the cherry-tree.'

'And Miss Browning said she had fretted herself into a headache with
thinking how they had left you behind. I am afraid you'll be as bad as
a bill of fare to them to-night. How did it all happen, goosey?'

'Oh, I went by myself to see the gardens; they are so beautiful! and I
lost myself, and sate down to rest under a great tree; and Lady
Cuxhaven and that Mrs. Kirkpatrick came; and Mrs. Kirkpatrick brought
me some lunch, and then put me to sleep on her bed,--and I thought she
would waken me in time, and she did not; and so they'd all gone away;
and when they planned for me to stop till to-morrow, I didn't like
saying how very, very much I wanted to go home,--but I kept thinking
how you would wonder where I was.'

'Then it was rather a dismal day of pleasure, goosey, eh?'

'Not in the morning. I shall never forget the morning in that garden.
But I was never so unhappy in all my life, as I have been all this long
afternoon.'

Mr. Gibson thought it his duty to ride round by the Towers, and pay a
visit of apology and thanks to the family, before they left for London.
He found them all on the wing, and no one was sufficiently at liberty
to listen to his grateful civilities but Mrs. Kirkpatrick, who,
although she was to accompany Lady Cuxhaven, and pay a visit to her
former pupil, made leisure enough to receive Mr. Gibson, on behalf of
the family; and assured him of her faithful remembrance of his great
professional attention to her in former days in the most winning
manner.