lower
tone.

"Well, at any rate I can," cried Audrey, with an effort to recover her
spirits. Here was something more waiting for her to do. It was hard that
her mother, having a garden to look on, should have only this neglected
place with but one spot of brightness in it--the bed that Faith had made
and Debby and Tom had sown with seeds.

Job Toms' herbaceous border was but a melancholy spectacle as yet. He had
sown parsley and put in roots of mint and sage; and then, in Job's own
way, had left the things to look after themselves, to grow or not to grow
as they could or would.

Here was a task to set herself. She would get that bed, and Faith's too,
as pretty as she could. Faith would be so delighted when she came home
and saw it, and they would be able to vie with each other in keeping them
nice, for mother's sake. If Jobey objected, well, he must go on
objecting, and they would try and make him understand, without hurting his
feelings, that a herbaceous border and a herb bed were not one and the
same things.

Audrey's spirits went up with a bound.

"Are you awfully tired with what is called 'Gay'?
Weary, discouraged, and sick,
I'll tell you the loveliest game in the world--
Do something for somebody quick!
Do something for somebody quick!"

She sang blithely and felt in her heart that there was nothing like it for
lifting a load off one's spirits.

"Mother dear," she said, when her mother had eaten her omelette, and laid
aside her knife and fork, "I have been talking to Mary about her holiday.
I thought she ought to have it while the house is so empty, but she does
not want to go. She only wants one day for the Sunday School treat and
one to spend by the sea."

"Yes, dear, of course she can. She must, she so thoroughly deserves it.
And Audrey, I have another plan that I want to talk to you about.
Don't you think it would be nice to ask granny to come and stay with us
while the house is quiet?"

"Granny!" For a moment Audrey's heart leaped with pleasure, then it sank.
Even with all the improvements they had wrought in the house, and the
meals, and the way they were served, everything seemed very different from
what granny was accustomed to at home. What would she do without her
comforts! Audrey's mental eye ran over the carpets, the bed and table
linen; even the best was as shabby as that which granny, at home,
condemned and put aside.

"Are you ashamed for h