rt,
to make you single me out for special observation."

"Oh, it isn't your features a bit--it's your way. You are different, and
I like you."

"Do you know, Irene," said Rosamund very slowly and emphatically, and
taking the little girl's thin hand as she spoke, "that you are the most
wonderfully beautiful girl I have ever seen?"

"Am I?" said Irene, and a new light sparkled in her eyes. "People have
always spoken of me as a horror, a terror, a nuisance, the wildest and
most awful creature on earth. But if I am so pretty"----

"You could be lovely," said Rosamund. "I must say that red dress is
rather trying, but your face is exquisite. Now, what do you say to going
into the house and going quietly up to your own room? I will come with
you and help you to choose another frock, which I think will make you
look more beautiful than ever. Just let me dress you as I like for
once."

"I trust it won't be tight, or too long," said Irene.

"I am sure you have abundance of frocks."

"I don't know. I dare say I have. I believe there is a wardrobe full;
but I prefer my red dress because it annoys mother. When one is worn
out, I ask for another made just on the same pattern, and just because
they all hate it so."

"But you will change it for me. Come at once, Irene."

Rosamund took her friend's hand and led her upstairs to her room. Now,
Irene's bedroom was not at all an attractive place to go into. In itself
it was an exceedingly large and airy apartment, and the furniture was
excellent. But the small bed was drawn up close to the window, and was
more cot than bed, having iron bars all round it. Near the bed were
several jars and basins containing toads and frogs and newts and water
creatures of all sorts. Besides these, there was a box of caterpillars,
most of which had escaped, and on the mantelpiece Irene proudly pointed
to a bottle of leeches.

"I bought them, for a pound that I had given to me, from a chemist; and
when any of the servants are quite determined to stick in the place I
let the leeches loose, and that generally sends the housemaids away. I
wouldn't part with my darling leeches for all the world. Do you see how
they are dancing now? That means rain. When they lie quite sullen at the
bottom of the glass, then I know we are going to have fine weather.
That one on the stalk--do you see how he is wriggling, poor sweet
pet?--that one I call Fuzz, and this one at the bottom of the glass is
Buzz. Then there a