to bring our grape-vine swing to a
standstill, there was a slow rending and
breaking which struck terror to our
souls.

"Jump!" commanded Norah --
"jump! the vine's breaking!" We
leaped at the same moment, she safely.
My foot caught in a stout tendril, and
I fell headlong, scraping my forehead
on the ground and tearing a triangular
rent in the pretty, new frock. Mother
came running forward, and the expres-
sion on her face was far from being
the one I liked to see.

"What have you been doing?" she
demanded. "I thought you were get-
ting old enough and sensible enough to
take care of yourself!"

I must have been a depressing sight,
viewed with the eyes of a careful
mother. Blood and mould mingled on
my face, my dress needed a laundress
as badly as a dress could, and my shoes
were scratched and muddy.

"And who is this girl?" asked
mother. I had become conscious that