[Frontispiece: Betty came to a standstill, and Prince likewise, thelatter putting his tongue out and looking up inquiringly, as he pantedfor breath. ]

ODD

By

Amy Le Feuvre

The Religious Tract Society

4 Bouverie Street, London, E. C. 4

1919

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I CAGED BIRDS

CHAPTER II 'MOTHER NATURE'

CHAPTER III WAS IT AN ANGEL?

CHAPTER IV ADVENTURES

CHAPTER V PRINCE

CHAPTER VI MADE INTO A COUPLE

CHAPTER VII HAYMAKING

CHAPTER VIII GOD'S PATCHWORK

CHAPTER IX BETTY'S DISCOVERY

CHAPTER X A LITTLE MESSENGER

CHAPTER XI A DARING FEAT

CHAPTER XII UNCLE HARRY'S FRIEND

CHAPTER XIII 'WHEN WE TWO MET'

CHAPTER XIV A HERO'S DEATH

CHAPTER XV COMFORTED

CHAPTER I

Caged Birds

It was just four o'clock on a dull grey winter afternoon. The littleStuarts' nursery looked the picture of cosiness and comfort with theblazing fire that threw flickering lights over the bright-colouredpictures on the walls, the warm carpet under foot, and the fair freshfaces of the children gathered there. 

Five of them there were, and they were alone, for the old nurse who hadbrought them all up from their infancy was at present absent from theroom. 

By one of the large square windows stood one of the little girls; shewas gazing steadily out into the fast darkening street below, her chinresting on one of the bars that were fastened across the lower part ofthe window. How the children disliked those bars! Marks of littleteeth were plainly discernible along them, and no prisoners could havetried more perseveringly to shake them from their sockets than theydid. Betty, who stood there now, had received great applause oneafternoon when, after sundry twists and turns, she had successfullythrust her little dark curly head through, and was able to have adelightfully clear view of all the passers-by. 

But the sequel was not so pleasant, for somehow or other Betty's headwould not come in so easily as it went out, and when nurse came to therescue with an angry hand, the poor little head was very much bruisedin consequence, and Betty's reward for such dexterity was an achinghead and dry bread for tea. She was a slight, slim little figure, withbig blue eyes, and long, black curved lashes and eyebrows, which madeher eyes the most beautiful feature in her face. Very soft, fine curlyhair surrounded a rather pathetic-looking little face; but hermovements were like quicksilver, and though all the little Stuarts werenoted for their mischievous ways and daring escapades, Betty eclipsedthem all. 

She turned from the window soon with a sigh of relief. 

'He's coming, ' she said, 'old Bags is coming, and it's my turn to-day. '

There was no response. Bobby and Billy, the twins, little lads onlyjust promoted from petticoats to knickerbockers, were deeply engrossedin one corner of the room over their bricks. Perched on the top of alow chest of drawers were Douglas and Molly, and their heads were inthat close proximity that told that secret business was going on. 

Betty's heart sank a little. 

'Old Bags is coming, ' she repeated; 'don't you hear his bell?'

'We're busy, ' said Douglas, looking up; 'we won't have Bags' storyto-day. '

'You promised yesterday when you put it off that you would hear itto-day. It isn't fair. I always listen to you. '

'Tell it to the babies; they'll like to hear. '

This was adding insult to injury, and when the twins trotted up to thewindow Betty turned a defiant back upon them, tears of disappointmentdimming the blue eyes. 

'She's cwying, ' announced Bobby, twisting his head round to look upinto her face. 

Betty turned round furiously; a sharp push sent Bobby to the ground, and in falling he struck his head against one of the feet of thenursery table. There was a howl, general confusion, and nurseappeared, to discover and chastise the offender. Betty was led off indisgrace to a little room on the nursery landing, known by the childrenas 'Cells. ' Their uncle, a young captain in the Guards, had given itthat name, but in reality it was nurse's storeroom, and was heated withhot pipes, to air the linen kept there. It was a small, square room, containing a table and one chair; the window was high above thechildren's reach, and locked cupboards were on every side. Nurseinvariably used it for punishing small offences, and being a woman ofstern principles, she generally set the little culprit a text to learnwhilst there. A Bible was on the table, and Betty was led up to it. 

'You will stay here till tea-time, and will not come out until you havelearnt a text, and said you are sorry for knocking down your littlebrother in a fit of wicked temper. This is the fourth time I have hadto bring you here this week, and it is now only Tuesday. I have moretrouble with you than all the others put together, and you ought to beashamed of yourself. '

Betty was sobbing bitterly, and when nurse left the room and turned thekey behind her, the child flung herself down on the floor. 

'It's a shame! It's all Douglas and Molly: they make promises anddon't keep them; and it was ever so much nicer a story than Molly's. Iknow they'd have liked it if they'd heard it; they never think I can doanything!'

To explain the cause of Betty's grievance, I must tell you that it wasa custom of the little Stuarts to await the muffin man's approach onhis rounds, and as his bell would sound, they would take it in turnseach day to relate to the others an account of the different houses hehad gone to, and who had been the fortunate individuals to receive themuffins that had already disappeared from his tray. It was an idlehour in the nursery from four to five, and if the gathering dusk keptthe active eyes still, the fertile brains were brought intorequisition. Telling stories was a constant delight, and the wonderfuladventures that befell the muffins on their daily rounds kept thelittle gathering quiet and happy till tea appeared. 

Betty's stories were not inferior to her elders, and it was herchildish sense of justice and consideration that was outraged. Buttears will come to an end, and soon the little maiden was perched up atthe table to learn the task before her. She turned over the pages tillshe reached Revelation, that mysterious and mystical book that sofascinates and contents a child's soul, though the wisest on earth readit with perplexity and awe. And after a moment or two Betty had founda text to learn, and when nurse appeared later on she repeatedunfalteringly with shining eyes and with a note of triumph in her tone'And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These arethey which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb' (Rev. Vii. 14). 

'That's a good child; are you sorry?'

'Yes, ' was the reply, rather absently given, for Betty's mind was onthe white-robed throng; and how could she let nurse know all theworkings of her busy brain over the verse she had been taking into herheart and soul?

'And remember, ' said nurse gravely, 'that no naughty children whoquarrel and fight will ever be in heaven. '

'Not even if they've been through great tribulation?' quickly demandedBetty. 

But nurse did not hear, and Betty was received into the well-lightednursery with acclamation from the others, already seated at the roundtable for tea. 

'We've made a new game, Molly and I, ' announced Douglas. 

He was a fair, curly-headed boy with an innocent baby face, and atalent for inventing the most mischievous plans that could ever beconcocted, with a will that made all the others bow before him. Mollywas also fair, with long golden hair that reached to her waist; extremeself-possession and absence of all shyness were perhaps her chiefcharacteristics. 'I am the eldest of the family, ' she was fond ofasserting, and she certainly claimed the eldest's privileges. Yet hertemper was sweet and obliging, and she could easily be swayed and ledby those around her. 

'Is it one for outdoors or indoors?' asked Betty with interest. 

'Indoors, of course; we'll tell you after tea. '

'Your mother wants you in the drawing-room after ten, ' put in nurse;'you and Miss Molly are to go down. '

Molly looked pleased, not so Douglas. At last, putting down his pieceof bread and butter, he looked up into nurse's face with one of hissweetest looks. 

'Why are grown-up people so very dull, nurse? They all are just thesame, except Uncle Harry. They are dreadfully heavy and dull. '

'They have so little to amuse them, ' Molly said reflectively: 'no gamesor toys; they never make believe, or pretend the lovely things we do. '

'And their legs get stiff, and their dresses trip them up if they tryto run. '

'But they never get punished, and they're never scolded, and they'renever wicked. '

This from Betty. 

'It's their talk that is so stupid, ' went on Douglas; 'they look niceuntil they begin to talk; they make me dreadfully sleepy to listen tothem. '

'Shall I go down instead of you to-night?' asked Betty eagerly. 

'Don't chatter such nonsense; it's strange times when children begin topick their elders to pieces. You weren't asked for, Miss Betty; andMaster Douglas is to go down and behave himself. '

'The three B's aren't big enough yet to leave the nursery. '

Douglas said this with a sparkle of mischief in his eye. It was a sorepoint with Betty to be ranked with the twins, for she was only a yearbehind Douglas. Long ago he had seized hold of a laughing joke of hisfather's, alluding to the names by which the three youngest childrenwere called, and had twitted her with it ever since. 

'B for Baby--Baby Betty, Baby Bobby, and Baby Billy; babies must go tobed, ' he explained. 

Betty gave an angry kick under the table, but did not speak. 

She was very silent for the rest of that evening; but when she andMolly were safely in bed, and the room was very quiet, she asked, --

'Molly, do you know what tribulation means?'

'I'm not sure that I do, ' was the hesitating reply; 'I think it'ssomething dreadful. Why do you want to know?'

'Is it like the dark valley Christian went through in the _Pilgrim'sProgress_, or the goblin's cave we make up about?'

'I expect it is something like. Why?'

'It's on the way to heaven, ' whispered Betty, in an awestruck tone;'the Bible says so. '

There was silence, then Molly said, --

'There's a book in father's library will tell you about it. It tellsthe meaning of every word; father said so. A dick something it is. '

'I'll ask Mr. Roper to get it for me. '

And Betty turned over on her pillow comforted by this thought, and fellfast asleep. 

Mr. Stuart was a Member of Parliament, and being a man who threw hiswhole soul into everything he did, was too much engrossed with businesswhen in town to have much to do with his children. He spent a greatpart of his day in the library with his secretary, a quiet youngfellow, who was looked upon by the children as an embodiment of wisdomand learning. Mrs. Stuart saw as little of her children as herhusband; her time was fully occupied in attending committee meetings, opening bazaars, and superintending numerous pet projects for ennoblingand raising the standard of social morality amongst the masses. Shewas not an indifferent mother; she was only an active, busy woman, who, after carefully selecting a thoroughly good and trustworthy woman asher nurse, left the children's training with perfect confidence to her. And between her social and charitable claims there was not much timefor having her little ones about her. A young governess came every dayfor two hours to teach the three eldest ones, but their life wasessentially a nursery one. And when the House was closed, and thehusband and wife would go off to the Continent or to the Highlands, thechildren would be sent to a quiet seaside town with their nurse and thenursery maid. 

The following afternoon a little figure stole quietly down to thelibrary door. Betty knew her father was out, and Mr. Roper neverrepulsed any of the children. After a timid knock she passed in, andmade a little picture as she stood in the firelight, in her brownvelveteen frock and large white-frilled pinafore. 

'Well, ' said Mr. Roper, wheeling round from his writing-desk, 'what doyou want, Betty?'

'I want one of father's books, ' the child said earnestly, 'one thatDick Somebody wrote--a book that tells the meaning of everything. '

'I wish there was such a one in existence, ' said the young man, smilinga little sadly. 'Now what is in your little head, I wonder?'

'It's a word I want to find, please. '

'Oh, a word! Bless the child, she means a dictionary!' and Mr. Roperlaughed as he drew a fat volume out of a shelf, and placed it on atable by the little girl. 

'May I help you to find it?'

'It's tribulation. I don't know how it's spelt. '

He did not ask questions; that was one thing that attracted Bettytowards him. She was a curious mixture of frankness and reserve. Shewould confide freely of her own free will, but if pressed by questionswould relapse at once into silence. He found the word for her, and sheread with difficulty, 'Trouble, distress, great affliction. '

'Do they all mean tribulation?' she asked. 

