rnoon for you to waste indoors. Where are the boys?"

"Oh, they're messing about somewhere in the garden. You see, they've got
to keep out of sight or Father will set them to work to roll the lawn. He
always does that sort of thing. He calls it 'turning our youthful
energies to good account.'" Very suddenly and wickedly Grade mimicked the
pastoral tones. "But the boys call it 'nigger-driving,'" she added, "and
I think the boys are right. When I'm grown up, I'll never, never, never
make my children do horrid things like that. They shall have--oh, such a
good time!"

There was unconscious pathos in the declaration. Avery looked at the
bright face very tenderly.

"I wonder what you'll do with them when they're naughty, Gracie," she
said.

"I shall never whip them," said Gracie decidedly. "I think whipping is a
horrid punishment. It makes you hate everybody. I think I shan't punish
them at all, Mrs. Denys. I shall just tell them how wrong they've been,
and that they are never to do it again. And I'm sure they won't," she
added, with confidence. "They'll love me too much."

She slipped her arm round Avery's waist as she rose. "Do you know I would
dreadfully like to call you Aunt Avery?" she said. "I said so to Jeanie,
and Jeanie wants to too. Do you mind?"

"Mind!" said Avery. "I shall love it."

"Oh, thank you--awfully!" Grade kissed her fervently. "I'll run and tell
Jeanie. She will be pleased."

She skipped from the room, and Avery went to prepare for the walk. "Poor
little souls!" she murmured to herself. "How I wish they were mine!"

They mustered only five when they started--the three girls, Pat, and
Avery herself; but ere they had reached the end of the lane the two elder
boys leapt the Vicarage wall with a whoop of triumph and joined them. The
party became at once uproariously gay. Everyone talked at the same time,
even Jeanie becoming animated. Avery rejoiced to see the pretty face
flushed and merry. She had begun to feel twinges of anxiety about Jeanie
lately. But she was able to banish them at least for to-day, for Jeanie
ran and chattered with the rest. In fact, Olive was the only one who
showed any disposition to walk sedately. It had to be remembered that
Olive was the clever one of the family. She more closely resembled her
father than any of the others, and Avery firmly believed her to be the
only member of the family that Mr. Lorimer really loved. She was a
cold-hearted, sarcastic child, extremely