certainly are a most unsympathetic person," said Mrs. Rushton; and
she went away feeling herself much ill-used, and firmly believing
herself to be the only kind-hearted member of her family.

"After all, William," said Mrs. Enderby to her husband, "you ought not
to be too hard upon Amy, for you see she has given up talking of going
abroad with Lady Harriet."

"True; I have noticed that. Yet I fear she will not relinquish one folly
without falling into another."

"Her present whim is at all events an amiable one," said Mrs. Enderby
gently. "Let us hope no harm may come of it.'

"I should think it all most natural and right if any other woman than
Amy were in question," said Mr. Enderby; "but one never knows to what
extravagant lengths she will go."

The warnings of her brother had the effect of making Mrs. Rushton still
more eager in her attendance on the child, and a few days after she had
been "lectured" by him, as she put it to herself, she astonished good
Mrs. Kane by saying:

"I think she is quite fit to be moved now, Mrs. Kane, and the doctor
says so. I am going to take her home with me for a week for change of
air."

"Laws, ma'am, you never mean it!"

"But I do mean it. I am going to fatten her up and finish her cure."

"Well, ma'am, I'm sure you are the kindest of the kind. To think of you
troubling yourself and putting yourself out, and all for our little
Hetty."

"That is my affair," said Mrs. Rushton laughing; "I don't think a mite
like that will disturb my household very much. Just you pack her up, and
I will carry her off with me to-morrow at three."

The next day the lady carried off her prize, greatly delighted to think
of how shocked her brother would be when he heard of her new "folly." As
soon as she had introduced Hetty to all her dogs, and cats, and rabbits,
Mrs. Rushton went to her desk and wrote a note to her sister-in-law
inviting the entire Wavertree family to spend a day at Amber Hill, which
was the name of her charming dwelling-place.

When, on a certain morning, therefore, the Wavertree carriage stopped at
the foot of the wide flight of steps, flanked by urns of blooming
flowers, which led up to Mrs. Rushton's great hall door, the mistress of
Amber Hill was seen descending the stone stair leading a little child by
the hand. This was Hetty, dressed in a white frock of lace and muslin,
and decked with rose-coloured ribbons.

"Isn't she a little beauty?" said Mrs. Rushton, smiling