Miss Merivale's Mistake

ndon soon after breakfast. Tom was not going to the concert.

eared she must be ill. And he felt sure he must have offended her in some way, for she had s

as to save her trouble. Perhaps he had annoyed her by doing so. At any rate, he would ask her if this was so. Tom's nature was so simple and straig

ose under the impression that she had called at the lawyer's, and it was no

. "I am interested in her, Rose. Did you know that poor Lydia's second husband was named Sampson? It is not at all certain

her heart beat as she said it. Their cousin Lydia was a faint, shadowy figure to them, and the suggestion that Miss Sampson might prove to be related

he said impatiently. "Pauline will be vexed, for sh

ith a twinkle in his blue eyes, "don't you t

in? Don't be so foolish, T

better not mention the possibility to Miss Smythe. It would sh

r you like Pauline or not, Tom," she said. "But I a

ey are very fine people indeed. I always feel I ought to be ashamed tha

"I believe you are always laughing at her, Tom. And it is just because she is clev

of," he said, "and it is going to be dull at Woodcote without her. When will

e a musical At Home on Thursday. But I will come back on Frida

ring look at her. "I daresay Laura would spend a day or two

uickly. "You know she does, Tom. Of course I shall

that morning while Tom and Rose were away. The station was only half a mile from the house, and she did not send to meet her; but she

while yellow catkins sprinkled the bushes above them. A blackbird was singing loudly as Rhoda passed the big chestnut trees by the gate, and a squirrel darted down from a fir and scurried across the drive to hide himself in the little wood. Rhoda waited a moment, hoping for another glimpse of the bright-eyed little fellow. She was

peace, time-worn, yet smiling still, its walls mellowed by the sunshine of many a hundred summers. She would have stood a moment to notice the delightful lines the gables made against the sky, but a figure at one of the deep

out on the garden at the back of the house. She had ample time to notice what a de

nt back to the drawing-room, finding her courage fail her. And when at last she entered, she was s

w now that the fleeting glimpse she had got of her on the staircase had somewhat deceived her. Rhoda was not as pretty as she had thought. Her mouth was a little too wide, and her

w Lydia had written of her dark-eyed girl. Sh

second husband," she said. She had determined after leaving Acacia

ied, though Miss Merivale believed that she herself was the

er own people. She could scarcely remember her father, and could not remember his Christian name. "J. Sampson is written in my little Bible," she said. "It is the only book I have which belonge

ing?" asked Miss

hile. I don't remember him at all. He i

Alister told me. My sister lived in Melb

eeching eagerness in her glance. She unclasped a little locket from her watch-chain and passed it

ling fingers. She rose and went to the window, and s

herself had given it to Lydia one birthday. It was her own hair under the glass, with the ring of

e Rhoda was sitting, and put her hand on he

ide her agitation. "And now can you make yourself happy in the garden for a little while? I want you to stay to luncheon with me. I will tal

n her and the great kindness with which she spoke when she gave her back the locket did not surprise her as it might have surprised a girl more versed in the world's ways. But she was eagerly grateful. S

talked of giving her work, and it was work that Rhoda was pining for. Her

for Aunt Mary to tire her eyes out over that weary needlework. A pound a week would be riches added to the weekly wages Ned brought home and the interest from the money they had laid by for a rainy day. There would be

r of the library to seek for her out of doors. It startled him for a moment to see a strange young lady in the garden, but before

nts they were chatting like old acquaintances. Tom soon found that she loved a garden as much as he did, though this was the first large English garden

them talking to each other. For the first time she s