or in return for some lessons in French
conversation she was giving him he had offered to teach her croquet, and
though Margaret had been afraid that she was far too stupid to learn any
game, she was making astonishing progress under his tuition, and Edward
was already beginning to boast of the prowess of his pupil. And so, for
the first time in her life, Margaret fell under the fascination of a
game, and when she had a mallet in her hand it is to be feared that the
delinquency of her conduct ceased to trouble her.

Fat, chuckling Nancy, too, who seemed to be always brimming over with
good nature and good spirits, frequently sought her society, and Margaret
found it even more impossible to brood secretly over her misdeeds in
Nancy's society as when she was playing croquet. Of Maud she saw very
little. Sometimes for days together the eldest daughter of the house
scarcely spoke to her, vouchsafing her only the most careless and hasty
of nods as morning and evening greetings. Maud intended to be neither
rude nor unkind. The children's holiday governess simply did not interest
her, that was all, and as for going out of her way to amuse or entertain
her, Maud's blue eyes stared amazedly at her mother when one day Mrs.
Danvers ventured to suggest that perhaps Maud might take more notice of
Miss Carson.

"For I really am afraid she is having a very dull time here," said Mrs.
Danvers, her tone taking on a rather apologetic note as she encountered
the impatient expression on Maud's face. "I am sure I don't know what she
would do if it wasn't for Nancy and Edward."

"Well, with them to knock around with, and the kids to teach when they
come back, she ought not to find time hang heavy," Maud said carelessly.
"But as for asking me to take her about, why, mother, I simply couldn't.
The day isn't half long enough as it is for me to do all I want to do.
And after all, she wouldn't find it a bit amusing to come about with me.
Fancy her sticking down for hours at the club watching me playing tennis,
for that is what I am doing this afternoon, for instance. Besides, she is
so dreadfully slow. She bores me awfully."

"My dear," said her mother, "though you all find Miss Carson so slow just
because she knows nothing about tennis, or tennis people, or cricket
averages, or the difference between Rugby and Association football, I
think she is a very nice girl indeed, so gentle and so unselfish. David
and Daisy just love her, and I know if