turning their nursery into a very fair
imitation of Pandemonium and in driving the unhappy nursemaid nearly
mad, stopped their various operations at these words from their
governess as she entered, and stared at her--partly perhaps because
they were not conscious of having been less troublesome than they
usually were, but more because of her last sentence. Did Mademoiselle
really say, "We will go out?" She had been their governess for six
weeks now, and during all that time had not once been outside the
street door.

"Do you mean you'll take us?" cried Tom, the eldest and the
readiest-tongued.

"Shan't go with Ellen, I shan't!" muttered Floss, sulkily.

"Nasty Ellen--won't go with Ellen!" whimpered Maggie, with a thumb in
her mouth.

"You will all go with me and Ellen," said Alexia, quietly, beginning
with her deft fingers to remove grubby pinafores and brush tumbled
hair. "Will you get ready, Ellen? And do not waste time, please, or we
shall lose the best part of the afternoon."

Ellen departed willingly. She was not sure that she liked Mademoiselle,
but there was no doubt that she intensely detested her daily task of
taking the three "troublesome brats" for their walk. If Mademoiselle
liked to try it--well, Ellen only breathed a fervent wish that she
might like it--"that's all!"

Miss Boucheafen, making great haste over the toilet of her pupils, had
them ready and was ready herself before Ellen, and filled up the spare
time by pacing the hall from end to end as she waited. Not hastily--the
perfect grace of her every motion was too complete for haste--not even
impatiently, for the set expression of her face never changed, and no
flush of excitement tinted the ivory pallor of her cheeks. If her eyes
were a little brighter, a little wider open than usual, it was very
little. Mrs. Jessop, passing through the hall as the governess and
pupils waited, confessed to herself, with reluctant honesty, as she
looked at the stately young figure in its plain dark dress, that there
was no denying that "Ma'm'selle" did look like a queen.

It was the beginning of May, and, for a wonder, hot and bright enough
almost for July; the afternoon sun shone down warm and brilliant. As
Alexia stepped out into its glare, she stopped and almost staggered,
putting her hand to her throat, while she shivered violently. The
round-eyed maid, watching, was quite sympathetic. No wonder she felt
odd, poor young lady, remembering what had happened