s of England." She was sincere, good-tempered, and
affectionate; not over-clever, being more gifted with heart than brains;
rather vain, which fault her extreme prettiness half excused; always
anxious to do right, yet, from a want of decision of character, often
contriving to do wrong.

But she completely charmed the simple Olive with her beauty, her
sparkling, winning cheerfulness, and her ready sympathy. So they became
the most devoted friends. Not a day passed without their spending some
portion of it together--Olive teaching the young Londoner the pleasures
of the country; and Sara, in her turn, inducting the wondering Olive
into all the delightful mysteries of life, as learnt in a large home
circle, and a still larger circle of society. Olive, not taking aught
from the passionate love with which she looked up to her mother, yet
opened her warm heart to the sweetness of this affection--so fresh, so
sudden, so full of sympathetic contact. It was like a new revelation in
her girlhood--the satisfying of a thirst, just beginning to be felt. She
thought of Sara continually; delighted in being with her; in admiring
her beauty, and making interests out of every interest of hers. And to
think that her friend loved her in return brought a sensation of deep
happiness, not unmixed with gratitude.

Sara's own feelings may be explained by one sentence of a letter which
she wrote to an old schoolfellow. Therein she told how she had found
"such a dear, loving, gentle thing; a girl, not pretty--even slightly
deformed; but who was an amusing companion, and to whom she could
confide everything. Such a blessing in that dull place, Oldchurch!"

Poor little Olive!

CHAPTER XII.

As the summer advanced, Olive Rothesay and her new friend, sanctioned
by the elders of both families, took long walks together, read, and
practised. Not that Olive practised, for she had no voice, and little
knowledge of music; but she listened to Sara's performances for hours,
with patience, if not with delight. And when they talked--oh, what talks
those were!

Now, reader, be not alarmed lest we should indulge you with the same. Go
back into your own _repertoire_ of early friendships, and that will suit
us quite as well Still, we may just say that these young friends flitted
like bees over every subject under heaven, and at last alighted on the
subject most interesting at their age--love.

It is curious to note how the heart first puts out its te