_ is that white figure under the oak tree? I thought at first it
must be a sheep, but it is evidently a female of some description. It
looks exceedingly like--but it could not be, it could not _possibly_ be,
Miss Briskett's niece! ..."

Miss Briskett's niece chuckled, and turned her head to look up the
sloping path. Her choice of position had been largely decided by the
fact that Elma Ramsden was due to return by this route from a weekly
music lesson somewhere about the present time. In the course of the
past week the two girls had drunk tea in the same houses every
afternoon, and exchanged sympathetic glances across a phalanx of elderly
ladies, but the chances for _tete-a-tete_ conversations had been
disappointingly few, and this morning Cornelia had a craving for a
companion young enough to encourage her in her rebellion, or at least to
understand the pent-up vitality which had brought it to a head.

She watched eagerly for the advent of the tall, blue-robed figure. Elma
always wore dark blue cambric on ordinary occasions. "So useful!" said
her mother, "and such a saving in the washing bill." Mother and
daughter ran up the plain breadths in the sewing machine, and the only
fitting in the body was compassed by a draw-string at the waist. It did
not seem a matter of moment to Mrs Ramsden whether the said string was
an inch higher or lower, and Elma was economical in belts. Cornelia's
expression was eloquent as she viewed the outline of the English girl's
figure as she slowly approached down the narrow path. So far Elma had
not noticed her presence. She was too much buried in her own dreams.
Poor pretty thing! That was all that was left to her--to take it out in
dreams. She had not yet begun to be awake!

CHAPTER SIX.

Twenty yards farther Elma came to a halt, eyes and lips opened wide in
gaping astonishment at the sight of the trespasser.

"Cornelia! You are sitting on the grass."

"That's so! Why shouldn't I, if I've a mind?"

"It's forbidden!"

"Oh, shucks!" cried Cornelia, impatiently. "Who by?"

Elma waved her hand vaguely towards the crescent of houses.

"Everybody--all of them! It's a rule. They all agreed."

"Suppose they did! I guess it would take more than ten old ladies to
prevent me doing what I want. What's the good of grass, anyway, if you
can't enjoy it? It's lovely up here. I'm as cool as an otter. You
look pretty warm after your walk. Step over, and come right here