'Tribulation means all of them, ' was the answer. 

'And can children have tribulation, Mr. Roper?'

'What do you think?'

'I must have it if I'm to get to heaven, ' she said emphatically; andthen she left him, and the young man repeated her words to himself witha sigh and a smile, as he replaced the book in its resting-place. 

CHAPTER II

'Mother Nature'

A few evenings after this, as nurse was undressing the little girls forbed, Mrs. Stuart came into the nursery. She was going out to dinner, and looked very beautiful in her soft satin dress and pearls. She wastall and stately, with the same golden hair as Molly, but her face wassomewhat cold in expression. 

Sitting down in an easy chair by the fire she asked, --

'What is the matter with Betty? is she in disgrace again?'

Betty was standing in her long nightdress at the foot of her small bed;her hands were clenched, and there was a resolute, determined look uponher flushed face. 

'One of her obstinate fits, ' said nurse angrily; 'she generally goes tobed before Miss Molly, and because I have let her stay up a littlelater to-night she is as contrary as she can be! I can do nothing withher, a good whipping is what she wants!'

Betty's blue eyes wandered from nurse's face to her mother's, as ifseeking consolation there; her hands relaxed, and a slight quiver cameto the little lips. 

'Are you going to a party, mother? may I come and kiss you?'

It was Molly who spoke. She was in the act of scrambling into bed, butupon receiving permission she made her way, a little shyly, across towhere her mother was seated. 

'Now keep your hands off my dress, ' Mrs. Stuart said with a smile; butshe put her arm round the little figure and kissed her, and sent herback to bed perfectly happy. All the children adored their mother, though it was adoration at a distance. 

'Now come here, Betty; what have you been doing? How is it that Inever visit the nursery without hearing complaints of your naughtiness?'

'I'm going to be good now, ' said Betty, hanging her head, and comingslowly forward into the firelight. 

'She has refused to say her prayers, ' said nurse sternly. 

'I will say them now'; and Betty raised her eyes to her mother somewhatwistfully. 

'Why did you refuse to say them when nurse told you to?'

'Because Molly was saying her prayers. '

'Well, what had that to do with it?'

Betty did not answer. 

'Answer me. '

The child looked round; nurse had left the room. She worked her littlefoot backwards and forwards in the long-haired rug rather nervously, and then, almost in a whisper, said, --

'God couldn't listen to both of us, and I wanted Him to listen to me. '

Mrs. Stuart gazed perplexedly at her little daughter, then laughed. 

'You are a little goose! Go and say your prayers at once, and get intobed. I have come here to talk to nurse. '

Betty crept away. Her mother's amused laugh had hurt her more thannurse's scoldings. It was hard to have one's secret feelings broughtto light and scoffed at, and her sensitive little soul felt this, though in a dim, uncertain way. 

'I want to have God all to myself, ' was her thought, as a few minuteslater she laid her little head down on the pillow; 'I wonder if I'mvery wicked. I won't say my prayers if He is not listening. '

'Now, nurse, ' said Mrs. Stuart, as that worthy reappeared, 'I want totalk to you. Your master and I are going abroad after Easter; he isnot well, and the doctors have ordered him away. I want to send youand the children into the country for the summer. I don't fancy thembeing at the seaside all that time. You were telling me some time agoof your old home; isn't it a brother of yours who has the farm? Yes?Well, do you think they have room to take you all in?'

Nurse's face glowed with pleasure. 

'He has no chick or child, ma'am, and the house is large and roomy; hiswife was saying in a letter to me they should like lodgers in thesummer. I'm sure it would please them to take us in; and the countryround there is wonderfully healthy. '

'I think that would answer very well, ' Mrs. Stuart went onthoughtfully; 'we may be away six months: and the children are lookingpale, a country life will do them all the good in the world. Let themrun wild, nurse, they will come back to their lessons all the betterfor it. Miss Grant told me this morning she would have to give upteaching--her mother is very ill--so, all things combined, I think thisplan will work well. Will you write to your brother and find out if hecan take you in the last week in April? Let me know when you haveheard from him. '

Mrs. Stuart rose as she spoke; her visits were never long, and nurseleft the room with her. 

'Betty, ' said Molly, in an eager tone, 'did you hear? We're going intothe country. '

'I heard; and no lessons, and we're to run wild; how lovely!' Betty'scurly head bobbed up and down in excitement, then she saidpersuasively, 'Molly, let you and me keep it a secret together; wewon't tell Douglas or the twins. '

This required consideration. Molly sat up in bed and looked thoughtful. 

'I never do have a secret with you, ' pleaded Betty. 'You and Douglashave lots; I never have any one to have secrets with. '

'Well, I'll see, ' and there was a little of the elder sister in Molly'stone. 'I'll tell you to-morrow morning. Oh, it will be jolly in thecountry, won't it? And nurse's home that she tells us about is likeour story-books: it's full of calves, and lambs, and horses, and ducks, and chickens, and haymaking, and pigs!'

'And ponds, and apple orchards, and we shall have cream, and honey, andstrawberries every day!' continued Betty. 

The little girls' voices were raised in their excitement, and they didnot notice a door at the end of the room slowly open. 

'What a row! Are you telling stories?'

It was Douglas, who slept in a little room off the nursery, and who hadbeen roused by the sound of talking. 

'Hush! nurse will hear. Come and sit on my bed, ' said Molly, 'and thenyou will hear all about it. '

'Oh, Molly, it was to be our secret!'

'Douglas won't tell. Besides, nurse is sure to tell us; she knew wewere awake and listening. '

Betty gave a little sigh, then joined eagerly in giving her brother thedelightful information. 

He listened, rumpling up his fair curls, and blinking his blue eyes, which were already heavy with sleep. 

'Easter is years off, ' he said at last. 'Why, we are still in winter. I daresay we shan't go, after all. '

'We are in February now, ' said Molly, looking a little disappointed atthe calm way he received such rapturous news. 

'If I go, ' Douglas went on meditatively, 'I shall ask father to let mehave a gun, and I shall shoot rabbits and birds every day. '

'Then you'd be a wicked, cruel boy!' pronounced Betty indignantly. 'Ishall catch all the rabbits I can see and tame them. '

'Then I shall let them loose again, ' retorted Douglas; and taking upMolly's pillow, he flung it with all his strength at Betty, whoinstantly returned it, and a pillow fight commenced. Molly joineddelightedly in the fray; but, alas! in the height of the excitement, Betty backed into a can of water put ready for their morning bath. Over she went, head first, on the floor, and the whole contents of thecan flooded her and the carpet together. Douglas precipitately fledinto his little room, and Molly into her bed, so that when nurse camehastily in Betty again was discovered as chief offender. Whilst shewas being hustled into a dry nightdress nurse relieved her vexedfeelings by giving her a good scolding, and Betty eventually crept intobed wondering if she was really the 'wickedest, mischievousest child onearth, ' or if grown-up people sometimes made mistakes. 

For the next few days nothing was talked of but the proposed countryvisit; but as weeks went on, and spring seemed still as far away, thechildren's excitement subsided, and the ordinary routine of lessons, walks, and play engrossed their whole attention. 

But Easter came at last, and then packing-up began. Miss Grant tookher departure, and poor Sophy, the nursery maid, had her hands fullenough, for nurse's command was to keep the children quiet, and not letthem come near her when packing. 

Mr. Roper was leaving the library one afternoon about four o'clock, when he saw the disconsolate little figure of Betty seated on thestairs. 

'Anything the matter?' he asked good-naturedly. 

'We're going away to-morrow, ' was the reply, 'and it is all topsy-turvyupstairs. Douglas and Molly have been lions for hours, and Bobby andBilly two monkeys, and I've been the man. I'm tired of being him, andthey won't let me change. I've broken a jug and basin, and nearlypulled a cupboard over, and spilt a bottle of cod-liver oil all overBilly's hair, and upset nurse's work-basket, and then I ran away andhid, and came down here. You don't know how tiring it is to be huntedby four animals all at once. '

Mr. Roper sat down on the stairs by her and laughed heartily. 'Poorlittle hunter!' he said, 'and how does nurse bear all this raging stormaround her?'

'Oh, nurse is with mother, in the night nursery. Sophy is runningafter all of us. I don't know who she pretends to be, but when I lefther she was sitting on the floor wiping Billy's hair and crying. '

Betty's tone and face were grave, and Mr. Roper stopped laughing. 'Have you been thinking over tribulation any more?' he asked. 

Betty nodded. 

'A lot, ' she said emphatically, then shut up her little lips tightly;and Mr. Roper knew he was to be told no more. 

'Are you going into the country, Mr. Roper?' he was asked presently. 

'No, indeed. I am not rich enough to have such a holiday as is inprospect for you. I wonder what you will do with yourselves all thetime? You must come back much the better and wiser, Betty, for it. '

'Why?'

'You will be six months older, and old Mother Nature is the bestgoverness for little ones like you. She will teach you many a lesson, if you keep your eyes and ears open. '

Betty's eyes were very wide open now. 

'Does she live at the farm? I never heard nurse speak of her. Wedon't want another governess there. How do you know her?'

'I knew her when I was a little boy, and loved her. I love her now, but my work is in London, and I never get much chance of seeing her. '

'She must be very old, ' Betty said meditatively. 

'Very old; and yet every year she seems younger and more beautiful. You will see her at her best, Betty. I shall expect you to come homeand tell me all about her. '

'Shall I give her your love and a kiss when I see her?'

'Yes, ' said the young man, smiling down upon the earnest child besidehim. 

A rush of feet behind them, and Molly and Douglas came tearingdownstairs. 

'Here she is! Where have you been? Bobby has cut his head open, andSophy has rushed to nurse, and nurse is scolding away, so we came off. Mr. Roper, do you know we're going away to-morrow?'

'And will you come and see us one day, Mr. Roper?'

'Mr. Roper, does every farmer in the country go about in hisnight-shirt? Douglas says they do, and we have pictures of them. '

'And are there stags and wild boar to hunt? Do tell us. '

Mr. Roper made short work of these questions, and departed. He was areserved, reticent man, and did not understand the boisterous spiritsof the little Stuarts. Betty was his favourite; he was always readyfor a chat with her, but the others worried him. 

Nurse was very thankful when she got herself and her little charges allcomfortably settled in the railway carriage for Tiverstoke the nextday. Sophy was not going with them, but the longing to be in the oldhome again quite compensated nurse for the additional labour andresponsibility she would have. 

The children had parted from their parents with great composure. Mrs. Stuart had reiterated parting injunctions to nurse, and their fatherhad presented all five with a bright half-crown each, which giftgreatly added to their delight at going. 

'Not much affection in children's hearts, ' said Mr. Stuart to his wife, as he watched the beaming faces gathered round the cab window to wave'good-bye. '

'They will get through life the better for absence of sentiment anddemonstrativeness, ' replied Mrs. Stuart; and perhaps those words werean index to her character. 

CHAPTER III

Was it an Angel?

It was a lovely afternoon in May, a week after the children's arrivalat Brook Farm. They were together in the orchard, which was a mass ofpink and white bloom. Bobby and Billy were having a see-saw on a lowapple branch; Douglas was perched on a higher bough of a cherry tree, and the little girls were lying on the ground. Tongues were busy, asusual. 

