was well acquainted with the path which the
party wished to follow through the woods. Belle opposed her being
invited to join them; Kitty hesitated between her liking for Gertrude
and her fears regarding Mr. Bruce's allegiance; Lieutenant Osborne
forbore to urge what Belle disapproved; and Mr. Bruce remained silent,
trusting to the final necessity of her being invited to act as guide, in
which capacity he had purposely concealed his own ability to serve. This
necessity was so obvious, that, as he had foreseen, Kitty was at last
despatched to find Gertrude and make known their request.

CHAPTER XXIX.

HAUTEUR.

Gertrude would have declined, and made her attendance upon Emily an
excuse for non-compliance; but Emily, believing that the exercise would
be beneficial to Gertrude, interfered, and begged her to agree to
Kitty's proposal; and, on the latter declaring that the expedition must
otherwise be given up, she consented to join it. To change her slippers
for thick walking boots occupied a few minutes only; a few more were
spent in a vain search for her flat hat, which was missing from the
closet where it usually hung.

"What are you looking for?" said Emily, hearing Gertrude twice open the
door of the closet.

"My hat! but I don't see it. I believe I shall have to borrow your
sun-bonnet again," and she took up a white sun-bonnet, the same she had
worn in the morning, and which now lay on the bed.

"Certainly, my dear," said Emily.

"I shall begin to think it mine before long," said Gertrude, gaily, as
she ran off, "I wear it so much more than you do." Emily now called from
the staircase, "Gertrude, my child, have you thick shoes? It is always
very wet in the meadow beyond Thornton place." Gertrude assured her that
she had; but fearing that the others were less carefully equipped,
inquired of Mrs. Graham whether Belle and Kitty were insured against the
dampness they might encounter.

Mrs. Graham declared they were not. "I have some very light
india-rubbers," said Gertrude; "I will take them with me, and Fanny and
I shall be in time to warn them before they come to the place."

It was an easy matter to overtake Belle and the lieutenant, for they
walked very slowly, and seemed not unwilling to be left in the rear. The
reverse was the case with Mr. Bruce and Kitty, who appeared purposely to
keep in advance; Kitty hastening her steps from her reluctance to allow
an agreeable _tete-a-tete_ to be interfered w