ady closed the board,
and said, in her natural, every-day voice, "And now we must dress for
dinner!" Darsie walked slowly across the room, hesitated, and finally
retraced her steps and knelt down on a footstool by Lady Hayes' side.

"Aunt Maria--_please_! I should like to thank you!"

"Thank me, my dear. For what?"

"For--for saying nothing! For not crowing over me as you might have
done!"

The flushed, upturned face was very sweet--all the sweeter perhaps for
the plastered hair, which gave to it so quaint and old-world an air.
Lady Hayes laid a wrinkled hand on the girl's shoulder; her eyes
twinkled humorously through her spectacles.

"No, I won't crow, my dear! That would be ungenerous. Circumstances
have been pretty hard on you already. This--this little exhibition was
not intended for an audience, but for my own private edification. It
was unfortunate that the Percivals should have chosen such a moment for
their first call. I was sorry for your discomfiture."

"You oughtn't to have been! I _meant_ to be naughty. Oh, you've
scored--scored all the way. I apologise in dust and ashes, but please--
if you will be very noble--_never_ speak of it again!"

She reached the door once more, was about to make a bolt for the
staircase, when Lady Hayes's voice called to her to return--

"Darsie?"

"Yes!"

"Come here, child!"

The thin hand was held out to meet hers, the kind old eyes looked
wonderfully soft and tender.

"I think it is only fair to tell you that ... in your own language, you
have scored also! ... Oblige me by doing your hair in your ordinary
fashion for the future!"

"Oh, Aunt Maria, you _duck_!" cried Darsie, and for the first time in
her life flung her arms voluntarily around the old lady's neck and gave
her a sounding kiss.

CHAPTER NINE.

THE PERCIVALS.

It was really rather fun dressing for the visit to the Percivals on
Thursday; trying to make oneself look one's _very_ best, and imagining
their surprise at the transformation! Aunt Maria, too, seemed quite to
enter into the spirit of the thing, inquired anxiously _which_ dress,
and gave special instructions that it should be ironed afresh, so that
it might appear at its freshest and best.

"My woman" had evidently been instructed to take the young guest's
wardrobe under her care, since new ribbons and frilling now appeared
with engaging frequency, giving quite an air to half-worn garments.
Darsie in a blue muslin dres