'We've seen everything round the house, ' Douglas was asserting inrather a dictatorial tone; 'and now we must be busy havingadventures--people always do in the country. '

'What kind?' asked Molly meekly. 

'They get tossed by bulls, or lost in the woods, or drowned in ponds, 'Douglas went on thoughtfully. 

'I'm not going to do any of those. '

And Betty's tone was very determined. 

'What are you going to do, then?'

'I shall be busy all by myself. I'm going out to look for some one. '

'Who?' asked Molly curiously. 

'Some one Mr. Roper told me about. He sent his love to her and a kiss. It's a secret between me and Mr. Roper, I shan't tell you any more. '

And Betty rolled over in the grass with a delighted chuckle at thepuzzled faces round her. 

'It's only one of her make-ups, ' Douglas said, recovering hiscomposure. 'Let me tell you of my plans. Do you see those thick treesat the top of that hill? That's a real wood. Now, if nurse sends usout tomorrow afternoon while she takes a nap, I'm going there, and yougirls must come after me. '

'And us, too, ' put in Bobby, listening attentively. 

'If you can walk so far, and don't go telling nurse about it. '

'How far is it? Six miles?' asked Molly, who would have been willingto walk ten, had her brother so ordained. 

'It is only through three fields, Sam told me. '

Sam was one of the carters, who had already become one of Douglas'sgreatest friends. 

'He be the pluckiest, knowingest little chap that ever oi see wi' sucha baby face!' was the carter's opinion of him. 

'If it's a very nice wood perhaps I'll come, ' said Betty. 

'You must save something from dinner to take with us, for we will havea feast when we get there. '

This sounded delightful, and all spent the rest of the day in busyconfabulation as to how they could get there without being stopped byany one, and what provisions they must take. 

But, alas! when the next day came, nurse announced her intention oftaking Douglas and Molly with her to tea with a friend, a littledistance off, and so the visit to the wood was postponed. 

Betty pleaded to be allowed to go with them, but nurse refused. 

'I can't have more than two; and I'm taking them more to keep them outof mischief than anything. Mrs. Giles is going to look after thelittle ones, so you must amuse yourself. '

Betty felt rather disconsolate after they had gone. She wandered intothe farm kitchen, where Mrs. Giles, a good-natured, smiling woman, wasbusy making bread. The twins were in a corner playing with somekittens. Betty stood at the table watching. At last she looked up alittle shyly and said, --

'Mrs. Giles, do you know a very nice governess that lives here?'

'A guviness, bless your little heart. There's Miss Tyler in thevillage, two mile off--but I don't think much of her. She's too giddyand smart, and the way she carries on with Dan Somers is the talk ofthe place! Are you after having lessons then?'

'Oh no, no, no!' cried Betty eagerly, 'that's why I don't talk about itto any one; but I should like to see her, for I have a message to giveher. I don't think it can be Miss Tyler; Mother Nestor--I forget thename, but something like Nestor or Nasher--Mr. Roper called her. She'sold and young together, and very pretty. '

Mrs. Giles laughed. 'Old and young together! I know of nought likethat; when we gets old, youth don't stick to us. Do you think I answerto that description, Miss Betty?'

'I should say you were very old, ' observed Betty reflectively, 'not abit young; but I think your red cheeks are very pretty. '

Mrs. Giles laughed again, and Betty left the kitchen saying, 'I'll goout of doors and look for her; perhaps she'll be coming along the road. '

Into the bright sunshine she went, across a clover field, and out at agate into the white, dusty road. She trotted along, picking flowers bythe wayside, and peeping over hedges to look at the tiny lambs or youngfoals and heifers sporting on the green grass. Everything was new anddelightful to her; the birds singing, the budding trees, the brightblue sky, and sweet fresh air, all was filling her little heart withcontent and happiness. Wandering on, she kept no reckoning of time ordistance, until she came to a church in the midst of green elms, androoks keeping up a perpetual chatteration on the topmost branches ofthe trees. 

Betty was a little afraid of rooks; they were so big and strong andblack that she feared they would peck her legs; but she was very tiredand warm, and as the church-gate was open she thought she would ventureinto the cool shade of the elms inside. Her little steps took her tothe church porch, and finding the door partly open, with a child'scuriosity, she pushed her way in, there to stand with admiring awe inthe cool, quiet atmosphere. It was a pretty old church, with stainedglass windows; and the sun streaming through sent flashing rays of redand blue, golden and purple, across the old stone walls and oaken seats. 

Betty felt she was in another world at once, and the very novelty andstrangeness of her surroundings had a great charm for her. Slowly shemade her way round the church, looking at every tablet and monument, and trying in vain to decipher the writing upon them. But one amongstthem brought her to a standstill: it was the figure of a little girlsculptured in white marble, lying in a recumbent position; her handswere crossed on her breast, with a lily placed between them, her eyeswere closed, and her hair curled over her brow and round her shouldersin the most natural way. Just above her was a stained glass window--abeautiful representation of the Saviour taking the children in His armsand blessing them. Below the window was written in plain blackletters, --

IN LOVING MEMORY OF VIOLET RUSSELL. 

Aged six years. 

'_Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not. _'

Betty drew a deep breath; her thoughts were busy. She wished herselfthat little girl lying so calm and beautiful, with the red and goldenrays slanting across her; and then looking up at the window, she wishedstill more that she was one of those happy children in the Lord's arms. 

Looking up with tearful eyes, she clasped her hands, and let herbuttercups and bluebells fall to the ground unheeded. 

'O God, I will be good! I will be good!'

Those were all the words uttered, but He who heard them looked downinto the overflowing heart, and knew all that lay behind them. 

Long the child stood there, and then with flagging footsteps made herway down the aisle. 

'I'm very tired, ' she murmured to herself; 'I'll just sit down insidethat pew. '

And a moment after, curling herself up on the cushions, Betty went fastasleep. 

She was dreaming soon of a wonderful white-robed throng; she saw thelittle girl walk up with her white, still face to a golden throne, shetried to follow, but could not manage to walk, and then the mostwonderful music began to sound; louder and clearer it came, until witha start she opened her eyes and discovered where she was. Was it all adream? The music was still sounding in her ears, and sitting up shepeered over the edge of the high pew. There, seated at the organ, wasa lady, and she was pouring forth such a flood of melody and song thatit did indeed seem to the half-wakened child music straight from heaven. 

Betty listened breathlessly to the words--words that she knew now sowell, and that were ever in her thoughts: 'These are they which cameout of great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made themwhite in the blood of the Lamb. '

It was a beautiful anthem, and a beautiful voice that was singing. Betty had never heard such singing before. She gazed with open mouthand eyes; the lady was rather a young one, she noticed, and when hervoice rose in triumph and the organ pealed out in accompaniment, Bettysaw that her uplifted eyes, shining as they were with such a glad lightbehind them, were full of tears. 

'It's an angel, ' she whispered to herself. And when at last the notesdied away, and there was stillness in the church, when she saw thelady's face bowed in her hands, as if in prayer, Betty stole softly outof the building, and retraced her steps along the road, sobbing as shewent. It had been too much for her excitable little brain; she alwayshad been passionately fond of music, but was more accustomed to thestreet organs in London than to any other sort, and this was as great acontrast to those as heaven is to earth. 

It was a long way back, but Betty did not feel it. Had God sent anangel to sing to her? Was there a chance of her ever being amongstthat white-robed throng? If she could only go through tribulation!Had the little girl lying so white and still gone through it? Theseand other similar puzzling thoughts came crowding through her brain. 

She was very quiet when she reached the farm. They were just sittingdown to tea when she came in, and Mrs. Giles looked relieved when shesaw her. 

'We was wonderin' where you had got to, ' she said. 'Ain't you tired?You look quite beat. '

'I've had a lovely afternoon, ' was the child's answer, and the blueeyes shone up at her questioner; but not a word more could be got fromher, though the little boys did their best to extract more information. 

The next day was a wet one, but the little Stuarts were never at a lossfor occupation, and when they were packed off into a large empty garretfor the whole afternoon their delight was unbounded. 

At last, tired out, their spirits began to flag, and after havingexhausted all their stock of games they flung themselves down on theground to rest. 

'I'll tell you a story, ' said Betty suddenly. 

'All right, go on!'

Betty sat up in a corner, and rested her back against the wall. Sheclasped her small hands in front of her, and gazing dreamily up at anold beam across the room, on which hung many a cobweb, she began, --

'It was a beautiful day in heaven----'

'It's always a beautiful day there, ' put in Douglas critically. 

'I never said it wasn't. You're not to interrupt me. It was abeautiful day, the harps were playing and the angels singing, and oneangel looked as if she wanted something. So God asked her what was thematter. 

'"Oh, please, " she said, "I want to go down to earth to-day. "

'"What do you want to do there, O angel?"

'"I want to play and sing to some children there. "

'Then God said she might go. So she flew down and changed herclothes----'

'What kind of clothes did she put on?' asked Molly eagerly. 

Betty considered a moment 'She put on a straw hat and a grey dress; shetook off her wings and folded them up. '

'Where did she put them?' demanded Douglas. 

'Down a well, ' was the prompt reply. 'It was a dry well, and she puther white dress and crown with it; she did them up in a paper parcel, and wrote her name on. '

'What was her name?' asked Bobby. 

Betty knitted her brows. 'It was a Bible name, of course; I think itwas Miriam. She felt the earth was very hot, for the sun was shininglike anything, and then she wondered who she could sing to. Well, shewalked along a road, and then she saw a church, so she thought thatmust be a good place, and she went inside. The church was dark, andcool, and still, but it was lovely; and there were red and blue andyellow and green and violet sunbeams, and beautiful painted windows, and white marble figures all about, and it was so still that you feltyou must hush and walk on tiptoe. And then, what do you think she saw?'

All eyes were on Betty now, as she sank her voice to an impressivewhisper. 

'She saw a little girl fast asleep!'

'Go on, ' said Douglas impatiently, as Betty made another pause. 

'So the angel thought she would sing to her; so she went up very softlyto the big organ, and began to play it, and then she began to sing. Itwas lovely. She sang like she did in heaven, and the little girl wokeup and listened. '

'What did she sing about?' asked Molly. 

'She sang about heaven, and all the people and children who had comethrough great tribulation. And the music went on right up to the topof the church, and her voice got louder and louder, and then softer andsofter to a whisper, and then the music got softer too, and then--itwas quite still. '

'Well, go on. What did the little girl do?'

'The little girl came away; she--she cried a little. '

'Why, you're crying too! What a silly!'

Betty dashed her small hand across her eyes, and threw up her headdefiantly. 'That's all my story, ' she said. 

'Oh, what a stupid story! You must make a proper ending. '

'You shall go on! we'll make you!'

'Did the angel get her proper clothes again?'

'Yes, ' said Betty, with a little sigh; 'she put them on and went up toheaven. And God asked her what she'd done. And she told Him shethought the little girl would like to come to heaven, if He would lether. '

There was a little break in Betty's voice; she slid down from hercorner, and rolled over on the floor, her face hidden from the others. Then in a second she called out, 'I see a mouse! Let us catch him!'

The children were on their feet directly, and a regular scrambleensued, Betty the most boisterous of them all. And when nurse came ina little later, she found the little story-teller in the act ofcrawling across the oaken beam in the centre of the room, to theintense delight of those watching her below. 

