nd to invite
Mrs Maitland and Miss Phelps to drive up in a pony cart stored with
provisions for an out-of-door tea. Everything was arranged--cakes were
baked, sandwiches cut, cream and milk corked up in bottles, and a basket
packed with every requisite--when, "of course," as Elsie had it, the
rain descended in sheets, and the project was frustrated.

The usual scene of grumbling and ejaculating followed, before the girls
could resign themselves to their fate. To settle down to practise and
study seemed unbearably dreary after looking forward to such a charming
excursion; but there was nothing else to be done, so they marched
sulkily to their different occupations, and did not meet again until
after four o'clock. Then the schoolroom party joined Lilias in the
library, and were about to summon Nan from the attic, when Mary entered,
bringing a card on a salver.

Some one had been brave enough to face the elements, and pay a call in
the midst of a downpour of rain. Whom could it be? Lilias examined the
card with curious eyes, and turned in surprise towards her sisters.

"Miss Thacker! Don't know her from Adam. Who in the world is Miss
Thacker?"

"Oh--er--er--Wait a moment and I'll remember!" cried Agatha, ruffling
her hair in reflection. "I've heard the name, I'm sure--I know! She's
the creature who's come to Willow Cottage. She called once before, and
mother said she could not for the life of her decide whether she was
quite mad, or only three-quarters. What can she want?"

"Have to go and see, I suppose. Or stay, I'll bring her in here, to
have some tea, and then you can help me to entertain her; but whatever
you do, don't laugh! It's awfully bad form to make fun of a visitor."
And Lilias left the room, to return followed by a tall female figure,
which certainly approached perilously near the grotesque in appearance.

An old-fashioned poke bonnet and a gauze veil shaded a solemn white
face, braids of red hair fell over the cheeks, horn-rimmed spectacles
covered the eyes, while the absence of two front teeth gave a singularly
blank and unpleasant expression to the mouth. A merino shawl was folded
across the shoulders, and a venerable silk skirt dripped with rain upon
the carpet. An extraordinary-looking figure indeed; and it would appear
that eccentricity was not confined to appearance only, for the stranger
returned the girls' salutations with wriggles of the body, and began at
once to talk in a soft