ng to have a fit. She pretended that she was laughing
at something Raymond was doing in the garden; but it was horribly
awkward, and I vowed I'd never do it again. I should hate people to
laugh at me, and it's unkind to do things that you wouldn't like other
people to do to you--I mean--you know what I mean!"

"I know," said Rex gravely. He looked quite serious and impressed, and
Norah cast inquiring glances at his face, wondering what he could be
thinking of, to make him so solemn all of a sudden.

At last, "Look here," he said, "talking of meeting strangers, don't
stare at poor little Edna when you meet! There is--er--something--about
her eyes, and she is very sensitive about it. Try and look as if you
don't notice it, you know."

"Oh, I will!" cried Norah gushingly. She knitted her brows together,
trying to think what the "something" could be. Something wrong with her
lungs, and something wrong with her eyes--poor Edna! she was indeed to
be pitied! "I am glad he told me, for I wouldn't hurt her feelings for
the world," she said to herself; and many times over, during the course
of the next hour, did her thoughts wander sympathetically towards her
new companion.

It was a long, cold drive, but Norah could have found it in her heart to
wish it were longer, as the dog-cart turned in at the gate of the Manor
House and drew up before the grey stone porch. Mrs Freer came into the
hall to welcome her guest, with a grey woollen shawl wrapped round her
shoulders, and her little face pinched with cold.

"How do you do, dear? I'm afraid you are quite starved. Come away to
the fire and get thawed before you go upstairs," she said cordially; and
Norah followed, conscious that a girl's head had peeped out of the door
to examine her, and then been cautiously withdrawn. When they entered
the room, however, Miss Edna was seated demurely behind a screen, and
came forward in the most proper way to shake hands with the new-comer.
Norah was only conscious that she was tall, with narrow shoulders, and
brown hair hanging in a long plait down her back, for the fear of
seeming to stare at the "something" in her eyes about which she was so
sensitive, kept her from giving more than the most casual of glances.
Conversation languished under these circumstances, and presently Mrs
Freer took Norah upstairs to her room to get ready for lunch. Before
that meal was served, however, there was another painful ten minutes to
go through