Nurse caught her breath at the daring feat, but waited till she hadaccomplished it in safety, then caught her in her arms, and taking heroff, gave her a good whipping, and Betty's spirits totally subsided forthe rest of the evening. 

CHAPTER IV

Adventures

The visit to the wood came off the day after. Nurse arrayed all herlittle charges in large holland overalls, and sent them out into thefields for the afternoon. And the little party set out in good spirits, Bobby and Billy tramping sturdily along, under the firm conviction thatthey were going to meet with wild beasts, and go through the mostharrowing adventures. 

It was a long walk, but they reached it at last, and came to a standstillwhen they saw the ditch and the thick hedge that surrounded it. 

'There's a castle and a princess inside, so they don't like people tocome in, ' asserted Douglas; 'but we'll find a hole somewhere and creepthrough. '

And this was soon done. The children looked round them with delight atthe little winding paths, the banks of green moss, and the thickoverhanging bushes and trees, that seemed so full of life and interest. Douglas was in his element. 

'We'll find a place we must call home first, and then we'll see what foodwe've got. '

The foot of an old oak tree was chosen. Bits of cake, pudding, somebiscuits, and a few lumps of sugar were then produced from differentpockets, and these were given over to Douglas, who, wrapping them inpaper, deposited them inside the hollow trunk of the tree. 

'Now, ' he said, 'we must all divide, and go in search for adventures; andwhen we've found them, we can come back and tell the others here, andthen we'll have a feast. '

'And if we don't find any?' questioned Betty doubtfully. 

'Then you must go on till you do. Why, of course a wood is full ofdangers. I mean to have an _awful_ time. We must go two and two; Mollyand I will take this path, and the twins can take that one, and you, Betty, must go by yourself, because you're the odd one. '

'I always have to go alone, ' murmured Betty; 'it isn't fair. '

Bobby and Billy stood clasping each other's hands, and looking withanxious though determined faces along the path mapped out for them. 

'And if we should meet a cwocodile?' Billy asked, lifting his blue eyesto those of his big brother. 

'Then you must either kill it or run away, ' said Douglas. 'Andcrocodiles don't live in woods. '

'And if we lose ourselves in the wood?' questioned Bobby. 

'If you're frightened, you needn't go, but stay here till we come back, 'put in Molly, her conscience a little uneasy with turning such littlefellows loose on their own resources. 

But this gave the twins courage. Frightened! Not a bit of it! And theytrotted off, calling out they were going to kill every one they met. 

Betty likewise started on her journey. She was feeling rather depressedwith the truth of which she was always being reminded--namely, that shewas the odd one. 

'I wish there had just been one more of us, ' she kept saying to herself;'I'm either one too many or one too few, and it's very dull to be alwaysalone. '

But her thoughts soon left herself when she saw some rabbits scuddingaway in the distance; and the flowers on her path, and the strangeness ofher surroundings, were quite enough to occupy her mind. She soon foundthat her path was coming to an end; right across it was some fine wirenetting, and for a moment she hesitated, then, deciding to go straighton, clambered over it with great difficulty. The grass was smootherhere, and the path a wide one; a little distance farther was an ironseat, and then she came to a long, straight grass walk, with trees oneither side, and at the end a gate, in an old stone wall. 

'I shall have to get through that gate, ' she mused, 'or else I must climbthe wall. I wonder what is inside! It might be anything--a castle, withan ogre or giant, or a prince and princess--and I can't go back till Ifind out. My adventures have come. But I'm very tired. I'll just sitdown for a little before I go on. '

A few moments after Betty's little body was lying full length on thegrassy path, and she was counting over a cluster of primroses with greatcare and precision. 

'Twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three--ah, what a pity! there is a littleodd one, just like me!'

'What are you doing, child?'

Betty started to her feet. Looking down upon her was a tall old lady, dressed in a shady straw hat and black lace shawl; her black silk dressrustled as she moved. One hand was resting on a stick, the other washolding a sunshade. Her face was as still and cold-looking as some ofthe figures on the monuments in the little village church, and her voicestern and peremptory. 

Wild thoughts flashed through Betty's brain. Was this a fairy godmother, a queen, a princess? Or might it possibly be the old governess that Mr. Roper loved so much?

Again the question was repeated, in the same stern tone, and Betty gazedup in awe, as she answered simply, --

'I was counting the primroses, to see if they were even or odd. '

'And what business have you to be trespassing in my private grounds?'

'I didn't know this was trespassing, ' Betty faltered; 'a wood belongs toanybody in the country, and I haven't got inside your gate yet, though Iwas going to try. '

'And pray what were you coming inside my gate to do?'

'I'm--I'm looking for adventures; I have to do something before I goback. '

'I think you had better explain to me who you are. '

The voice was gentler, and Betty took courage. The lady listened to herattentively, and seemed interested; she even smiled when Betty, lookingup, asked innocently, 'I suppose you are not a princess, are you?'

'No, I'm not a princess, ' she said; 'but this is a private wood, and Icannot allow children to run wild all over it. '

'And mustn't we ever come here again?' asked Betty, with a grave face. 'We should be ever so careful, and we won't pick a flower if you'll onlylet us walk about. We've never seen a wood before, only read about onein our story-books; and children always go through woods in books withoutbeing stopped, unless it's an ogre or a giant that stops them. '

The lady did not speak for a minute, then she said, --

'How many are there of you?'

'Five with me; there's Molly and Douglas, and there's Bobby andBilly--I'm the odd one. '

'Why should you be the odd one?'

'Because Molly and Douglas are the eldest ones, and they always gotogether, and Bobby and Billy are the babies. Mother always calls themthe babies, and I come in between, and I belong to no one. You see, inour games it's generally two and two; I always make everything odd, andMolly and Douglas are always having secrets, and that only leaves me thebabies to play with, and they're only just four years old--much too smallfor me. '

'I suppose you have a doll or something to comfort yourself with? Iremember I used to when I was a little girl. '

'I don't much like dolls, ' said Betty, with a decided shake of her curlyhead; 'I like something really alive, something that moves by itself. There's a big sheepdog at our farm called Rough. I sometimes get hold ofhim for a game, but he likes Douglas better than me. Sam says he'salways fond of boys. '

'Would you like to come inside my gate?' asked the lady, looking downupon Betty with a strange tenderness in her eyes, though her lips werestill grave and stern. 

Betty slipped her hand confidingly into hers. 

'Yes, please; and will you tell me who you are? I think you're ratherlike a lady I'm trying to find. She teaches children, a governess sheis, and she's old and young together. You're much more like her thanMrs. Giles is. '

But the lady did not satisfy Betty's curiosity; she only said, --

'I have never taught any children in my life, ' and led her up the grassywalk to the gate in the wall. 

'I am only going to let you stand inside for a moment, and then you mustrun away. And you must never come over the wire netting in the woodagain. You and your brothers and sister can play in the other part ofthe wood, but I will not have children running over my private walks. '

She opened the gate, and Betty saw a lovely flower garden, with a smooth, grassy lawn, and away in the distance a great white house. The flowerswere exquisite, and to Betty's London eyes they were a feast of delight. Her little face flushed with pleasure. 

'Do you live here?' she asked. 'How happy you must be!'

'Do you like it better than my wood?'

Betty turned from the blaze of sunshine and brightness to look at thecool green glade behind her. She did not answer for a minute, then shesaid, pointing with her small finger down the grassy avenue, --

'It's something like church down there, it looks so quiet. But thisgarden is like heaven, I think. '

The lady smiled. 'I will give you any flower you like to take away, sochoose. '

Betty was not long in making her choice. There were some beautiful whitelilies close by--lilies that might have come from the same plant as thatone lying between the little girl's hands in church. 

'I should like one of those, please, ' she said, with sparkling eyes. 

She was given, not one, but several, and then was dismissed. 

'And I shall never see you again, ' Betty said, as she put up her mouthfor a kiss. She did not say it regretfully, only as if stating a fact. 

The lady stooped and kissed her. 'Not unless I send for you, ' she said. 'Can you find your way back?'

Betty nodded brightly, and ran off. The lady stood watching her littlefigure for some minutes, then she gave a deep sigh, and her face relapsedinto its usual stern and immovable expression as she entered her gardenand locked the gate behind her. 

Betty ran on as fast as she could to join the others. When she reachedthe oak tree, Douglas and Molly were already there, seated on the ground, busily employed in dividing the provisions for the feast. They exclaimedat the sight of her flowers. 

'I've had a lovely adventure, ' said Betty. 'Where are Bobby and Billy?'

'We don't know, ' said Molly, rising to her feet and looking anxious. 'I'm sure they ought to be here by this time. '

'Perhaps they're lost, ' Douglas suggested cheerfully; 'I was hoping someof us would get lost, and then we should have the fun of finding them. We'll go in a few minutes and look for them. Would you like to hearwhere we have been, Betty?'

'Yes. '

'Well, it is rather a stupid wood, for we came to nothing particular;only we've found a little house. It has three sides and a roof--tumblingin. We're going to mend it up, and live there, next time we come outhere. At least, I mean to live in it. I shall be a disguised princehiding for my life, and you will all have to search the wood to get foodfor me. Molly and I have made it all up. She is to be my daughter, whosteals out at night time to visit me; you can be a servant, who mends theroof, and makes me comfortable; and the twins can be soldiers scouringthe wood for me. '

Neither Betty nor Molly showed much interest in this plan; they were boththinking of the twins, and Douglas, having said his say, was quite readyto start off on the quest. 

Together they ran along the path by which the little boys had gone. Itled them under some low brushwood, and then along the banks of a stream. And then calling their names aloud, they were relieved to hear ananswering call. A moment later and they came upon them. The stream wasbroad, and rather deep here, with great boulders of stone appearing abovethe water. Upon one of these boulders, in the centre of the stream, satthe two little boys, wet to the skin, and looking the pictures of abjectdespair. 

'However did you get there?' said Douglas rather angrily. 

'Billy was getting some forget-me-nots, and tumbled in, and so I cameover to help him, and we can't get back, ' explained Bobby, not verylucidly. 

'If you got over there you can get back again, ' Molly said decisively. 

At this both the twins began to cry. 

'It's so cold; we was nearly drownded; and we've seen a shark swim along. '

Douglas laughed, but took off his shoes and stockings. 

'I shall have to wade in and bring them over on my back, ' he said, withrather a lordly air. 

And this he did, landing both the twins safely on the bank. 

'Nurse will scold awfully, they're both so wet; we shall have to go homeat once, ' said prudent Molly, as with very small handkerchiefs she andBetty tried to wipe some of the wet off their clothes. 

'And then she'll say we're never to come to the wood again. I wish wehadn't brought them with us!'

It was a quiet little party that returned to Brook Farm; and in theexcitement of receiving the vials of nurse's wrath, and the fuss madeover the poor little victims, Betty's adventures remained still unheardand unknown. 

She was not sorry that this was so, and was quite content to muse in thesecrecy of her own heart upon the beautiful cold lady who had given herthe lilies. She thought of her sleeping and waking, and with a strangelonging wondered if she would ever be allowed to see her again. 

The next afternoon was a very warm one; but Betty's restless little feetcould not stay in the buttercup meadow close to the house, where theothers were playing, and soon a small white figure in a large sun-bonnetcould have been seen plodding along the dusty road towards the churchyardin the distance. 

