dwards believed to have been abstracted by the favourite
pickle of Miss Blanche's class, if only a confession could be elicited
from him when undefended by his furious mother. Mrs. Egremont was
listening with actual interest and sympathy to the history of Betsy
Butter's struggles, and was inquiring the way to her cottage, when she
was called off to be introduced to the arrivals who were beginning to
flood the lawn. She presently saw May, who had just come down, walking
up and down with Mrs. Edwards, evidently hearing the story of the
handkerchief. She thought it had been Nuttie for a moment. There was
a general resemblance between the cousins that made them be mistaken
for one another several times in the course of the day, since their
dresses, though not alike, were of the same make and style.

Thus it was that as Nuttie was sitting on the grass in earnest
contemplation of Blanche's play, a hand was familiarly laid on her
shoulder, and a voice said, 'I haven't seen that horrid girl yet!'

After so many introductions, Nuttie had little idea whom she knew, or
whom she did not know. She looked up and saw a small person in light
blue, with the delicate features, transparent skin, and blue eyes that
accompany yellow hair, with an indescribable glitter of mirth and
joyousness about the whole creature, as if she were part and parcel of
the sunbeam in which she stood.

'What horrid girl?' said Nuttie.

'The interloper, the newly-discovered savage, come to upset--Ah!'--with
a little shriek--'It isn't May! I beg your pardon.'

'I'm May's cousin,' said Nuttie, 'Ursula Egremont.'

'Oh, oh!' and therewith the fact burst on both girls at once. They
stood still a moment in dismay, then the stranger went into a fit of
laughter. 'Oh, I beg your pardon! I can't help it! It is so funny!'

Nuttie was almost infected, though somewhat hurt. 'Who said I was
horrid?' she asked.

'Nobody! Nobody but me--Annaple Ruthven--and they'll all tell you, May
and all, that I'm always putting my foot in it. And I never meant that
you were horrid--you yourself--you know--only--'

'Only nobody wanted us here,' said Nuttie; 'but we could not help it.'

'Of course not. It was shocking, just my way. Please forgive me!' and
she looked most pleading. Nuttie held out her hand with something
about 'No one could mind;' and therewith Annaple cried, 'Oh, if you
don't mind, we can have our laugh out!' and the rippling laughter did
set Nutt