The Two Sides of the Shield

Dolores it appeared that there was nothing but bustle and confusion, from the day of her conversation wi

legram from Plymouth, had disconcerted his plans, and when he found that his eldest brother would come and meet

rl was seen to shed came in church on the last Sunday evening, blinding and choking, and she could barely restrain her sobs. Her father would have taken her

, and, as she heroically told Maude in their last interview, she was determined to make the best of it. She would endure the unjust aunt, and jealous, silly cousins, and be so clever, and wise, and superior, that she would force them to admire and respect her, and by-and-by follow her example, and be good and sensible, so that when father came home, he would find them acknowledging

s cabin, and looked with a dull kind of entertainment at all the curious arrangements of the big ship. It seemed more like

at Dolores rather anxiously, afraid, perhaps, that she was crying, and put her into the carriage, then ru

the morning been keeping up with the two men's hasty steps, and though an excellent meal had been set before her in the ship, she had not been able to swallow much, and she was a good deal worn out. So when at last they reached Exeter, and finding there would be two hours to wait, her uncle asked whether she would come down into t

on the platform, so as to get into a better light to see the face of her mother's little Swiss watch, which her father had just m

looking up she saw Mr. Flinders' huge, bushy, ligh

iled this

! Ticket wasted

ome back till the shi

ome exclamati

are yo

un-my eldest uncle. He

histled a note

with him, poor lit

ith my Aunt Lilias

he

d Grange, nea

ou cut all your poor mother's connections. So ther

of the stairs she spied the welcome sight of his grey locks and burly figure. Before he had descended, h

ould not tell him. They were settled in the carriage again, and she was tolerably refreshed. Mr. Mohun fell asleep, and she, after reading by the lamp-li

and she was lifted out and set on the platform, with gas all round. Her uncle was saying, 'We didn't get away in time for t

cavern of a closed waggonette, and, after a little lumbering, her uncle

before a door full of light, with figures standing up dark in it. She heard a 'Well, William!' 'Well Lily, here we are at last!' Then there were arms embracing her

to eat, and her aunt saw how it was, and telling Harry to take care of his uncle, she took the hand-thoug

; but I thought you would

thought; while her aunt added, to a tall, thi

. Halfpenny. You will make her comfortable, and don't let he

words, till it came to-'Your prayers, Miss D

time she was always being driven up-up-up endless stairs, by tall, cruel aunts; or they were shutting her up to do all their children's work, and keeping away father's letters from her. Then she awoke and told herself it was a dream, but she missed the noises of the street, and the patch of light on the wall from the gas lamps, and recollected that father was gone, and she was

ch had stopped; she had been too much tired to remember to wind it; and she lay a little while hearing sounds th

me for being late,' she thoug

, the old nurse knocked and

ed to dress myself,' sai

l gone to breakfast, only my lady said you were not to be distur

been young. She brushed and plaited the dark hair in a manner that seemed to the owner more wearisome and less tender than Caroline's fashion; and did not talk m

lores, who did not like any str

th all the determination of the sergeant, her husband, and Dolores, with a sense of despair, and a sort

he railway, and evening and morning, needed a better brushing and setting to rights than s

o tell the truth, she was a good deal tired of her hot and fusty black; and when she had followed Mrs. Halfpenny into a passage where the boxes stood

me put

lue braid, and you in mou

ow a great display of black legs; but as the box containing the clothes in present wear had not come to hand, this must stand for the present-and besides, a voice was heard, saying, 'Is Dora ready?' and a young person darted

brown hair, dark brown eyes full of merriment, and a bright rosy colour, and she danced on her

as stood like a lamb,' said Mrs. Halfpenny reprovi

aprons like this. 'Why, my sisters had them for tennis, befor

id the new-comer, as the

cause if the boys heard they might tease you so about it; for Wilfred is a tease, and there's no stopping him when mam

'and if I am not to have my name, I like that

e; 'it is more out of the

las, etc., ranged round, and a great white cockatoo upon a stand, who observed-'Mysie, Cockie wants his breakfast,' as they went by towards the door, whence proceeded a hubbub of voices and a clatter of knives and jingle of teaspoons and cups, a room that as Mysie thr

es without number were levelled o

she kept it for you, betwe

end, but at the middle of the table-while all that could be desired to eat and drink found its way at once to Dolores, who had arrived at being hungry now, and was glad to have the employment for hands and eyes, instead of feeling herself gazed at. She was not so much occupied,

rl were opposite. Harry, who had come to meet them last night, was at one end of the table, a tall girl, but still a schoolroom girl, was at the other, and Mysie had been lost sig

hin and wizen-looking, and when he saw her eyes on him, he made up an ugly face, which he got rid of like a flash o

w white threads. Her complexion was always of a soft, paly, brunette tint, and though her cheeks showed signs that she was not young, her dark, soft, long-lashed eyes and sweet-looking lips made her face full of life and freshness; and t

less, and two of the boys began

ly; but they stopped directly. 'We will say grace,' s

ttle fat hands were put together, a little clear voice

like,' she said. 'Ha

ul little maiden with rich chestnut wavy curls. They all paused at the door, the boys making a

ep that custom up

it to be the habit among us; and I find it a g

ted, military nonsense. She would never give in

me to the door, in which Hal was to drive Uncle William to the station. Everybody flocked to the door to bid him good-bye, and then Aunt Lil

thank you,' the girl answ

I am not going to give a holiday, because I think people get more pleasantly acquainted over something, than over n

ho thought she would now establish her pre-em

en, when you h

long waiting, 'she says she had ra

had been called

,' with a str

uld call this home,' said Lady Merrifield, looking as if she would have kissed her niece on the slightest encouragement, but no one ever loo