much to their advances; they found
them uninteresting and silly, and never felt at home with them.
The truth was, they had no tastes in common, and probably never would
have.

Kitty felt glad of their presence now though, for anything would be
better, she thought, than to have to sit for a long time with Lady
Kitson alone. At least she felt glad until, having been directed to a
low easy-chair facing them all, she suddenly caught sight of the two
jagged ends of braid hanging from the front breadth of her dress--the
braid Dan had hacked off with his knife. Both ends hung down two or
three inches, and no eye could avoid seeing them. From them her glance
travelled to her shabby old shoes, the spots on her frock, her hands.
Her face flushed a fiery red and her eyes filled. Not for any
consideration could she at that moment have raised her eyes. She knew,
she felt those gimlet glances, the looks and meaning smiles that were
being exchanged, and she writhed under them, while her heart felt very
full and sore. She could not talk, her mind was weighed down. In her
embarrassment she could think of nothing to say, and her hostesses were
apparently too absorbed to make an effort either. Moment after moment
of overwhelming wretchedness dragged by.

"I shall never, never forget this," thought Kitty, "all the rest of my
life. It will make me miserable whenever I think of it."

At last, to every one's relief, Lady Kitson went upstairs to join her
husband, and with her departure some, at least, of the stiffness was
removed.

"Aren't you hungry?" asked Lettice, the elder of the two girls.
"I am sure you must be after that long drive."

"No, thank you," said Kitty soberly.

"Oh, I think you must be.--Maude, do go and ask Parkin to give us some
cake for Kitty. Be sure and say it is for Kitty."

"Can't you go yourself?" asked Maude. "Parkin is in a fearful temper
with me because I told mother about her giving things to Reuben."

"Bother! You are always rubbing the servants the wrong way. I let them
do as they like, for the sake of keeping them amiable. I am awfully
hungry, and so is Kitty, if she would only admit it; but if she refuses
to, I suppose I must go hungry."

"We shall have dinner soon," said Maude sharply. "I should think you
could wait until then."

"I will have some cake, if you really want me to," said Kitty, looking
up at Lettice with a smile, the first she had been able to call to her
lips. She