tiful!" She turned, and Mr. Clemcy, who was
regarding her, smiled, and they struck up a friendship on the spot.

"Miss Salisbury, allow me." Mr. Clemcy was leading her off. Miss
Anstice, not trusting the ill-fated white gown, rustled after in the
black silk one, with Miss Ophelia, down the wide hall, open at the end,
with vistas of broad fields beyond, where the host paused. "Let the
young ladies come," he said; and the girls trooped after, to crowd
around the elder people.

Amongst the palms and bookcases, with which the broad hall was lined,
was a pedestal, whose top was half covered with a soft, filmy cloth.

Mr. Clemcy lifted this, and took it off carefully. There stood the
little vase, presenting as brave an appearance as in its first
perfection.

[Illustration: THERE STOOD THE LITTLE VASE, PRESENTING AS BRAVE AN
APPEARANCE AS IN ITS FIRST PERFECTION.]

Miss Salisbury uttered no exclamation, but preserved her composure by a
violent effort.

"I flatter myself on my ability to repair my broken collection," began
Mr. Clemcy, when a loud exclamation from the girls in front startled
every one. Miss Anstice, on the first shock, had been unable to find
that composure that was always "sister's" envied possession; so despite
the environment of the black silk gown, she gave it up, and sank
gradually to the ground.

"I told you so," cried Clem, in a hoarse whisper to her nearest
neighbors; "she always spoils everybody's fun," as Miss Anstice, at the
host's suggestion, his sister being rendered incapable of action at this
sudden emergency, was put to rest in one of the pretty chintz-covered
rooms above, till such time as she could recover herself enough to join
them below.

"I couldn't help it, sister," she said. "I've been so worried about that
vase. _You_ don't know, because you are always so calm; and then to see
it standing there--it quite took away my breath."

Oh, the delights of the rose-garden! in which every variety of the
old-fashioned rose seemed to have had a place lovingly assigned to it.
Sweetbrier clambered over the walls of the gardener's cottage, the
stables, and charming summer-houses, into which the girls ran with
delight. For Mr. Clemcy had said they were to go everywhere and enjoy
everything without restraint.

"He's a dear," exclaimed Lucy Bennett, "only I'm mortally afraid of
him."

"Well, I'm not," proclaimed Alexia.

The idea of Alexia being in any state that would suggest fear, being s