t all the
previous night, felt that she would be almost glad, even if the worst
befell her, to have the terrible ordeal over.

"By this time to-morrow I shall be the happiest girl in the world or
the most truly miserable," she thought to herself. But the greatness
of the ordeal now had a certain composing effect, and Kitty, Mary and
Florence started off in Sir John's carriage in apparently high spirits.

"What do you think?" said Kitty, bending forward and touching Mary on
the sleeve; "Sir John has promised if I succeed to send a cable to
father. Isn't it perfectly splendid of him? He has not said anything
to father about the cable. What a surprise and delight it will be if
he gets it."

"I wish you would not tell me," said Mary; "when I look into your eyes
and see all that this means to you I feel a perfect brute, and yet
nevertheless I mean to play my very best to-night, and to sing with all
my heart in my voice, and to answer each question as carefully as I
can, for my dear, dear old father will be present. Oh, how happy, how
delighted I shall be to meet him again!"

"Yes, it will be splendid for you; and you, Florence, how glad you will
be to see your mother," said Kitty. "But, oh, dear! oh, dear! I wish
it hadn't been necessary to ask Helen Dartmoor to be present on the
great occasion."

The girls went to the Hall in neat morning dresses, but the white
dresses they were to wear in the evening, which were by Sir John's
orders to be pure white, had already been sent on to the Hall.

The day was a glorious one, and as they drove through the beautiful
scenery in Sir John's immense park a golden mist lay over everything.
At last they drew up before the great front entrance. A group of
ladies were standing in the hall. Sir John came down the steps. The
next moment a little figure was seen running briskly forward, and
Florence was clasped in the arms of the little Mummy.

"My darling! my darling!" said little Mrs. Aylmer. Florence kissed her
with a quick passion, held her then at arm's length, looked into her
face, and crushed some moisture out of her own eyes.

Meanwhile a very trim, staid-looking woman, with faded hair, pale blue
eyes, and a correct, old-maid sort of demeanor, had given Kitty a light
kiss on her forehead. "How do you do?" she said, in an accent which
was truly Scotch. "It was very kind of Sir John to invite me to the
Hall. I hope, for your own sake, you will win the Scholarship."