too plainly before our eyes. Dear mother, I realize now what that
silence must have cost her!

When breakfast was over, and Uncle Geoffrey busily engrossed with
his paper, I used to steal into the kitchen and have a long confab
with Deborah, and then Jack and I made our bed and dusted our room to
save Martha, and by that time I was ready to start to the Cedars; but
not until I had convoyed Jack to Miss Martin's, and left her and her
books safely at the door.

Dot used to kiss me rather wistfully when I left him with his
lesson-books and paint-box, waiting for mother to come down and
keep him company. Poor little fellow, he had rather a dull life of
it, for even Jumbles refused to stay with him, and Smudge was out in
the garden, lazily watching the sparrows. Poor little lonely boy,
deprived of the usual pleasures of boyhood, and looking out on our
busy lives from a sort of sad twilight of pain and weakness, but
keeping such a brave heart and silent tongue over it all.

How I enjoyed my little walk up High street and across the wide,
sunshiny square! When I reached the Cedars, and the butler admitted
me, I used to run up the old oak staircase and tap at the nursery
door.

Nurse used to courtesy and withdraw; Flurry and I had it all to
ourselves. I never saw Miss Lucas until luncheon-time; she was more
of an invalid than I knew at that time, and rarely left her room
before noon. Flurry and I soon grew intimate; after a few days were
over we were the best of friends. She was a clever child and fond of
her lessons, but she was full of droll fancies. She always insisted