The Two Sides of the Shield

uld see Constance Hacket, when she heard 'Hur

ot us a holiday that we may help get ready for the G.F.S.! Mamma ha

led her round and round in an exulting dance, extremely unpleasant to s

he same time, 'ye're daft! Gae doon canny, and keep yo

ithout waiting to hear th

r prayers, having been with Gillian and Harry to survey the scene of operations, and to judge of the da

ield. 'Happily, our equipages are not on a large scale, a

have to address double ranks of umbrell

hour is eight, but we were told 'all the other ladies were satisfied.' I do beli

me the locked letter-bag was delivered to Lady Merri

s on the qui vive for a letter from Maude Sefton, and devoured her aunt and the bag with her eyes. She was quite sure that among the bundle of post-cards that were taken out there was a

ng round her, the forecasts in the paper, the cats washing their faces, the swallows flying low, the upshot being that it might be fine, but that emergencies were to be prepared for. A

there is a letter for

Miss Sefton, and there is none from her,' said

etters from w

your age, and I know your father would not wish it. Tell m

gainst the person she was thinking of, but she had an

scopic zoophytes. He said he did not know whether anything would come of it, but, in case it sh

ady Merrifield, 'you shall h

and everybody else into the whirl of preparation; while Dolores remained, feeling absolutely certain that a letter was being withheld from her, and sh

olly? 'Tis such fun! I'm c

ery that she had packed and carried sae mony miles by sea and land should be waured on a wheen silly feckless taupies that

rm, paused to repeat, 'Are you not coming Dolly?

ere made on the flower garden to fill them. Little scarlet flags, with the name of each parish in white, were placed to direct the parties of guests to their places, and Harry, Macrae, and the little groom were adorning the beams with festoons. The men from the coffee-tavern supplied the ess

will you come

ble to ask Aunt Lilias yet, and

did sh

Aunt Lilias approved of visi

e. 'She does come and teach, certainly, but she stays ever so long tal

's own children

them by each plate, leaving Dolores to herself, which she found dull. The other two, however, came back again, and the work continued, but the talk was en

fruit and cakes, vases of flowers and little flags, establishments of teac

t, till the pony-chaise, waggonette, and Mrs. Blackburne's carriage came t

red ribbon, to show to which parish they belonged. There was a bright, short service, in which the clear, high voices of the multitudinous maidens quite overcame those of the choir

hment; but another shower was impending, and Miss Hacket, declaring that Conny must not get wet, rushed up and packed

you forget that Miss H

black as thunder, and Miss Hacket protested that

at again, for there was nothing more dangerous. Indeed, there was more anger in Lady Merrifield's tone than her niece had yet heard, and as there was no making out that there was the least injury to the girl, she was forced to walk home, in spite of all Miss Hacket's protestations and refusals, which had nearly ended in her exposing herself to the s

Hacket walk after all she has done

ed no answer, bu

plies doubly

emember the pink and blue glazed calico banners crowned with summer snowballs? And the big drum? What a nice-looking set of girls! How pleasant to se

ing quite poe

who that lady is; I ought to know her, I'm sure! Oh, Miss Smith, good morning. How many girls have you brought? Oh! the crimson rosettes, are they? Y

aring the edges of her dress to be damp and going off to change it, though Aunt Jane pinched the ki

d avail herself of the excuse; but though the young lady must have seen her go, she never attempted to follow; and Dolores, feeling her o

te who had time to swallow it, and Constance Hacket talking away to a sandy-haired curate, without so much as seeing her friend! Only Wilfred, at sight of his cousin again, getting up a violent mock cough, declaring that he thought she had gone to bed with congealed lungs or else Brown Titus, as the old women called it. His mother, however, heard the cough-which, indeed, was too remarkable a sound not to attract a

rector, Mr. Leadbitter, fatherly and prosy;-a paper read by the Branch Secretary, about affairs in general; and a very amusing speech by Miss Mohun, full of anecdotes of example and warning. 'You know,' she said, 'all the school story-books end-w

ny!' muttered L

-three, nor tell what is the capital of Dahomey, as I dare say every one here can do, but I'll tell you what she did, and that was, her best, and there she has been ever since; and the last time I saw her was sitting up in her housekeeper's room, in her silk gown, with her master's grandchildren hanging about her, respected and loved by us all. And I knew another, a much clever girl at school, with prettier ways to begin with, but-I'm sorry to say, her finger were too clever, and it was not very happy ever after, though she did right herself.' And then Aunt Jane went on to the difficulties of having to deal with such quantities of pots and pans, and knives and forks, and cloths and brushes, each with a u

t comical way, and the girls, as well

rather bald head, a fluffy, light beard touched with white, dancin

ried with one glad voice, 'Oh! Ro

down to look you up. I met Harry at the house, and he told

hould fall on all this

om for the world. What is it, Lily? Temper

u are come, you shall save me from what has been my b

you know nothing about it,' added Miss Mohun.

