your sisters this morning.
At preparation to-day you will doubtless do your best. Now go to your
seat."

Pauline sat between Briar and Adelaide. Adelaide nestled up close to her,
and Briar took the first opportunity to whisper:

"I am so glad you are back again, dear old Pauline! We had a horrid time
without you yesterday."

"They none of them know what I did," thought Pauline; "and, of course, I
meant to tell them. Not Aunt Sophia, but the girls. Yes, I meant to
confide in the girls; but the atmosphere of peace is so nice that I do
not care to disturb it. I will put off saying anything for the present.
It certainly is delightful to feel good again."

Lessons went on tranquilly. The girls had a time of delightful rest
afterwards in the garden, and immediately after early dinner there came a
surprise. Miss Tredgold said:

"My dear girls, there are several things you ought to learn besides mere
book knowledge. I propose that you should be young country ladies whom no
one will be ashamed to know. You must learn to dance properly, and to
skate properly if there ever is any skating here. If not, we will go
abroad for the purpose. But while you are in the Forest I intend you to
have riding lessons and also driving lessons. A wagonette will be here at
two o'clock, and we will all go for a long and delightful drive through
the Forest. I am going to some stables about six or seven miles away,
where I hear I can purchase some good horses and also some Forest ponies.
Don't look so excited, dears. I should be ashamed of any nieces of mine
brought up in the New Forest of England who did not know how to manage
horses."

"Oh, she really is a darling!" said Verena. "I never did for a single
moment suppose that we should have had the chance of learning to drive."

"And to ride," said Pauline.

She began to skip about the lawn. Her spirits, naturally very high,
returned.

"I feel quite happy again," she said.

"Why, of course you are happy," said Verena; "but you must never get into
Punishment Land again as long as you live, Paulie, for I wouldn't go
through another day like yesterday for anything."

The wagonette arrived all in good time. It drew up at the front door, and
Mr. Dale, attracted by the sound of wheels, rose from his accustomed seat
in his musty, fusty study, and looked out of the window. The window was
so dusty and dirty that he could not see anything plainly; but, true to
his determination, he would not open