shown itself finer but for the overhanging mass of hair. Vera and
Paulina were so much alike and so nearly of the same age that they
were often taken for twins, but on closer inspection Vera proved to
be the prettiest, with a more delicately cut nose, clearer
complexion, and bluer eyes; but Paulina, with paler cheeks, had
softer eyes, and more pencilled brows, as well as a prettier lip and
chin, though she would not strike the eye so much as her sister.
Little Thekla was a round-faced, rosy little thing, childish for her
nearly eleven years, smiling broadly and displaying enough white
teeth to make Magdalen forebode that they would need much attention
if they were not to be a desight like Agatha's.

She sat between Mrs. Best and Magdalen; and in the first pause, when
the first course had just been distributed, she looked up with a
great pair of grey eyes, and asked, in a shrill, clear little voice,
"Sister, may I have a bicycle?"

"We will see about it, my dear," returned Magdalen, unwilling to
pledge herself.

"But haven't you got a fortune?" undauntedly demanded Thekla.

"Something like it, Thekla. You shall hear about it after dinner."
And Magdalen felt her colour flushing up under all those young eyes.

"Kitty Best said--"

But here Mrs. Best interposed. "We don't talk over such things at
table, Thekla. Take care with the gravy. Did Mr. Jones give a
lesson, this morning?"