d, but expectant, who received her with paternal warmth. Freda
knew that he must for once have forgotten himself and his nervous
debility to have thus exposed himself to the frosty air. In the hall was
Lady Mary ready with smiles and embraces, with which Freda would gladly
have dispensed; but she did her best to seem, if she could not feel,
glad to see her.

Her ladyship preceded her to her own old bedroom, where a huge fire, and
bright wax candles bade her welcome, and whither she was followed by
Frisk, who was exuberant in his demonstrations of delight at his return
home after his long absence.

'I have ordered my maid to wait on you my dear,' said Freda's
stepmother, 'because I find your's does not return to you. But we can
replace her. Dinner will be ready whenever you are; can I do anything
for you?'

'No, thank you, I shall not be long,' said Freda mechanically.

Lady Mary left the room.

Freda felt that her tact was good after all; for no nice feeling could
have been more successful than it was. She had received her just as if
she had come home after a short absence. No demonstrations of any kind;
her room was much as it had ever been. There were even some of her
clothes in the wardrobe.

'I won't cry! I won't give way!' muttered Freda, beginning to take off
her wrappings.

There was a tap at the door.

'Come in!' And Anne the old housemaid appeared.

'Oh, miss, I am so glad to see you home again, it do seem so natural.
Please to let me unpack your things, miss. My lady thought you might
like me better than Mrs Pink.'

'Thank you, Anne, it does look like home to see you.'

'Shall I get your dress, miss?'

'I can't dress to-night, I am too tired. There, that will do. Now I will
go downstairs.'

She did so, and found her father alone in the library.

'I won't cry,' again she said, as she kissed him affectionately.

'Thank you for coming, Freda, it will do me good, and my wife is
delighted. Harold, too, is in ecstasies, and only went to bed with a
promise that sister Freda--he calls you sister, you know, and--and all
that sort of thing.'

The 'my wife,' grated strangely on Freda's ear, but she promised to go
and see her little brother.

Lady Mary came in, and they went to dinner.

It seemed strange to see her at the head of the table, and Freda felt as
if she were in a dream. But nothing could be more perfect than her
ladyship's manner. She behaved as if nothing had ever happened to cause
th