ones. They were, in fact, a pair of the lady's own, and yet
were scarcely any too large for Elsie. Then the lady combed out her
hair, and tied it up with a piece of black ribbon. Elsie felt herself
very grand indeed.

"Now kiss me, and say, 'Good morning, mamma,'" the lady said, holding
her cheek down.

Elsie did as she was bidden. "That will do," the lady said. "When you go
downstairs say 'Good morning' to your Uncle William in the same way. You
can go now."

Elsie went downstairs. At the door of the room where they had supped the
night before she met the woman of the house, taking in a plate of eggs,
coffee, and other good things.

The woman looked at her curiously, but made no remark. Elsie went in,
and found the gentleman already there. She went forward and bade him
good morning, as she had been directed.

He lifted up a pair of large black eyes from the paper he was reading,
and gave her a look which somehow scared her, as he said "Good morning,
Effie." She stood still, not daring to move at all, and feeling
extremely frightened and awkward.

"Go and tell your mamma that breakfast is ready," he said, with another
look.

"Yes, dear, I'm coming," the lady called, in response to Elsie's
message. "Don't walk so heavily, child!" she exclaimed, as Elsie ran
downstairs. "I do not know what sort of manners they have taught you at
that wretched school. Bring your hat down, dear; then we shall be all
ready to start. You will see that the luggage is in readiness, Mrs.
Alexander," she added to the woman, who was at that moment coming out of
the room.

"Yes, ma'am, certainly. And the fly will be round at a quarter to ten
punctually."

The lady thanked her very sweetly; she was leading Duncan by the hand.
He had on his overcoat, and held his cap in his hand. Elsie concluded at
once that this was because he had no jacket, and wondered why the lady
had not provided one for him as well as clothes for her. The child was
looking pale and heavy, and, Elsie thought, unhappy.

All the time they were at breakfast the lady and gentleman talked about
the weather, and the long journey they were going to take, and such
things, just, Elsie thought, as if Mrs. Alexander were outside
listening. Elsie was considerably bewildered by the way they spoke of
her and Duncan.

"Effie is not so much grown as I would have thought," the lady remarked
to the gentleman, who seemed to be her brother.

"She is very much tanned, and her hands