and accompanying her was another girl, who was not so
tall and was very slender, with an ethereal sort of face, and large,
speaking grey eyes.

The tall girl rushed up to where the little Mummy was standing.

"Here I am, Mummy," she said, "and this is Kitty, and we are both tired
and hungry, and glad to see you again. Is there any sort of trap for our
luggage, or can the porter take it and shall we walk to the cottage?"

"The cottage is just as small as ever it was, Florence," replied the
little Mummy. "Oh, I am so glad to see you, Miss Sharston." Here she
shook hands with Kitty Sharston.

"We like things small," said Kitty; "we want to have a real charming
time in the country. It is very good of you to consent to take me in,
Mrs. Aylmer."

A porter now appeared. Florence bustled off to see to the luggage, and
Mrs. Aylmer and Kitty slowly left the station. Florence ran after them
in a moment or two.

"Well," she said, "here we are! Both of us have done with school for
ever and a day. We are grown-up girls ready to take our place in the
world, and to give you a right good time, Mummy; isn't that so, Kitty?"

"Yes," said Kitty, in that gentle voice which always had a pathetic
ring in it. Then she added after a moment's pause: "But I don't know
that I am glad to have left school; I must confess that I enjoyed the
last few years at Cherry Court School immensely."

"Don't talk to me of Cherry Court School," said the widow, with a little
shudder.

She glanced round in an inquiring way at Florence, who coloured faintly
and then said, in a stout voice: "I have repented of that old sin long
ago, and I do not in the least mind having Cherry Court School alluded
to. I have had a right good time, and it was a very lucky thing for me I
did not win that Scholarship, for if I had I should have been eating the
bread of dependence now, whereas--" Here she drew herself up, uttered a
quick sigh, and looked ahead of her.

Her face was not handsome, but it was bright and taking. She was a head
and shoulders taller than the little Mummy, who gazed at her with
something of her old expression of mingled affection and fear. Florence
had quite double the strength of the little Mummy, and this astute
personage was aware of the fact.

They reached the tiny house, where Sukey was standing on the steps,
looking not a day older than she had done six years ago. She dropped a
curtsey when she saw Florence, but Florence ran up and wrung her