Her little determined face relaxed into wonderful softness when sheentered the cool church. Going on tip-toe up the aisle, she came to themonument of little Violet Russell, and here she paused, then clamberingup with a little difficulty, she laid two fresh lilies by the side of thesculptured one, across the clasped hands of the child's figure. 

'There, ' she said in a hushed voice; 'you shan't always hold a cold deadlily, Violet dear; I've brought them to you from my own self, becausethey're mine, and I'll get you some other flowers when they are dead. '

She put her soft red lips down and left a kiss on the little claspedhands, and then slipped down to the ground again, where she stood for amoment looking up at the stained window above. A noise startled her:walking up the middle aisle was the lady who had played to her before, and following her a rough country boy, who disappeared through a littledoor behind the organ. 

Betty slipped behind a pillar, and watched eagerly. Yes, she was goingto play again; and her heart beat high with expectation. She crept intoone of the high, old-fashioned pews, and sitting on a hassock, leant herlittle head back upon the seat, and prepared herself to listen. 

The music began, and sent a little shiver of delight through Betty'ssoul. The long, soft notes that died away like a summer breeze, thedeep, grand rolls that seemed to come from a cavern below, and then blendwith the clear, sweet echoes rising and falling, and at length ascendingin a burst of praise and gladness--it seemed to her that the angels abovewould be stooping to listen to such strains. 

And then, after a little, the lady began to sing; and Betty drew in onedeep breath after another. It must be an angel, surely! and yet therewas something in the fresh holland dress and shady hat of the singer thisafternoon that seemed hardly suitable for an angel's apparel. 

The lady once looked round; and Betty thought her face looked sad; butwhen she began to sing her face was illumined with such light andgladness that the child watched it entranced. 

An hour passed, and then the singer was startled by the sound of a sob. She was singing 'Oh, that I had wings like a dove!' and turning round, was startled at the sight of a white sun-bonnet and two small handsgrasping the back of one of the pews. Betty had mounted on the hassockto have a full view of the singer long ago, and was now trying in vain torestrain the pent-up feelings of her sensitive little soul. 

In an instant the lady had left her seat and come up to the child. 

'What is the matter, little one? How did you find your way in here?' sheasked gently, as she put her arm round the sobbing child. 

But Betty could not put her feelings into words; she only shook her headand sobbed, 'I like the music; don't stop singing. '

'I must stop now: my hour is up. Tell me who you are. '

Betty made an effort to recover her self-possession. 

'I'm only Betty, ' she said, dabbing her face with her handkerchief; 'areyou an angel?'

'Indeed I am not; do I look like one?'

And the lady threw back her head and laughed in a very amused way. 

'Not now, ' said Betty soberly; 'but you did look like one when you weresinging, and I--I hoped you might be. '

'Why did you hope so?'

Again Betty was silent; then, looking up, she seemed to gather couragefrom the kind face looking down upon her, and burying her face in thelady's dress, she sobbed out, --

'I thought God might have sent you; and then you could have told me lotsof things I wanted to know. '

'Perhaps God may have sent me instead of an angel. Tell me some of thethings you want to know. '

'I want to know about Violet, and heaven, and tribulation, ' murmuredBetty a little incoherently; and then she started as the church clock inthe belfry began to chime five. 

'It's tea-time; nurse will be looking for me. '

The lady stooped and kissed her. 'I must go too, ' she said; 'will youcome and see me to-morrow afternoon? I shall be here at the same time, and then we can have a little talk. '

'What is your name?' asked Betty. 

'Nesta, ' the young lady answered, a little briefly. 

'And do you teach children?' was the next question, breathlessly put. 

'Sometimes; on Sundays I do. '

Betty's face lighted up, but she said no more, and trotted out of thechurch and along the road as hard as ever she could. 

CHAPTER V

Prince

The children were all at breakfast the next morning in theold-fashioned kitchen. Nurse and her brother were having an animatedtalk over some reminiscences of the past, when there was a knock at theback door, and Mrs. Giles went out. Coming back, she appeared with asmall hamper under her arm, which she placed on the floor. 

''Tis the queerest thing I know of, ' she said; 'look at the label now, Jack; whoever is it for?'

Every one crowded round at once. 

'For the little odd one at Brook Farm. '

''Tis for one of the children, ' said Jack, rubbing his head; 'they bethe only little 'uns that I know of. '

'It's for Betty!' shouted Douglas and Molly excitedly; 'she's the oddone! Open it quick, Betty; perhaps it's a big cake. '

'It's alive!' exclaimed nurse, as on her knees she tried to undo thefastenings. 'Come along, Miss Betty, you shall open it for yourself. '

Betty came near, and with trembling fingers cut the string. 

A minute after, and out of the hamper jumped a beautiful little blackand white spaniel. 

There were screams of delight from all the children, and great surmisesas to who could have sent it. Betty guessed, but said nothing when shefound a piece of paper tied to a brass collar round his neck, withthese words: 'From a friend, hoping he may prove a true companion. '

She clasped her arms round the dog's neck in ecstasy. 'He is my very, very own, ' she said, looking up at nurse with shining eyes; 'and I'llhave him for ever and ever. '

The little creature sniffed at her face, and then put out his tongue, and gave her a lick of satisfaction and approval. From that time thetwo were all in all to each other. 

There was a great deal of discussion about him that morning, and Bettyhad to tell of the strange, stern lady who had spoken to her in thewood. 

'I'm sure she sent him, ' Betty kept repeating; 'I'm sure she did. '

'It was awfully mean to keep your adventure so secret, said Douglas, looking at the dog very wistfully; 'she must be a fairy godmotherliving in the wood. I wish she would send me something. '

'Perhaps she is a wicked fairy or witch, ' suggested Molly, 'who hasturned a prince into a little dog, and we must find a kind of spell tobring him back to a prince again. '

'That's what I'll call him, ' said Betty, looking up; 'I'll call himPrince. '

Nurse at first demurred at having such an addition to her family, butMrs. Giles comforted her with the assurance--'There, let the littlemiss enjoy him; she'll soon get tired of him--children always do--andwhen you go back to London you can leave him behind with us. He's agood breed, that we can see; and Jack will be able to sell him if wedon't care about keeping him. '

It was fortunate Betty did not hear this suggestion. Prince wasrapidly filling a void in her little heart of which only she perhapshad been dimly conscious. She was a child with strong affections andintense feelings, and a yearning to have some one to love, and to beloved in return. None of the little Stuarts were demonstrative, andfew guessed how deeply and passionately the bright and mischievousBetty longed for the sympathy and love that was so rarely shown towardsher. 

So engrossing was the possession of Prince that the day went by, andtea-time came, before Betty thought of her new friend in the church. 

But when tea was over she took Molly into her confidence. 'Molly, doyou think I might take Prince for a walk? would he follow me?'

'Where are you going?'

'I'm going to see a lady that I think is the governess Mr. Roper toldme about; Nesta, her name is, only I think he called her Mother Nesta. I told you about it one night, don't you remember? she's really veryold, but she looks very young, and this one must be her. '

'Where did you find her?'

'In a church. '

'Oh!' and Molly's tone was indifferent; 'I don't like people in church. Nurse says she is going to take us to church to-morrow. I hoped shewould forget; last Sunday it was too far, she said. And Douglas and Iwere going to have a beautiful church in the orchard. There's an appletree just like a pulpit. '

'Molly, ' called out Douglas, 'Sam is going down to the river to fish;he says he'll show us where we can fish too; do come on!'

Away ran Molly. The twins were playing in the garden porch, and nursechatting in the kitchen with her sister-in-law. Betty called Prince, who had been busy with a saucer of scraps, and putting on her straw hatset off along the road to church. Prince was certainly a great charge;he was a dog of an inquiring mind, and his continual rushes into thehedge sides, and long searches after young frogs in the grass, considerably delayed his young mistress's progress. 

But at length the church was reached; the evening shadows threw long, weird shapes across the darkened path that led to the porch, the rookswere noisier than usual, and Betty looked anxiously down at Prince. 

'You won't bark, dear, will you?' she said stooping and lifting himinto her arms; 'because church is a very quiet place, and music is theonly noise allowed. I'll take you in to see the prettiest little girlyou've ever seen, and she's lying so still. I've brought her someforget-me-nots. '

Prince struggled a little at first, but Betty soothed him and thencrept inside. 

'I'm afraid I've come too late, ' she murmured, as she looked round thesilent church and saw no signs of the lady; 'but I'll come another daysoon and see her. '

Softly she made her way round to the stained-glass window she loved, but started in astonishment when she saw leaning against the monument atall, strange gentleman. 

He did not see Betty; his brows were knitted and his lips twitchingstrangely under his heavy dark moustache; with folded arms he stoodleaning against the pillar, and looking down upon the fair figure ofthe recumbent child in front of him. Then he stooped, and taking upone of the fading lilies across the child's hands looked at itwonderingly. 

'The picture more lasting than the thing itself, ' he muttered; 'it isall that is left us; the fragile productions of nature cannot existlong in this hard, rough world, and yet how I tried to shield her fromevery blast!'

A slight whine from Prince startled him, and looking round he pulledhimself together sternly. 

'What are you doing here, little girl?'

Almost the same words that had been said to her in the wood the otherday; and Betty began to wonder if she were again on forbidden ground. 

'Does the church belong to you?' she asked, standing her ground, andlooking up through her long dark lashes rather shyly; 'am I where Ioughtn't to be? I came to see that little girl. '

He looked at her. 

'What do you know about her?'

'I don't know anything, but I want to know. I love her, and I'vebrought her some more flowers. '

'Did you put these lilies here?'

'Yes; they're quite dead now, aren't they?'

'Of course they are; this is the place of death. '

Betty did not understand the bitter tone; but she said simply, pointingto the child's figure, 'She isn't really dead, is she? She has gone tosleep. I was thinking, when I was here before, if Jesus would onlyjust walk out of that window and touch her hands with His, she wouldopen her eyes and get up. I should like to see her, wouldn't you? Iwatched her the other day till I almost thought I saw her move. Butshe will wake up one day, won't she?'

There was no answer. 

Betty slipped her little hand in his. 'Would you give her theseforget-me-nots, or lift me up so that I can do it?' She had droppedPrince, who was sniffing suspiciously round the gentleman's heels, andwaited anxiously for his reply. He took her in his arms, and held herthere whilst she placed the flowers in the position she wished; andthen, before she was lifted down, she said softly, 'I think she isreally singing up in heaven. I like to believe she is there, but I'mnot quite sure. Do you know if she came out of tribulation?'

'Why should she?'

'Because it says, about those in white robes with crowns, "These arethey which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. " It makes me feel veryunhappy sometimes, because I haven't been through tribulation yet, andI shan't be ready to die till I have. '

She was set quickly down upon her feet, and without a word thegentleman left her, striding down the aisle and shutting the churchdoor with a slam that echoed and re-echoed through the silent church. 

Betty was startled at his sudden departure; she took up her dog in herarms again, and stood gazing silently up at the window above, throughwhich the setting sun was sending coloured rays in all directions. Then with a little sigh she turned and left the church. Outside theporch was a grey-headed old man, the sexton, who was taking his eveningwalk amongst the graves. 

