t that, my dear, and that, one way or other, at
the end of the three years you come out to me."

"When I come out to you," said Kitty, "I want you to be proud of me. I
want you to say, 'My girl is a lady, my girl knows things, she is not
ignorant, she can deport herself well, and act well and she knows
things.' But in any case, father, whether I am ignorant or whether I
am not, I promise--yes, I promise--to make the best of circumstances."

"Then God bless you, child, you are your mother's own girl."

"And yours--yours," said Kitty, in a low tone of mingled pain and love.

"We will go back to the house, and I will see Mrs. Clavering, and
afterwards I will ask her permission to let me take you up to see Sir
John Wallis, for, strange as it may seem, I have lost sight of Wallis
for quite fifteen years--such are the fortunes of war, my love. We
were brothers, standing shoulder to shoulder during a momentous year of
our lives, and since then Sir John retired from the service, and I have
heard and seen nothing of him. It was almost immediately afterwards, I
believe, that he came in for the great property and the title which he
now possesses. But come, Kitty, we have not much time to lose."

Kitty never forgot the rest of that afternoon, for she and her father
had so much to do, so many people to see, and so many things to
arrange, that time flew on wings, and it was not until the last moment
when the parting really came that she realized all it meant to her.

There was a hurried clasp in the strongest, bravest arms in all the
world, a brief kiss on her cheek, a look in her father's eyes which was
enough to stimulate the highest in any girl's heart, and then the
parting was over.

The Major had left Cherry Court School, having given all possible
directions for his little girl's comfort and well-being, and had gone
away sorely broken down, crushed to the earth himself, but leaving
Kitty with a courage which did not falter during the days which were to
come. For the Major knew that, strong as he was, he was going to a
part of India where brave men as strong as he are stricken down year
after year by the unhealthy climate, and three years even at the best
was a long time to part with a girl like Kitty, particularly when she
was the only child he had, the light of his eyes, the darling of his
heart.

CHAPTER VII.

CHERRY-COLORED RIBBONS.

The day of the Cherry Feast dawned bright and glorious. The girls
aw