Miss Merivale's Mistake

d to the eager talk that was going on betw

hat Miss Smythe would get her the cup of tea she had promised, when the sound of a

lear, high-pitched voice. "Her people live in Kentish Town, or somewhere

m Kentish Town eve

from The Civil Service Geography all the way. I found the book in her bag yesterday.

unassuming a personage that she had got into the habit of ignoring her. "Of Clare's new amusement, Miss Merivale," she said, with a laugh. Her laugh, like

girl who came here,"

you would think they were reforming the universe. It hasn't dawned on poor Sampson yet that Clare will get tired of the whole business in a month. It is lucky s

of you, Pauline,

even by foolish, flattering little Rose, that she was, in s

lady of an uncertain age, and everybody is satisfied. But you would like some tea. I wish Clare was in. She isn't afraid of that gas stove. I am ashamed to confess that I am. Come out with me while I light it,

oom was the largest room in the little Chelsea flat, and that was smaller than any of the rooms at Wo

sser and put them on the lilliputian table between the gas

th you. It's so dull at Woodcote. An

n her mother returns, I suppose. The flat is only rented for six months. I wish"-She stopped to take off the lid of the tea-kettle and peer earnestly in. "When a kettle boils, little bubbles come to the top, do

fford it," said Rose, with sparkling eyes. "We couldn't come o

ose? Clare seems to like it, though. Her mother wanted Mrs. Richards to stay with us all day, but Clare begged that she might go at three o'clock. And Clare is maid-of-all-work after

she made a pretty picture standing there. Her dress of ruddy brown was made in a graceful, artistic fashion, and was just the right colour to set off her dark eyes and dark, wavy hair. Rose thought her friend beautiful. She had adored her fro

came to the school, it became a matter of course that Pauline should spend her holidays at Woodcote. She had no home of her own, as she often sadly told the girls. She very seldom said more than that, but it was understood in the school that the seal ring she wo

had been once conferred. She had worn the miniature tied round her neck by a blue ribbon when she acted a part in the French play Miss Jephson's pupils prod

n's, a clergyman's widow; but the arrangement did not somehow prove a satisfactory one, and it was a relief to them both when Clare Desborough, whose old admiration for

ly hope was that Rose might be induced to entreat her aunt to let her live in London, so that she might study music at the Royal Acade

LEANT AGAINST THE DRE

finished cutting the bread and butter. "If you wil

y. "What will your aunt think, Rosie? I

wish"-Pauline stopped again, and began a fresh sentence. "You and I would get on better than Clare and I do, Rose. We like the same things. She does not care a bit for music, but I c

ightful! Would you really like to have me? Aunt Lucy might let me come

raid of Tom, Rose. Doesn't he think everything you do is righ

t home to wait on him. You said the o

. Come, strike a blow for your liberty, Rose. You are not really wanted at home, and you are

he spoke. "If only Aunt Lucy wouldn't miss me too much, Paulin

alth has always been mainly imaginary, Rose. When people have nothing else to do, they sink into invalidism. But you are m

ance. She was still absorbed in anxious thought when the girls came in, and after a

the concert typewritten, Rose. He said it would be cheaper.

p edge to it. For some reason or other, Clare's assistant was evidently not a favourite of hers. "

ould you give me he

ow nothing whatever about her, except that she has just come from Australia with some relations who kept a small shop out t

e of chimney-tops, and the little glimpse of the river, grey under the cold March sky. And Pauline was slowly stirring her tea, with her eyes cast down. She was thinking whether it would be wise to drop a

dear?" asked Miss Merivale in her gentle voice. "Does s

writing done, I can easily get a proper person for you. Mrs. Metcalfe got Sampson because she is so cheap. She comes to Clare, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, for some ridiculous sum. If she knew her work, she would have wanted m

mpse of it here," Rose sai

smuts fascinating," she said. "Could you spare her to us for a night or two next week

ging her up for Joachim's concert," she said. "But if Rose wou

with her and Clare. She now broke merrily in. "Clare's two cousins stayed with them for a night

spoken more earnestly. Another time Miss Merivale might have been hur

. "You can write to Miss Smythe to-morrow. Wo

Mrs. Metcalfe to hear you play. She is a brilliant performer herself. We must have a musical afternoon whil

go now, Rosie. The carriage will be waiting. You and Miss Desborough must come and see us, my dear. I am su