s ears:

"It's all very well to talk, Susy, but I'm quite sick of you and your
mysteries, and I _will_ know what you're hiding under your apron."

"I can't tell you, mother. It's a secret between Miss Ermengarde and
me."

"Well, show it to me, anyhow. _I_ don't mind your talking to miss,
though the family make such a fuss about it. If it's anything she gave
you, you might as well show it to your mother, Susy."

"Yes, she did give it to me; she gave it to me yesterday."

"Well, show it to me."

"No, no; that I won't."

"What is it? you might tell me that."

Marjorie distinctly heard Susy's pleased childish laugh.

"Oh, you'll never guess," she said; "it is so pretty--all sorts of
color, blue and pink and white, and--and----But you _shan't_ see, that
you shan't."

Before Marjorie could hear more Eric hurried back.

"Now we'll have a game of cricket," he said to his sister.

Marjorie followed him without a word. She was a very good cricketer
for a little girl, and she and Eric often had a jolly game together.
The two went to the cricket-field, and the game began.

On Eric's side it was vigorously played; but had Marjorie's arm lost
its cunning? Her bowling went wide of the mark, Eric proposed that he
should bowl, and she should bat. This made matters no better. Finally
he stopped the game in disgust.

"You're awfully changed, Mag," he said, half between sorrow and anger.
And then he marched out of the field. He felt an intense pity for
Marjorie. "She always was a good, boyish sort of a girl," he said to
himself, "but she's getting like the rest of them. Girls are a poor
lot, and she's like the rest."

At another time Marjorie could not have borne to see Eric look at her
sorrowfully. She took no notice now, however, but the moment her
brother left the field, she turned on her own heel and went back to
the Collinses' cottage. Mrs. Collins had gone out, but Susy was
standing by the door. Susy wore a blue cotton frock to-day, and her
curly hair was pushed back from her fair and pretty face. She was
standing in the porch talking to the canary. He was pouring out a
flood of song, and Susy was looking up at him, and trying to bring
notes something like his from her rosy lips.

On ordinary occasions Marjorie, remembering the home mandate, would
not have entered into any prolonged conversation with Susy. She forgot
all this now in her eagerness and desire for information.

"Susy!"

"Yes, Miss Marjorie."

S