the gratitude of all,
by the remarkable genius she displayed in the creation of novel devices,
and before unheard-of improvements in their plans.

She had evidently made good use of her time during her self-imposed
banishment from their councils; she had listened to all their plans and
revised and improved them in her own mind, using up every little atom of
good suggestion till she had perfected and rounded them to her own
satisfaction, which was a much harder matter to gain than the
satisfaction of the young ladies to whom she had now the opportunity of
propounding them, indeed, it was a matter of such universal
congratulation when Mona Cameron joined them that, had Minnie been just
a little less anxious for the good of others, and a little more desirous
of her own glorification, she would certainly have become jealous of
Mona's new-found popularity. But Mona was at this time a good deal
softened by the ordeal of humiliation through which she had passed,
albeit, the ceremony was performed before only one witness, and did not
feel any great inclination for the applause with which her efforts were
invariably greeted.

CHAPTER VIII.

A SUCCESS.

On Friday all was bustle and preparation for the entertainment which was
to take place on the next day. Minnie was everywhere at once, and yet
was in constant request.

The girls had begged and been granted a holiday that their preparations
might be as complete as possible, and their unfailing allies--the
children of Hollowmell--were at hand to render them every possible sort
of help.

Next morning Minnie was flying round, "more like a bird than a human
being," as her father observed. She had to see that the prizes--of which
there were a considerable number to be distributed--were carried down to
the hall, and innumerable other things about which she was in a fever of
excitement.

The dinner was ordered for half-past two precisely, and by that hour
everybody had arrived.

It was a goodly sight in Minnie's eyes to see them come in--the miners
and their wives and children--all looking clean and respectable, and
many of them even looking very well-dressed, as indeed they could all
well afford to be, if they had not been in the habit of taking their
earnings to the public-house in preference to any other place.

Pat Malone was there and all his children, accompanied by Molly Gray,
who had been promoted to the dignity of his housekeeper since the death
of his wife