e amusement of the company.

Most of the guests laughed heartily and lavished praises on Hetty's
talent and beauty. Only a few looked shocked, and shook their heads,
saying it was sad to see a child so precocious and cynical.

Mr. and Mrs. Enderby, though disliking the exhibition and thinking it
very bad for the little girl, were obliged to laugh with the rest, and
Mrs. Rushton was delighted and triumphant. Nell laughed more than any
one and clapped her hands wildly, but Phyllis looked on all the time
with a disdainful smile.

"My girls are up too late," said Mrs. Enderby, as she bade them good
night.

"Why did you send for us, then, mother?" said Phyllis.

"I did not, my dear, it was quite your aunt's doing. She wished to amuse
you, I believe."

"Then I wish I had known," said Phyllis, "I would rather have gone to
bed. I did not want to see that ridiculous performance."

"Hetty took some trouble to make us laugh. And if she has not been very
wisely brought up we must not blame her too much for that."

"I do not like her; I wish she would go away," said Phyllis with quiet
determination.

"She is going to-morrow," said Mrs. Enderby.

"She is not a lady, mother, and I am quite tired of her restless ways,"
persisted Phyllis. "I hope she will never come back here."

Mrs. Enderby in her heart echoed this hope, but she controlled her
feeling against Hetty and said:

"I fear your aunt is not the sort of person to understand the bringing
up of a girl; but remember, Phyllis, that I rely on you to help me to be
of service to this poor child. Go to bed now, my daughter, and be wise,
as you usually are."

Phyllis looked troubled, and thought over her mother's words as she lay
in bed. But hers was not one of those natures that relent easily. She
tried to satisfy her conscience by assuring herself that she wished no
ill to Hetty, but quite the reverse. "Only she is different from us,"
she reflected, "and she ought to keep away with the people who suit her.
I hope aunt Amy will not bring her here again."

CHAPTER VIII.

HETTY DESOLATE.

Mrs. Rushton and Hetty departed. Phyllis was satisfied, and everything
went on as usual at Wavertree Hall. No one was sorry to lose the
visitors, except Nell, who was secretly rather fond of Hetty. She was
not a very brave child, and was much influenced by the opinion of
others, especially of those whom she loved and admired; so, though there
was a soft corner in her heart