'Hulloo!' he said, 'be you the one that banged this 'ere door just now?'Twas enough to scare the owls and bats and all the other beasties fromtheir holes for evermore. '

'No, it wasn't me; it was a gentleman. '

'Ah, was it now? Shouldn't be surprised if I knew who it was! 'TwasMr. Russell, surely! There's no other gent that favours this 'erebuilding like him. '

'Is he Violet Russell's father?' questioned Betty eagerly. 

The old man nodded. 'Yes, he be that little maid's parent, and he'llnever get over her loss. She were the apple of his eye, and when shewere took, he were like a man demented. Ah, 'tis the young as well asthe old I have to dig for!'

'Does that gentleman live here?' asked Betty. 

'Ay, surely, for he be the owner of the whole property hereabout. But'tis not money will give comfort; he have had a deal o' trouble. Imind when his father turned him out o' doors for his painting andsich-like persoots. And he went to Italy, and there he taught hisselfto be a hartist, and painted and carved a lot o' stone figures, andfolks say he made a name for hisself in Lunnon. He were taken back byhis father after a bit, and came a-coorting Miss Violet Granger, thatlived over at Deemster Hall. But his brother, Mr. Rudolph, cut himout, when he went off to Germany for a spell, and he and Miss Violetrunned away together, and when he come back he found his bride stolen. He were terrible cut up, and off he goes to foreign parts again, andnever a sight of he did us get till the old squire were dead, and Mr. Rudolph had killed hisself out hunting. Then Mr. Frank comes home agenwith a bran-new wife, and we thought as how his life were a mending, and things were looking up. He seemed brighter, too; but lack-a-day, 'twere not ten months afore I had to dig a grave for her, and she lefthim a two-day-old babe to bring up--and little Miss Violet were the joyof his heart--she were a purty, bright little maid, and were out on herlittle pony every day wi' her father. She just doated on him, and hewere as lovin' as a woman wi' her. Then there come the day when thelittle maid got a ugly fall from her pony, and all the Lunnon doctorswere sent for, but could do no good, and she were in bed a wasting awayfor nigh a twelve-month, and then she died. 'Twere a mercy, for she'dhave been a hunchbacked cripple had she lived; and Mary Foster, whatwere her maid, said as 'ow she suffered terrible at times. The Lordwere marciful in takin' of her. But 'tis not to be wondered at Mr. Frank takin' it sorely. And then he shut hisself up in his paintingroom, and never comed out of it till he had cut the little maid'sfigure out in stone, like as you see it in the church. Many's thevisitor that I've a taken in to see it; and the ladies, they comes awaysheddin' tears at the little dear. He put up the coloured window too, and comes to church reg'lar; but he's hard and cold, like the stones hecut, and 'tis his troubles have spoilt him. I mind he were abright-faced, bonny lad once, that I used to show birds' nests to inthe hedges; but now he passes me wi'out a civil word or look. Ay, it'strouble and toil and tribbylation that is man's lot here below!'

Betty listened to this long harangue breathlessly. Much of it shecould not follow, but the old man's closing sentence made her look athim eagerly. 

'Do you know about tribulation?' she asked. 

'Me know of it! Ay, surely, when I've buried six sons and daughters, and last of all my woife, and dug all their graves mysel', save two, which were Jack in Mericky, which died of yellow fever, and only apacket of letters sent back to us belonging to him, and in them therewere a bit o' his mother's grey hair which he had cut off that playfulafore he went away; and then there were Rob, that were killed down acoal mine, and we could never get at his body, and he left a widder andthree childer, and she were married to one o' his chums afore atwelvemonth past--the unfeeling hussy; but I've washed my hands of thelot. Ay, I've been through troubles and tribbylation, which is our lotin this world, but I've had a many more than most folks. '

'Then you must be quite ready to die?' said Betty, looking at himthoughtfully. 

The old man looked at her; then rubbed his head in a puzzled way. 

'I'm no so sure about that, little lassie; I've seen scores broughtinto this churchyard and placed in my graves, but there are toimes whenI think o' seeing mysel' let down into a strange grave, and one not cuthalf so foine as mine, for I'm up to my trade, and none could do itbetter, and I'm thinkin' if that day will wait till I'm ready for it;well--'twill be a good way off yet!'

Betty knitted her brows in perplexity. 

'If you've been through tribulation, you must be very nearly ready forheaven--the Bible says so. '

'Ay, do it? Let's hear, missy; for sure I've had my lot o' woe, andthe Lord do be marciful!'

For a second time that afternoon Betty repeated the text that was sooccupying her mind and thoughts. The old man listened attentively. 

'You see, ' said Betty, leaning against an old yew tree and huggingPrince close to her, 'it's the first part that's so difficult to me, but it must be quite easy for you. The end of it fits us all, but thetribulation doesn't fit me. '

'And what be the end of it?' asked the sexton. 

'It says, they washed their robes and made them white in the blood ofthe Lamb. '

'Ay, ' said the old man, after a minute's silence, 'and 'tis the end ofit don't fit me. '

The child looked up, astonishment coming into her blue eyes. 

'But that's very easy, ' she said, 'that is coming to Jesus and askingHim to wash our sins away in His blood. I thought everybody did that. I do it every night, because I'm an awful wicked girl. I'm alwaysforgetting to be good. '

Again there was silence; the old man looked away over the hills in thedistance. It was just the quietest time in the evening; the birds werealready in their nests for the night, --even the rooks had subsided; andthe stillness and peace around drew his heart and mind upwards. Bettythought he was looking at the sunset, which was shedding its lastgolden rays over the misty blue outlines of the hills across thehorizon. Presently he drew the cuff of his sleeve across his eyes. 'And who be they that the Book says that of?' he asked. 

'Why, it's the people in heaven--every one who dies, I s'pose. I liketo think of them there, but I do want dreadfully to join them one day;and I'm afraid sometimes I shall be left out. '

Tears were filling the earnest little eyes, and the curly head bentover Prince to hide them. 

'I mind, ' said the sexton slowly, 'that my missus, before she died, told me to pray, "Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. " I expectshe knew all about the washing, but I've never done much harm to anyone, and I've attended church reg'lar. '

'I wish I was as good as you. ' And Betty looked up with emphaticutterance. 'I'm always doing some one harm, and nurse will scold mewhen I get in for being out so late--I know she will. Good-bye, oldman. '

She put Prince down on the ground, and trotted off, and the old sextonlooked after her with a shake of his head. 

'She be a queer little lass! Ay, I would be glad to have her chance ofgetting to the Kingdom. But I'll have a look at the old Book, and seewhat it says about this 'ere washing. '

CHAPTER VI

Made into a Couple

The next morning being Sunday, the three elder children were taken tochurch by nurse. It was a small village congregation; and Betty lookedround in vain for her friend Nesta. She saw Mr. Russell standing grimand solitary in his large, old-fashioned pew; and she had a nod fromthe sexton at the church door. The clergyman's wife and grown-updaughter and a few grandly dressed farmers' wives were the only otherswho occupied seats of their own. The organ was played by theschoolmaster, and after Nesta's playing it did not seem the sameinstrument. Betty was quieter than her brother and sister; she couldsee her stained window and little Violet's figure from where she sat;she could even catch sight of her forget-me-nots--now looking witheredand dead; and her thoughts kept her restless little body still. Mollyand Douglas did not like church; their fair heads were close together, and occasionally a faint sniggle would cause nurse to look round withstern reproval. But at last the long service was over, and they cameout into the fresh, sweet air of a June morning. 

Nurse had several friends to talk to in the churchyard, and Molly andBetty walked on soberly in front of her, feeling subdued and a littleuncomfortable in their stiff white frocks and best Leghorn hats andfeathers. 

'Where is Douglas?' whispered Betty. 

'Hush! don't let nurse know; he saw a pair of legs through a littlehole at the back of the organ, and he's gone to see if it is a robberhiding. '

'Will he fight him if it is?' said Betty, with an awe-struck look; thenan expression of relief crossing her face, she said, 'I know; it's aboy that goes in at the back whenever a person plays. I don't knowwhat he does, but I've seen him there before. '

'When did you see him?' asked Molly eagerly. 

Betty's private adventures never remained secret for long, and shepoured forth a long account of her various visits to the church. Mollywas much impressed, but Douglas's return soon turned her thoughts intoanother channel. He looked flushed and dishevelled, and his whitesailor suit was soiled and dusty; but nurse was too busy talking tonotice his appearance, and he joined the others with some importance inhis tone. 

'I've made a discovery, ' he said; 'how do you think a church organ isplayed?'

'Like a piano, ' said Molly promptly. 

'It isn't, then; you turn a handle like the organs in the street, and aman or boy does all the work behind. '

The little girls looked sceptical, and Betty said, 'I'm sure you don't, then, for we can see the person playing. '

'Well, they're only pretending; I've seen the handle myself, and theboy told me if he didn't pull it up and down the organ wouldn't play. It must be like a kind of duet, perhaps. I expect he makes all the bigbooming notes, and the squeaky notes are made by the person in front. I've promised him sixpence out of my new half-crown, if he'll let meplay instead of him one day; and he says he will. '

'Nurse won't let you play it on Sundays, ' said Molly; 'besides, youwon't be able to do it properly, and if you made a mistake it would beawful. '

'I shall play it on a week-day, and I'll make the old organ sound, yousee if I don't!'

Directly the children reached home, Betty flew to her dog, who had beenshut up in the garret whilst they had been at church. Prince wasalready getting to know his little mistress, and welcomed her back withshort happy barks and a great many licks. And Betty poured out all herheart's love for him in the shape of caresses and pats and kisses, whispering in his silken ears many a secret, and hugging him to herbreast with a passionate vehemence which astonished and amused thosewho saw her. 

'He is my own, my very own, ' she kept repeating; 'and I shall neverfeel odd no more!'

She did not. It was a new and delightful sensation to be one of acouple. 'Molly and Douglas, Bobby and Billy, and Prince and I, ' shewould say. No longer was she to trot off alone in some of theirgames, --Prince was always ready to go with her; if Molly and Douglaswere deep in some conspiracy, so could she and Prince be; and thepent-up feelings and thoughts of rather a lonely little heart werepoured out to one who listened and sympathised with his soft brown eyesand curly tail, but who never betrayed the confidence reposed in him. 

At no time in her life had Betty been so happy as she was now; herlittle pensive face sparkled with gladness when Prince gambolled by herside; and nurse asserted that the dog kept her out of mischief, and wasa very successful addition to their party. It was some days before shevisited the church again; but when she did, the organ was sounding, andshe found her friend already playing. Rolling Prince up in her largeholland overall, until only his little black nose peeped out, Bettycrept up close to the player, and stood unnoticed for some minutes. Then Nesta Fairfax turned round and gave the child a pleased smile. 

'My little friend again!' she said; 'I have been wondering what hasbecome of you. Have you come for a talk?'

'No, only to listen to the music, ' said Betty. 

'Then I will go on playing. '

She turned back to the organ, and for some time Betty listened insilence, sitting on a hassock and rocking Prince backwards andforwards, till warm and exhausted with his ineffectual struggles tofree himself, he fell asleep in her arms. 

At last, when there was a pause in the music, Betty said earnestly, --

'Will you sing again what you did when I thought you were an angel?'

'What was it, I wonder?'

'It was about--"these are they which came out of great tribulation!"'

'Oh yes, I remember. '

And the sweet clear voice rang out through the silent church, and theorgan rose and fell to the beautiful words, till Betty could hardlybear it. 

