ister; and yet there was considerable relief, born of
her recently aroused misgiving as to how Jacinth would look upon her
confidences with Margaret.

Bessie meanwhile stood looking at her in undisguised anxiety.

'It doesn't matter a bit about Aunt Alison,' Frances at last blurted
out. 'We're not at all bound to tell her everything; mamma knows she
wouldn't understand or take the trouble to listen. And so, when we came
here, mamma said we must just do the best we could. I've always told
Jass everything, and we write long, _long_ letters to mamma. We tell
her--at least I do--everything that puzzles us, even things I can't
understand about--about religion,' and here Frances grew red. 'Though
that's _one_ thing that's better here than at Stannesley; the Bible
classes are so nice.'

'But Frances,' repeated Bessie, 'about not telling Jacinth? It is only
till I write to mother and get her answer. And I'm not asking you to
hide anything wrong; it's really our own family affairs.'

'I know,' said Frances. 'No, I don't think it could be wrong to
promise.'

'Put it this way,' said Bessie: 'suppose you had, by some sort of
accident, overheard anything about other people, you wouldn't at all
think you were bound to tell Jacinth. Well, you see it was a _little_
like that; Margaret shouldn't by rights have told you without asking
mamma.'

'I see,' said Frances. 'Well then, Bessie, I promise not to tell anybody
till you give me leave. Only, you won't count my writing it all to
mamma? I write the most of my weekly letter to her on Sunday, so I'd
like to know, because to-morrow's Sunday, you see.'

'_Of course_,' said Bessie with the utmost heartiness, '_of course_ you
must write everything to your mother, just as I shall to mamma. Thank
you so much, dear Francie, for understanding so well. And--and--just one
other little thing--don't you think, just now, it will be better for you
and Margaret not to talk about Lady Myrtle to each other? I mean if she
invites you to Robin Redbreast and you go, I don't think you'd better
tell Margaret. She's not very strong, and she thinks of things so, once
she gets them in her head. She's different from me. I can put them right
away.'

And Bessie gave herself a little shake and stood there, all the anxiety
gone out of her face, bright, fearless, and handsome as usual.

Frances, however, gave a little sigh.

'Very well,' she said, 'I won't speak about it any more to Margaret if
you think I