it as well
as she could. It was, however, for a surprisingly different purpose.

"Look here, Lilac," said Mrs Greenways carelessly, "you've been a good
deal in the dairy lately, and you ought to have picked up a lot about
it."

"I can make the butter all myself, Aunt," replied Lilac, "without Molly
touching it."

"Well, I hope you're thankful for such a chance of learning," said Mrs
Greenways; "not but what you're a good child enough, I've nothing to say
against you. But what I want to say is this: Molly can't do everything
while I'm laid by, and I think I shall take her from the dairy-work
altogether, and let you do it."

Lilac's eyes shone with delight. Her aunt spoke as though she were
bestowing a favour, and she felt it indeed to be such.

"Oh! thank you, Aunt," she cried. "I'm quite sure as how I can do it,
and I like it ever so much."

"With Agnetta to help you I dessay you'll get through with it," said
Mrs Greenways graciously, and so the matter was settled. Lilac was
dairymaid! No longer a little household drudge, called hither and
thither to do everyone's work, but an important person with a business
and position of her own. What an honour it was! There was only one
drawback--there was no mother to rejoice with her, or to understand how
glad she felt about it. Lilac was obliged to keep her exultation to
herself. She would have liked to tell Peter of her advancement, but
just now he was at work on some distant part of the farm, and she saw
him very seldom, for her new office kept her more within doors than
usual. The good-natured Molly was, however, delighted with the change,
and full of wonder at Lilac's cleverness.

"It's really wonderful," she said; "and what beats me is that it allus
turns out the same."

With this praise Lilac had to be content, and she busied herself
earnestly in her own little corner with increasing pride in her work.
Sometimes, it is true, she looked enviously at Agnetta, who seemed to
have nothing to do but enjoy herself after her own fashion. Since
Lenham fete Bella and she had had some confidential joke together, which
they carried on by meaning nods and winks and mysterious references to
"Charlie." They were also more than ever engaged in altering their
dresses and trimming their hats, and although Lilac was kept completely
outside all this, she soon began to connect it with the visits of young
Mr Buckle. She thought it a little unkind of Agnetta not to let h