Milly sprang to her feet, flushed with excitement.

'It must be papa!' she cried joyfully.

'Lor', no, miss; don't you go to excite yourself like that. It isn't
your pa; it's a younger gentleman.'

She handed Milly a card.

'Mr. Stormont!' the girl exclaimed, with a disappointed air; 'my
cousin Julian. I am coming to him, of course, Sarah. But I wish you
had given me the card at once.'

'Won't you go and do somethink to your hair, miss? most young ladies
do.'

'O yes, I know; there are girls who would stop to have their hair
done in Grecian plaits, if the dearest friend they had in the world
was waiting for them in the drawing-room. My hair will do well
enough, Sarah.--Come, Mary, you'll come to the house with me, won't
you?'

'Lor', miss, here comes the gentleman,' said Sarah; and then
decamped by an obscure side-path.

'I had better leave you to see him alone, Milly,' I said; but she
told me imperatively to stay, and I stayed.

She went a little way to meet the gentleman, who seemed pleased to
see her, but whom she received rather coldly, as I thought. But I