ut the little garden, and all my old haunts. But for my
terrible anxiety, I should have enjoyed it thoroughly.

'Harry,' I said, when we had had our dinner--a very nice dinner, by the
bye. I began to think grandmamma must have got rich, for there was a
feeling of prosperity about the cottage--fires in several rooms, and
everything so comfortable. 'Harry, what do you think I should do? Should
I write to grandmamma and tell her--that I am very sorry, and that--that
I'll be good about going to school, if she fixes to send me?'

The tears came back again, but still I said it firmly.

'I think,' said Harry, 'you had better wait till to-morrow.'

He did not tell me of Mr. Vandeleur's telegram--for he had been desired
not to do so. I should have been still more uneasy and nervous if I had
known my formidable cousin was actually on his way to Middlemoor!

CHAPTER XV

'HAPPY EVER SINCE'

Later in the afternoon--about three o'clock or so--Harry looked at his
watch and started up. We were sitting in the drawing-room talking
quietly--Harry had been asking me about my lessons and finding out how
far on I was, for I was a little tired still, and we had been running
about a good deal in the morning.

'Oh,' I said, in a disappointed tone, 'where are you going? If you would
wait a little while, I could come out with you again, I am sure.' For I
felt as if I did not want to lose any of the time we were together, and
of course I did not know how soon grandmamma might not send some one to
take me away to school.

And never since Sharley and the others had gone away had I had the
pleasure of companions of my own age. There was something about Harry
which reminded me of Sharley, though he was a boy--something so strong
and straightforward and _big_, no other word seems to say it so well.

Harry looked at me with a little smile. Dear Harry, I know now that he
was feeling even more anxious about me than I was for myself, and that
brave as he was, it took all his courage to do as he had determined--I
mean to plead my cause with his stern guardian. For Mr. Vandeleur was
almost as much a stranger to him as to me.

'I'm afraid I must,' he said, 'I have to go to Middlemoor, but I shall
not be away more than an hour and a half. Lindsay--you'll look after
Helena, and Helena will look after you and prevent you getting into
mischief while I'm away.'

For though Lindsay was a very good little boy, and not wild or rough, he
was rath