ly business than if Lady Merrifield had performed it, for he had something droll to observe to each girl. One he pretended to envy, telling her he had worked hard for may a year, and never got such a card as that for it-far less five shillings. Another he was sure kept her pans bright, and always knew which was which; a very little one wa

n to the great loft over the stable, where they could enjoy themselves. Each associate was to gather her own flock and bring them in order. Lady

ndsome and graceful Lady Merrifield, with her beautiful eyes. It worried Dolores, who thought it rather foolish to be pretty, except in the

t down to it, and began playing dance music, while Miss Mohun, Miss Hacket, and the other ladies began arranging couples for a country dance-all girls, of course, except that Lord Rotherwood danced with the tiny premium girl, and Harry with Primrose. Wilfred and Fergus could not be inc

nt Dolores out, for presently he made his way to the little dark figure in the window, an

ken in here! It reminds me of what Beechcroft used to be to me when I was a stray fish, though not quit

ught Dolores, as a wal

d. 'Come along. You know how,

maidens who had never seen dancing in their lives. Dolores, afraid to refuse, and certainly flatt

shaken her out of the dumps,' observ

it if any

window, called her a dear thing whom she had not been able to get to all this time, sat rather forward with an arm round her waist for the next half-hour,

Merrifield, 'it's so like

ould have, Mysie,' said her mo

e looked at, the music turned to the National Anthem, everybody stood up, or stood

ancing itself, provided that the place, the manner, and the companions are fit. I hope that you will all prove the truth of my words, by not taking this pl

of cheering. There was a hunting up of ulsters and umbrellas; one associate after another got her flock together, a

had gone to recruit after the season; and, as he meant to cross at night, had come to spend a few hours with his cousin. Th

es me that Rotherwood could satisfy your mind about that letter. He would know

ord Rotherwood. 'You don't mean

much to be apprehended that he will,' said Mi

ill examination, a letter to her, in case it should be from hi

ice the justice to say that he was considerably cool about it; but the end of it was that there was an unaccountable deficit, and my lady said it served me right. I was a fool, as I always am, and gave way to the poor woman about not bringing it home to him. And she insisted

writes to

she can have no such thing w

t?' said Lady Merrifiel

ning light. 'I know the fellow's fist

ef!' said La

her unopened. Your only safety is in maintaining your right to

was you, Brownie?

a comfort; it is simply that the gentleman that the house is let to has found this note to her somew

ogetic,' said Jane. 'Assert your rig

ifield, hardly hearing either of them, hurried on in search of her ni

t it before. You must not mind, Dolly. I know it is very disagreeable; but every one

for its detention offended her, and she was aggrieved at the prospe

o a merry meal, where the elders plunged into old stories, and went on capping each others' recollections and making fun, to the extreme delight of the young folk, who had often been entertained with

ord Rotherwood; 'a chance one doesn't get every da

touches at Auckland before going

etween them,' said Miss Mohun, 'though it ma

'She wrote, only it was too late, to propose hi

rquess. 'You have one of your flock wi

keness is a little within as well as without-but we poor creatures who have been tumbled about the w

ust be spontaneous-ca

rriage at the door

lad you're settled here, Lilias. I feel as if a so

be a G.F.S. day n

her out of the clutches of the governesses for a day, but it is a har

dangerous element

ent the length of one of my lady's governesses, who declared that she h

ef were you

d Cromwellian abridgement with some of Lily's old caval

fall on you t

sive dignity such as neither poor little Fly nor I could stand, and afterwards b

iss your train, it will be by cruelty to animals. No, you've not

omorrow it's all owing to your unpitying punctua

the front door, while he drove off. 'He is like a gust of ol

unt Ada. 'I always thought she marrie

en he gets a holiday, and then the real creature breaks out again. But it

o much tired, children, servants, and all, that prayers were read early, and all went to their rooms. Yet, tired as she was

n about Rotherwoo

that could have happened. It is only another of the

u don't know how often I feel as if

bout. Poor fellow! he never really

t mean it! I

larm or two about Rotherwood himself. Well, he was very good, half from obedience, half from being convinced that it would be a selfish thing, and especially from being wholly convinced that Phyl's feelings were not stirred. That was the way I came to know about it, for papa took me out for a drive in the old gig to ask what I thought about her heart, and I could truly and honestly say she had never found it, cared for Rotherwood just as she did for Reggie, and was not the sort to think whether a man was attentive to her. Besides, she was eighteen, and he thirty-one, and she thought him venerable. I believe, if he had asked her then, she might have taken him (because Cous

he di

vince himself, as well as other people, tha

cht to us at Gibraltar, and were so bright! We had a wonderful little journey into Spain together, and how Jasper enjoyed it! Little did I think I was

pared for his turning up at Beechcroft, but not at all for what I saw before he had been ten minutes in the house, that it was Phyllis that he meant, and had meant all along! Dear Harry! it almost made up for its not being Rotherwood. Well, poor Ada! It hadn't gone too deep, happily, and I opened her eyes in time to hinder any demonstration that could have left pain and shame-at least, I think so; but poor Ada has had too many little fits for one to have told much more than another. I believe Phyl did tell Harry that he meant Ada, but she let herself be convinced to the contrary; and the only objection I have to it is his having taken that appointment at Auckland, and carried her out of reach of any of us. However, it was be