manage any of her daughters herself and
would Miss Kaye please try again. Whether this were true or false,
Miss Kaye proved capable of keeping the unruly four in order, and was
about the only person, except their father, of whom they really stood
in awe.

Sadie and Elsie Thompson were two puny, motherless little girls of
nine and six. They had been brought up by an aunt who was not at all
kind to them, and they found Heathercliffe House such a happy exchange
that they almost dreaded the holidays, when they must go back to the
home that was so unhomelike. Their father was a sea-captain, who came
to visit them about twice a year, when he returned from his voyages,
and brought them presents from foreign places. He did not forget them
either when he was away, and often sent them postcards of strange
countries, which had to travel many thousand miles before they reached
England. Margie Wilson was a fat sturdy child with an original mind
and a stubborn temper. She had a habit of speaking her thoughts which
was apt to be rather disconcerting.

On the first morning after her arrival, May Spencer, who was monitress
on her landing, went into her bedroom, and told her it was time to get
up. Margie raised herself slowly in bed with the clothes drawn round
her neck, and fixed her black eyes on the intruder. "What's your
name?" she enquired briefly.

"May Spencer."

"Oh! I don't like you, May Spencer. You've got a snub nose. I shan't
get up." And with that she retired under the bedclothes, and
absolutely refused to stir until poor May had to fetch Miss Coleman to
enforce discipline and uphold her authority.

Edna Lowe was a rather silly little thing, who had been much spoilt at
home, and was still surreptitiously petted by her sister Lily in the
second class, who occasionally had a battle on her behalf with Miss
Coleman, who saw no reason why Edna should be treated differently from
the others, and rewarded good behaviour or inflicted punishments with
an impartial hand. Nessie Hirst, a nervous child, who had been sent
to Aberglyn for the benefit of the sea air, was a favourite with the
third class, her pathetic, wistful, grey eyes, long rich-brown hair,
and the beautiful and elaborately embroidered frocks which her mother
worked for her, gave her a somewhat distinguished appearance, and
among the girls she often went by the nickname of "Little Vere de
Vere". The prettiest of all, however, was Greta Collins, a small,
golden-hai