came a pause for a short space after dinner, when Dr.
Maryland had gone back to his study. Then there was a demand
for Primrose; one of her Sunday school children wanted her.
Wych Hazel and Mrs. Coles were left alone. Mrs. Coles changed
her seat for one nearer the young lady.

'I have been really anxious to see you, my dear Miss Kennedy,'
she began, benignly.

'Some one of my escapades has reached her ears!' thought the
young lady to herself; 'now if I can give her a good,
harmless, mental shock,--just to bear it out!--I certainly
will.--That sounds very kind,' she said aloud.

'Yes,--you know I heard so much about you when you were a
child, and your connection with this house, and all;--and your
whole romantic story; and now when I learned that you were
grown up and here again, I really wanted to see you and see
how you looked. I must, you know,' she added, with her
peculiar smile.

There was so much in these words that was incomprehensible,
that Wych Hazel for the moment was at a loss for any answer at
all; and waited for what would come next, with eyes rather
larger than usual. Mrs. Coles went on, scanning her carefully
as she spoke, that same smile, half flattering, half assuming,
wreathing her lips.

'I did want very much to see you--I was curious, and I am. Do
tell me--how does it feel to have two guardians? I should
think, you know, that one would be enough for comfort; and the
other is sure to be a jealous guardian. Perhaps you don't mind
it,' added Mrs. Coles, with a face so amiable, that if Wych
Hazel had been a cat it would have certainly provoked a
spring.

The first thing that struck the girl in this speech, was a
certain sinister something, which by sheer instinct of self-
defence threw her into position at once. The outward
expression of it this time, seemed to be just one of the poor
jokes about Mr. Rollo. 'Have you two guardians?' Mr.
Nightingale had said.

'O sometimes I mind one, and sometimes I do not!' she
answered, with a laugh.

'Ah, but _which_ one do you mind?' said Mrs. Coles shrewdly. 'Or
do they both pull together? To be sure, that is to be hoped,
for your sake. It is a very peculiar position! And, I should
think, trying. It would be to me.'

'People say there are a good many trying situations in life,'
said Wych Hazel meekly, watching her antagonist. Why did the
lady seem to her such?

'Yes!' said Mrs. Coles with half a sigh. 'And to be young and
rich and gifted with beaut