l, unselfish lives.' And
then, as Mollie opened her eyes rather widely at this, she went on:
'What a pretty frock that is!--and that smocking is exquisitely done. I
really must ask your mother to give me lessons--for it will be useful if
I ever should have any nephews and nieces,' thought Audrey, who was
practical in her own way.

'Mamma will be delighted to teach you; she is so fond of you, Miss Ross.
She was talking about you half the evening. Do you know, she did not go
to bed until past one o'clock; she was finishing my blue cambric. Cyril
begged her to put it down half a dozen times, but she said no, she had
made up her mind to finish it--and the hat, too. He had to go off to bed
and leave her at last, and it was not really done until past one.'

Audrey made no comment. She was asking herself how far she ought to
encourage Mollie's childish loquacity--she was very original and
amusing.

'But if I do not check her,' thought Audrey, 'there is no knowing what
she may say next. All the Blakes are so very outspoken.'

But Mollie was disposed to enlarge on a topic that interested her so
closely. She had arrived at an age when a girl begins to feel some
anxiety to make the best of herself. Her nice new frock was an important
ingredient in the day's pleasure; she felt a different Mollie from the
Mollie of yesterday. It was as though Cinderella, dusty and begrimed
with her ashes, had suddenly donned her princess's robe.

'I am so glad you think my frock pretty,' she went on. 'I shall be able
to go to chapel with Cyril next Sunday. This is my Sunday frock; my blue
cambric is for every afternoon. It was very fortunate mamma was in her
working mood yesterday, for she would never have allowed me to come in
my old brown frock. She is so busy to-day; she made me bring her down a
pile of Kester's shirts that want mending--"For the poor boy is in
rags," she said. Stop! I think it was Cyril who said that. I thought it
was funny for mamma to notice about Kester. Yes, it was Cyril.'

'Mollie, do you know your mother calls you a sad chatterbox?' observed
Audrey at this point.

Mollie coloured up and looked perturbed.

'Oh, Miss Ross, did mamma tell you that really? Perhaps that was why she
wanted to get rid of me yesterday, because I talk so much. Do you
know'--dropping her voice and looking rather melancholy--'I never do
seem to please mamma, however much I try; and I do try--oh! so hard. I
never mind Cyril laughing at me, be