ening wind
Plays on their faces; they gaze--
Airs from the Eden of youth
Awake and stir in their soul.'

MATTHEW ARNOLD.

Mollie arrived very punctually the next afternoon. Audrey, who was
watching for her, hardly recognised the girl as she came slowly along
the terrace. She wore a pretty gray stuff frock and a straw hat, trimmed
very tastefully with the simplest materials; and her usually unkempt
locks were neatly arranged in a broad glossy plait that reached to her
waist.

Audrey felt quite proud of her appearance, and took her into the
drawing-room to see her mother and sister; for Geraldine had just
dropped in on her way down the town. Mrs. Ross received her very nicely;
but Geraldine took very little notice of her. Mollie was rather shy and
awkward, and answered all Mrs. Ross's questions in monosyllables. She
seemed so hot and confused that Mrs. Ross's motherly heart took
compassion on her.

'Do not let us keep you, my dear,' she said, addressing Audrey. 'I am
sure Geraldine will excuse you; and it is far too fine to stay indoors.'

'In that case, we will go, Mollie,' returned Audrey in a relieved tone.
'Good-bye, Gage; I daresay I shall see you to-morrow. And, mother, let
me know when tea is ready;' and then she beckoned Mollie to follow her.

Mollie was no longer silent when she found herself alone with her
friend.

'Oh dear, Miss Ross, what a grand house you live in, and what a lovely
garden! Ours must seem such a poor, poky little place after this, and
yet we were all so pleased with it. I do like Mrs. Ross so; she is such
a dear old lady'--Audrey had never heard her mother called a 'dear old
lady' before--'and what a grand-looking person your sister is! I never
saw anyone so handsome.'

But Mollie's tone was a trifle dubious.

'I hope you mean to like her too, Mollie.'

'I don't seem to know her yet,' replied Mollie evasively; 'but I liked
looking at her. Somehow I could not talk before her. Where are we going,
Miss Ross? There is no pond that I can see.'

'No lake,' corrected Audrey, with much dignity. 'No, Mollie; I am going
to introduce you to the greenhouses and poultry-yard first; then there
are the pigs, and the boys' play-ground--oh, a host of sights!--before
we make our way down to the lake.'

'Ah, now you mean to be funny, because Cyril always calls it the
pond--and Kester too. You must be very rich, Miss Ross, to live here and
have all these