "I am going to
try to be, father."

CHAPTER XIV.

More than six months have passed away, and spring has come.
Lucy Carne, strong and well again, is able to walk without even a trace of
a limp. Mona has grown an inch or two, has put up her hair, and
lengthened her skirts.

"You see I must learn to do it nicely by the time Miss Grace wants me,"
she explained, when, on Christmas day, she appeared for the first time
with it coiled about her head. And, for a few weeks after, knew no peace
of mind. "I shall never keep it up," she sighed, "unless I take a hammer
and nails and fix it to my head that way."

Lucy complained that she spent a fortune in hairpins, and her father said
he could always trace where Mona had been by the hairpins strewing the
place.

Lucy and she had been busy since the New Year came in making her uniform,
blue print frocks, and large white linen aprons for the mornings, and a
brown cloth dress and muslin aprons for the afternoons. She was to have
muslin caps too, and white collars and cuffs.

"I don't think black is really more serviceable than any other colour,"
Miss Lester had said when she came to talk to Lucy about Mona, "and I
think I would like to have something new. So I want my ser