'Is it over?' she asked, as the last note died away. 

Nesta Fairfax turned her glowing face upon the child. 

'You love it as much as I do, you little mite!' she said; 'but youmustn't cry. Do you know where those words come from?'

She put her arms round her, and drew her to rest against her as shespoke, --

'Yes, ' said Betty with a nod; 'I know all about them; I've read itsixty hundred times, I think, and I know that verse by heart. I wantto ask you about it. '

Nesta waited, and with a little effort Betty said, --

'I want dreadfully to be one of them one day, and I'm afraid I nevershall. I was talking to the old man who digs graves, the other day;the first part of the verse doesn't fit me, and the last doesn't fithim--at least he said so. I wonder if both parts fit you. '

Nesta gazed at Betty in a puzzled kind of way; then looked away, forher eyes were filling with tears. 

'Perhaps it may, ' she said softly; 'I should like to think it did. '

'And can you tell me how I can go through tribulation? I want to getit over, so that I can be quite ready for heaven. '

'My dear child, if God means you to have it, He will send it in His owngood time. Never wish for troubles; they will come fast enough as yougrow older. '

'That's what nurse says; she tells us when we get to her age we shallknow what distress and trouble is. But s'posing if I don't live togrow up? Violet didn't, and I'm so afraid I may not get inside heaven. I may be left out of those in the text, because I haven't been throughtribulation. I don't want to be left out; I want to be in the verymiddle of them all! I want to stand singing, and have a crown and apalm, and I want to hear some one ask who I am; and then I want to hearthe answer, "She came out of tribulation!" Oh! do tell me how I can gointo it! Mr. Roper said you would teach me a lot of things. '

Betty's voice was eloquent in her beseeching tone, and Nesta was silentfor a moment; then she said, --

'Trouble doesn't take us to heaven; tribulation, even martyrdom, doesnot. Don't you know what does? What did Jesus Christ come into theworld for? What did He die for? Will you sing a little hymn with me?I expect you know it. '

Betty looked delighted. 

'And will you play the organ?'

'Yes. '

Then Nesta began to sing; and Betty's sweet little voice chimed in; forwell she knew the words, --

 'There is a green hill far away, Beyond the city wall, Where our dear Lord was crucified, Who died to save us all. 

 We may not know, we cannot tell What pains He had to bear; But we believe it was for us He hung and suffered there. 

 He died that we may be forgiven, He died to make us good, That we might go at last to heaven, Saved by His precious blood. 

 There was no other good enough To pay the price of sin; He only could unlock the gate Of heaven and let us in. 

 Oh, dearly, dearly has He loved, And we must love Him too, And trust in His redeeming blood, And try His works to do. '

'Now can you tell me why the Lord Jesus Christ died; what does the hymnsay?'

'He died that we may be forgiven, He died to make us good, ' quotedBetty slowly. 

'Go on. '

'That we might go at last to heaven, saved by His precious blood. '

'Then how can we get to heaven?'

'Because Jesus died for us. '

'Yes, He died to let you go to heaven, Betty; He did it all, and youhave nothing to do with it. If you let Jesus take your little heartand wash it in His blood, nothing will ever keep you out of heaven. '

'But if I'm naughty?' asked Betty. 'I've asked God so often to give mea new heart and wash me in Jesus' blood, and sometimes I think He hasdone it; but then I'm always getting into mischief, and nurse says it'sonly the good children go to heaven. '

'I think Jesus will teach you to be good, if you ask Him, and youmustn't expect to be quite good all at once; always go to Him whenyou've been naughty, and tell Him about it, and ask Him to help you tobe good. He loves you, Betty, and He will always listen to you andanswer your prayers. '

Betty's blue eyes were looking intently at the speaker; and her littlelips took a resolute curve. 

'I will be good, ' she said; 'I do love Jesus, and I'll ask Him all daylong to keep me from being naughty. '

Then after a pause she said, --

'Have you gone through tribulation?'

'I have had a great deal of trouble. ' And a sad look came over Nesta'sface. 

'My old man said he had had a lot of trouble, and he told me Mr. Russell had. Trouble always means people dying, doesn't it?'

'There are troubles worse than death, ' Nesta said gravely; 'God grantyou may never know such!' Then with a change of tone she saidbrightly, 'Don't look for trouble, darling; Jesus means you to behappy. Now shall we sing one more hymn, and then I must go. '

Betty joined in delightedly when Nesta began, --

 'There's a Friend for little children. '

After it was finished Nesta asked, --

'What did you mean, Betty, by saying that a Mr. Roper had told you Iwould teach you? Who is Mr. Roper?'

Betty told her, repeating as much of the conversation she had had withhim as she could remember; and Nesta laughed aloud when she discoveredthe origin of the 'lady who taught. '

'He meant Mother Nature, Betty; a very different teacher to me. '

'Do you know her, then? Where does she live?'

'I will take you to see her when next we meet. You see her every day, Betty. Now I must go. Good-bye. Is this a little doggie you haverolled up in your pinafore? I thought it was a doll. Now, Dick, youcan come out. '

Dick Green, a heavy-looking village boy, appeared from behind theorgan, and followed Miss Fairfax down the aisle. But Betty waited; shehad brought two roses with her for Violet's monument, and she went tothe seat upon which she had laid them, and took them round to the otherside of the church, where she deposited them in the usual place. Thencalling Prince, who had been awakened from his sleep, and was nowinspecting every corner of the church with nose and paws, Betty set offhomewards. 

Nesta Fairfax had comforted her, but had not entirely satisfied herperplexed little heart, and the busy brain was still trying to solvethe problem. 

Betty was not the only visitor to the church that day. 

Douglas disappeared after tea, and after nearly two hours' absencereturned, hot, tired, and very cross. 

At last he confided to Molly that he had been to play the organ. 

'And I'm awfully afraid I've broken the horrid old thing, and I don'tlike that Dick Green! He took my sixpence and ran off, and I workedthe handle up and down for hours; he told me the music would come inabout a quarter of an hour. It never did, but the organ gave greatgasps and groans; you never heard such a noise, just like Mr. Gileswhen he goes to sleep after tea! It's awfully hard work pulling thehandle up and down; I hope I haven't broke it. I think it wants someone to play on the front of it, but the front part is locked up. ButI've had a kind of adventure. When I came out there was a strangegentleman looking at one of the graves in the church, so I went up tosee what he was looking at, and it was the stone image of a littlegirl, and there were some pink roses in her hands. '

Betty edged up close to her brother as he got thus far, and askedeagerly, 'What did he say about the roses?'

'He looked at me with an awful frown, and I folded my arms and frownedback, like this!'

And Douglas rumpled his fair brow into many creases, and looked soferocious that Molly was quite awed, though disrespectful Betty laughedaloud. 

'"What are you doing here?" he said. "Did you put these roses here?"

'"No, " I said; "oughtn't they to be there? I'll take them away. " Andthen he frowned worse than ever, and said, "Don't you dare to lay afinger on them!" and then he muttered something about the church beingalways full of children now. But I didn't listen to him much; I wasbusy looking at the little girl, and thinking, and then I made up abeautiful story on the spot; it's something like some of the fairystories we read in our big books. I'll tell it to you in a minute. Isaid to him that I thought I could tell him where the roses came from, and he said "Where?" and then I said to him that the little girl was asleeping beauty waiting for a prince to come along and kiss her andwake her up; but he hadn't come yet, so a fairy was watching her tillhe came; and every moonlight night she would bring some flowers in, andcreep inside them and sleep with her, to keep all the goblins off, andshe would sing her songs in the night, and tell her stories, andcomfort her----'

'But, ' interrupted Molly, 'if she was asleep, how could she hear thefairy?'

'You're too sharp! Perhaps you'll wait. I was just going to say thatin the night she was able to open her eyes, only she couldn't get up. I had just got as far as that, when the gentleman said "Pshaw!" andthen he told me to run off, and not come into the church again totomfool--that's what he said. He was a kind of dark, grim-lookingogre, and I'll--well, I shall have more to do with him yet!'

This awful threat was accompanied with a very significant shake of theflaxen head, but Betty cried out hotly, --

'You don't know anything about it! He's the father of that littlegirl, and he goes to her grave to say his prayers and cry. I know moreabout him than you do, so there!'

'What do you know?'

But Betty walked off, hugging Prince under her arm, and calling out asshe went, with a spice of superiority in her tone, 'Prince and I knowall about him, and her, and the roses; that's _our_ secret. '

CHAPTER VII

Haymaking

It was only a few days after this that nurse took all the children totea at an old farmhouse about two miles off. They rode part of the wayin a farm waggon, and were all in the best of spirits, for it washaymaking time, --a time of entrancing joy to all children, and to thelittle Stuarts a new and delightful experience. They had tea out inone of the fields under a shady elm, and were just separating after itwas over to have one more romp in the hay, when, to Betty's intensesurprise, who should come across the field but Nesta Fairfax! Sheevidently knew Mrs. Crump, the farmer's wife, well, for she sat downand began chatting away about all her family, and then she caught sightof Betty. 

'Why, it's my little friend!' she said, stooping down and kissing her;'and are these your brothers and sisters?'

Betty got crimson with delight, and introduced one after the other withgreat importance, and Nesta won all their hearts at once by joiningthem in their frolic. Her laugh was as gay as theirs, and she couldrun as fast as any of them. 

'You're rather a nice grown-up person, ' said Douglas approvingly, as atlast she took her leave; 'you aren't so dull and stupid as grown-uppeople generally are! Will you come and see us one day at our farm?I'll take you to see the sweetest white mice in the stable that Samkeeps, and there's heaps of easy trees to climb in the orchard, if youlike climbing!'

'And I'll show you a baby calf only two days old, ' put in Molly, 'andthree black and white kittens in a loft, with a lot of apples one end. We've jolly things at our farm, if you'll only come. '

'And a see-saw and a swing, ' added the twins. 

'And what will Betty show me?' asked Nesta, amused. 

'I think I'll show you the flowers, and the forget-me-nots andwatercress in the brook, ' said Betty meditatively. 

'Then I really must come, with such an enchanting programme before me, 'said Nesta; and she kissed them all round, told nurse she envied herher little family, cracked some jokes with old Crump and his wife, anddeparted, leaving behind her a breezy brightness and cheeriness thatshe brought with her wherever she came. 

'A pleasant young lady, ' said nurse; 'who is she, Mrs. Crump?'

