ill never forget it."

"Bet, you're silly! You know Bob and Phil came."

"They couldn't have done anything. If they had come any nearer, the
canoe would have capsized."

"Did I really do my part? I've been worried about it."

"And then some!" laughed Bet. "You're the heroine of the occasion.
Now let's forget it!"

It seemed as if Kit had only been waiting to get the burden off her
mind before recovering completely. Within a few days she was sitting
up, receiving her friends and was planning on going back to Mrs.
Stacey's.

Colonel Baxter wanted to keep her with them for a while, promising her
all sorts of good times to make up for the unhappiness she had had, but
Mrs. Stacey thought it wiser to take her home.

"Never mind, Kit, we'll have that good time before long. We'll have a
big party and ask all our friends," comforted Bet.

"That sounds splendid," exclaimed the Colonel. "We'll do it as soon as
you get acquainted and find out what young people you like."

"But I don't want you to go home tomorrow," pleaded Bet. "Coax Mrs.
Stacey to leave you another day."

Kit laughed: "Well you know we've coaxed for one more day and then one
more day and got them. No, I think we'd better not say a word. Anyway
I do rather want to get back there."

"I know how you feel, of course. Home is home."

"I tell you what I'd like to do this last afternoon, Bet. I'd like to
go down in the big hall so I can see Lady Betty Merriweather. Let's
spend my last afternoon with her."

Helped by Bet, Kit descended the winding stairway and lay on the couch
where she could see the portrait that she loved. The sun was shining
brightly now and shafts of colored lights, from the stained glass, made
beautiful patterns on the rug. It seemed to give the room just the
romantic setting that belonged to Lady Betty.

The girls liked to imagine sometimes that they had really known the
lady.

"She used to be so gay and happy that everyone loved her," Bet's voice
was dreamy and seemed to come from far away. "And in these very rooms
she held parties that were the talk of the Colonies, for all the great
people here knew her and felt proud to be her guest."

"I should think she must have been the most popular woman in America at
that time."

"I'm sure of it. And she was hardly more than a girl. Only twenty-two
when Lord Cecil brought her here as a bride, to be mistress of the
Manor."

"He must have been terribly proud of her!"