he other, in appearance very much like the
first, but to a smaller pattern.

Their pink cheeks and yellow hair were speedily intermingled with the
folds of Elfride's dress; she then stooped and tenderly embraced them
both.

'Such an odd thing,' said Elfride, smiling, and turning to Stephen.
'They have taken it into their heads lately to call me "little mamma,"
because I am very fond of them, and wore a dress the other day something
like one of Lady Luxellian's.'

These two young creatures were the Honourable Mary and the Honourable
Kate--scarcely appearing large enough as yet to bear the weight of such
ponderous prefixes. They were the only two children of Lord and Lady
Luxellian, and, as it proved, had been left at home during their
parents' temporary absence, in the custody of nurse and governess. Lord
Luxellian was dotingly fond of the children; rather indifferent towards
his wife, since she had begun to show an inclination not to please him
by giving him a boy.

All children instinctively ran after Elfride, looking upon her more as
an unusually nice large specimen of their own tribe than as a grown-up
elder. It had now become an established rule, that whenever she met
them--indoors or out-of-doors, weekdays or Sundays--they were to be
severally pressed against her face and bosom for the space of a quarter
of a minute, and other-wise made much of on the delightful system
of cumulative epithet and caress to which unpractised girls will
occasionally abandon themselves.

A look of misgiving by the youngsters towards the door by which they
had entered directed attention to a maid-servant appearing from the same
quarter, to put an end to this sweet freedom of the poor Honourables
Mary and Kate.

'I wish you lived here, Miss Swancourt,' piped one like a melancholy
bullfinch.

'So do I,' piped the other like a rather more melancholy bullfinch.
'Mamma can't play with us so nicely as you do. I don't think she ever
learnt playing when she was little. When shall we come to see you?'

'As soon as you like, dears.'

'And sleep at your house all night? That's what I mean by coming to
see you. I don't care to see people with hats and bonnets on, and all
standing up and walking about.'

'As soon as we can get mamma's permission you shall come and stay as
long as ever you like. Good-bye!'

The prisoners were then led off, Elfride again turning her attention to
her guest, whom she had left standing at the remote end of