her, and made her awkward and ungracious. "Don't, Mary," she said,
disengaging herself; "never mind; I shall always come and see you;
and when I grow up, you shall come to live with me at Caergwent. And
you know, when they write a big red book about me, they will put in
that you brought me up."

"Write a big red book about you, Kate!"

"Why," said Kate, suddenly become very learned, "there is an immense
fat red and gold book at Mr. Brown's, all full of Lords and Ladies."

"Oh, a Peerage!" said Mary; "but even you, my Lady Countess, can't
have a whole peerage to yourself."

And that little laugh seemed to do Mary good, for she rose and began
to rule the single lines for Kate's letter. Kate could write a very
tidy little note; but just now she was too much elated and excited to
sit down quietly, or quite to know what she was about. She went
skipping restlessly about from one chair to another, chattering fast
about what she would do, and wondering what the aunts would be like,
and what Armyn would say, and what Charlie would say, and the watch
she would buy for Charlie, and the great things she was to do for
everybody--till Mary muttered something in haste, and ran out of the
room.

"I wonder why Mary is so cross," said Kate.

Poor Mary! No one could be farther from being cross; but she was
thoroughly upset. She was as fond of Kate as of her own sisters, and
was not only sorry to part with her, but was afraid that she would