in the little family parlor, sitting in the twilight, which
prevented them seeing that she was very pale, and that her eyes were
swollen with weeping.

They displayed before her presents of choice fruit and flowers from
Lady Glenmore, and some curious Indian toys which the little Montfords
had given them.

"O mamma," said Robert, "we have had such a glo-ri-ous day! Arthur
Montford and I got on famously together. I taught him all the English
plays I could think of, and he let me gallop about on his Shetland
pony,--a splendid wild one, mamma,--till I lost my hat, and was all out
of breath, and got thrown three times. Didn't hurt me, though.
Altogether, we had such prime sport, that I wished for that old Bible
hero, Aaron, no, Joshua, to command the sun to stand still, so that our
day would _never_ end."

"And, mamma," broke in little Maud, "dear Lady Glenmore, and her
sister, Lady Fanny, played and sung for us, and showed us pictures and
jewels, and Alice Montford has got such a world of dolls, and her nurse
is such a dark, dark woman, and talks such a queer language, Latin, I
suppose. I did n't pretend to understand it, but I told Alice my papa
could."

"Well, Margaret, dear," said Mr. Rivers, "what is _your_ experience?"

"O papa, it was indeed a charming day; but the best part was while the
ladies were dressing for dinner, when Lord Glenmore took us girls down
to the little lake on the other side of the Castle; and he was so kind
in leading us along by the water, helping us over the bad places, and
plucking flowers for us. He even sat down with us in the grass, and
told us stories, while we made daisy-chains. Then he took us in his
boat on the lake, and rowed about, and, O mamma, what do you think! as
we were passing a thick clump of flags, he parted them with his oar,
and showed us a swan's nest! I thought of Mrs. Browning's poem of
little Ellie, and _her_ 'Swan's Nest among the Reeds.' O, I had almost
forgot! Lord Glenmore intrusted to me the sweetest gift for baby
Alfred: see! this lovely coral necklace. He ordered it expressly from
London, for his little god-son, he said. That makes me think! how is
baby to-night, mamma?"

The time was come. Mrs. Rivers glanced at her husband; but he turned
away his head. He could not tell them. Then, calmly, though her voice
trembled a little, the mother began: "Listen, my darlings, I have
something important to tell you about baby."

The children gathered