saying that his father wanted him to go out riding. Mr. Enderby was
already in the saddle, and Mark's pony was waiting beside him at the
door. Mark, who loved a ride, especially in company with his father, at
once vaulted on the pony's back and was soon trotting out of the gates,
laughing and chatting with his papa. He had completely forgotten Hetty,
and the pegs, and the cord that had to be held taut till he should come
back.

In the meantime Hetty was standing just where he had left her, looking
in the direction from which he was to return. A quarter of an hour
passed, and her finger and thumb, which held the string exactly as Mark
had directed, were a little stiff. Another quarter passed, and lest the
cord should relax she changed it from one hand to the other.

"Jack must have gone out," she thought, "and Mark is waiting for him. I
wish he would come back, for I do want to see Mrs. Kane."

However, another quarter passed and Mark did not appear. Hetty was very
cold, for it was damp wintry weather with a sharp wind, and one gets
chilly standing perfectly still so long in the open air. She felt
tempted to put down the string and go to look for Mark, but on
reflection thought it would be disloyal to do so. He should not be
disappointed in her again. Something extraordinary had happened to keep
him away, but he should find her at her post when he came back. Then he
would be sure to forgive her, and she would be happy again.

Another half-hour passed and her toes were half-frozen, and her fingers
and her little nose pinched and red. She wished she had put on her
gloves before she took the cord in her hands. Now she could not drop it
to put them on. The jacket she wore was not a very warm one. Oh, why did
not Mark come back? It occurred to her that perhaps he might be playing
a trick to punish her; but she could not believe he would be so cruel.
Should she drop the string at last, and tell him afterwards that she had
held it as long as she could endure the cold? No, she would go on
holding it. He should see that she could bear something for his sake.

Hetty had been about an hour shivering at her post when Mark, riding
gaily along the road many miles from home, suddenly remembered Hetty and
the cord. He felt greatly startled and shocked at his carelessness. "I
ought to have sent Jack with the pegs to finish the work, and to tell
her I was going to ride," he reflected; "but it can't be helped now. She
will never be suc