'Ah, well, ' said Mrs. Crump, shaking her head solemnly; 'there's a sadstory attached to the family. My niece, what the master and I havebrought up like one of our own children, has got the sitivation as maidto Mrs. Fairfax, and she knows all the ins and outs of their trouble asno one else do. You see, this is how it is! They were a Lunnonfamily, and come down here first for change of air. They took lodgingsin Mrs. Twist's farm; there were Mrs. Fairfax and the two young ladies, and a dashing young gentleman, the son, who came down for a day or twoat a time, but he never stayed long. Mrs. Fairfax were proud as proudcould be, and very cold and stern-like except to her son, so Jane says, and him she couldn't do enough for; her heart was just bound up in him!Jane went back with them to Lunnon, but she says the way the younggentleman went on were enough to break any mother's heart. He was fastgoing to the bad; and yet his mother, though she would scold and fumeat times, never seemed to see it, and paid his debts, and let him havehis fling. Miss Nesta were engaged to be married, and Jane says herlover did all he could to stand by her brother and keep him straight;but it weren't no good whatever. And about two year ago the end came. Mr. Arthur had some trouble over a gaming-table; that was thebeginning; then he went and signed a bank cheque that wasn't his--Ibelieve as how it is called forging, and the gentleman whose cheque itwas had him up in court; he wouldn't hush it up, and it was the talk ofall Lunnon, so Jane tells me. His mother would have paid up, though itwould have ruined her; but she weren't allowed, and he were sent toprison across the seas for seventeen years. Jane says Mrs. Fairfaxseemed turned to stone; she shut up the Lunnon house, and went abroadto some foreign place with a long name, I forgets it now; and then shecomes back and takes Holly Grange, which is as nice an old house asever you see, and belonged to a Colonel Sparks, who died only atwelvemonth ago, and is about a mile from here, over against that woodyou see yonder. But I'm tiring of you with this long tale. '

'I like to hear it, ' said nurse; and so did Betty, though a good dealof it was incomprehensible to her. She sat with Prince in her arms onthe grass close by, and her quick little ears were listening to everyword. 

'Well, ' said Mrs. Crump, with a sigh, 'there ain't much more to tell. Jane says Mrs. Fairfax shuts herself up and won't see a single visitor;Miss Grace, the eldest daughter, who was never very strong, has becomea confirmed invalid, with very crotchety and fidgety ways, and makesevery one miserable who comes near her. Miss Nesta is the only onethat keeps bright; and Jane says her temper is that sweet, she bearswith all her sister's crossness and unreasonableness, and her mother'sicy coldness, like an angel. She have had her troubles, too, poorthing! Jane tells me that it was Mrs. Fairfax made her break off herengagement with her lover; he were some relative of the gentleman thatlost the cheque, and she wouldn't have the engagement go on on noaccount. Jane says her lover had a talk with Mrs. Fairfax, and he wererather a high and mighty gentleman, and he left the room as white asdeath, and declared he would never set foot in the house again. Janethinks Mrs. Fairfax was beside herself at the time, and must haveinsulted him fearful. Anyhow, it all came to an end. It's a world oftrouble, Mrs. Duff. But I feel very sorry for Miss Nesta. The otherladies hardly ever leave the house or grounds, and they would like tokeep Miss Nesta in as well; but she comes across to me and has a chat, and she reads a chapter and has prayers with grandfather. She's a verygood young lady, and no one would think, to look at her, what she havecome through. '

'Has she come through tribulation?' asked Betty, looking up suddenly. 

'Well, I never did! To think of that child a-taking it all in!'ejaculated Mrs. Crump. 'What do you know about tribulation, littlemissy?'

'It means trouble or distress, I know;' and Betty's face was verywistful as she spoke. 

'Run along and play with the others, ' said nurse quickly, 'and don'tworry your head over other people's troubles. There is plenty of it inthe world, but your time hasn't come for it yet. '

'I wish it would come, ' said Betty softly, 'and then I could put myselfin that text. '

But only Prince heard the whispered words, and he wagged his tail insympathy. 

It was that night that Betty added another clause to her eveningprayers. She generally said them aloud at nurse's knee, but it was notthe first time that she had said, 'I want to whisper quite a secret toGod'; and nurse always let her have her way. 

'She is a queer little thing, ' she told her brother; 'sometimesnaughtier and more contrary than all the rest put together, andsometimes so angel-like that I wonder if she won't have an early death. But there's no knowing how to take her!'

Betty's secret was this, --

'And please, God, forgive Prince his sins and take him to heaven whenhe dies, and let me come through great tribulation, so that I may belike your people in heaven. '

When haymaking commenced at Brook Farm the children's delight knew nobounds. Every moment of the day they were out in the fields; and asthe great cart-loads of hay were driven off, they felt proud andpleased with having helped in the work. Prince enjoyed it as much asany one; but he never left his little mistress's side for long. Oneevening, as the tired haymakers were resting, after having placed thelast load on the wagon, Betty, dancing by the cart, was inspired toascend the ladder which had been left against it. 

'Come on, ' she shouted to Douglas and Molly, 'and we'll have a ridehome. '

Up they went, unnoticed by any, and danced up and down with delightwhen they reached the top. Then nurse discovered them, and in herfright and anxiety at their risky position she rushed towards them andscreamed aloud. The horses, startled, swerved hastily aside, andDouglas, dangerously near the edge, over-balanced himself, and fellwith a terrible thud to the ground. It was the work of a moment toseize him and drag him from the wheels, which mercifully did not touchhim; but he was carried into the house stunned and insensible, andMolly and Betty, with scared, white faces, were taken down and sentindoors. 

'It's your fault, ' whispered Molly to the frightened Betty; 'you madeus come up, and now Douglas will die! I think he's dead already;you'll be a murderer, and you'll be sent to prison and hung!'

And Betty quite believed this assertion, and crept up to the passageoutside Douglas's bedroom trembling with excitement and fright. Shecrouched down in a corner, and Prince came up, put his two paws on hershoulder, and licked her face with a little wistful whine. It was along time before nurse came out of the room, and then she wasted veryfew words on the little culprit. 

'Go to bed, you naughty child, and tell Miss Molly to go too. You arenever safe from mischief, and it's a mercy your brother hasn't beenkilled. '

'Will he get better, nurse?'

But nurse made no reply, and both little girls were long before theygot to sleep that night, so fearful were their conjectures as to thefate of their brother. 

Douglas was only stunned for the time, and very much bruised andshaken. Nurse kept him in bed for two or three days, and the twolittle girls were unremitting in their care and attention. He acceptedtheir services with much complacency, and enjoyed his important andinteresting position. 

'What would you two girls have done if I had died?' he asked. 'Whowould have been your leader then?'

'You're not my leader, ' said Betty promptly. 'No one is my leader. Ilead myself. '

'I don't know what I should have done, ' said Molly pensively. 'Ishould have had to go about with Betty then. You see, I should haveher, and the twins have themselves. I don't think Bobby and Billywould miss any of us much if we were to die. We should be equal if youdied, Douglas--two and two, but I'm glad you're going to get better. '

'You wouldn't have gone about with me, Molly, ' said Betty, with adecisive shake of her head, as she stooped to caress Prince at herfeet, 'because you would have been one too many. We are two and twowithout you. I don't want any one with me but Prince. You would haveto be the odd one if Douglas died--like I used to be. '

'Prince is only a dog, ' said Molly, with a little curl of her lip. 'Iwouldn't make two with a dog!'

Betty's eyes sparkled dangerously. 

'Prince is ever so much nicer than you are--much nicer, and you'rejealous because he likes me and not you. He's my very own, and I lovehim, and he loves me; and I love him better than all the people in theworld put together, so there!'

'You needn't get in a temper. He's a silly, stupid kind of a dog, andMr. Giles said yesterday if he caught him chasing his sheep round thefield, he would give him a good beating; and I hope he will, for henearly chased the sheep yesterday. '

'When you two have done fighting I should like to speak. My headaches. I think I should like some of the jelly nurse made for me. Itwill make it better. '

The little girls' rising wrath subsided. Both rushed to fulfilDouglas's desire, --for had not nurse left them in charge, and had shenot also warned them against exciting him by loud talking and noise?

'I'm glad you will get better, ' said Betty presently. 'I saw MissFairfax in church yesterday, and she asked me how you were. '

'What were you doing in church?' demanded Douglas. 'It wasn't Sunday. '

'Prince and I go to church very often, ' said Betty, putting on a primlittle air. 'We have several businesses there; but we don't tell everyone what we do. '

'Do you play the organ?' asked Douglas, a little eagerly. 

'No, but we hear it played, and we sing, and we--well, we do lots ofother things. '

'I shall come with you next time you go, ' and Douglas's tone was firm. 

'No, ' said Betty; 'you'll be one too many. I don't want Molly, and Idon't want you. I've got Prince, and I don't want no one else. '

It was thus she aired her triumphs daily; and it was by such speechesthat she revealed how much she had felt and suffered in times past bybeing so constantly left out in the cold. And Prince was dailybecoming more and more companionable. Not one doubt did Betty everentertain as to his not understanding or caring for her longconfidences. He slept in a little basket at the foot of her bed. Shewas wakened by his wet kisses in the morning, and he liked nothingbetter than snuggling into bed with her. Tucking his little black noseunder her soft chin, he would place a paw on each of her shoulders, andsettle off into a reposeful sleep; whilst Betty would lie perfectlystill, gazing at him with loving eyes, and every now and then givinghim a gentle squeeze and murmuring, 'You're my very own, my darling, and I love you. '

CHAPTER VIII

God's Patchwork

'Good-morning to you, little maid. '

Betty and Prince had been straying through the lanes, and had suddenlycome upon the old sexton, who was leaning over his cottage gate smokinga short clay pipe. 

Betty's face dimpled with smiles. 

'May I come in and see your little house?' she asked. 'Prince and Iwant something to do. Douglas and Molly are lying in a hammock, andmaking up stories; and the twins are no company. '

'Come in, come in, my dear, and welcome, but 'tis a lonesome kind o'home with only me in it; 'twas very different once on a time. '

He led the way up a narrow path through rows of cabbages and sweetpeas, and ushered her into a tiny kitchen, clean, but rather untidy. Betty looked round with a child's admiring eyes. There were greatshells on the mantelpiece, a stuffed owl on a sideboard, and lots ofother quaint curiosities on some shelves in a recess. 

Then she climbed into a big rocking-chair. 

'This is lovely, ' she said; 'it's almost as good as a rocking-horse, ifyou go very fast. '

The old man stood looking at her for a minute; then seated himself onthe low window-seat, and went on smoking. When Betty had swung herselfviolently to and fro for some minutes, she asked, --

'Have you been busy digging graves to-day?'

'No; 'tis a fortnight since I had one: the season has bin rare andhealthy. '

'Then what have you been doing?' demanded the child. 

'Oh, I don't let the time slip by; there are a many things I turn myhand to. I digs my taters up, and gardens a bit first thing in themorning, and I cleans up in my churchyard, and then I cooks a bit o'dinner, and has a bit o' gossip with my neighbours. I'm a sociablesort o' chap, though I'm so lonesome. And I has a bit o' reading onoccasions. Are you a-thinkin' any more o' that 'ere tex' that we wasa-argufying on t'other arter-noon?'

Betty nodded. 

'I'm always thinking of it, ' she said, stopping the motion of thechair, and looking up at him with grave, earnest eyes. 

'Ah, well, so am I! I've had a good bit o' readin', too, 'tis a mostimportant thing, the Bible be; and I've been giving a good bit o' mymind to it latterly. 'Twas your calm tone of saying I must be ready todie, if I'd bin through tribbylation, started me off. I couldn't quitemake out about the washing, and so I've a looked it up. And I've foundout from the old Book that I'm as black a sinner as ever lived on this'ere blessed earth. '

'How dreadful!' Betty said in an awed, shocked tone; 'and you told meyou were so good! I never knew grown-up people were wicked; I thoughtit was only children. What made you find it out?'

'Well, 'twas readin' what we ought to live like, first knocked me down. I got a-lookin' through them there epistlies, and got awful cast down. And then I thinks to mysel', p'raps arter all Paul and such like weretoo severe, so I went to the gospels, for I've always heerd the gospelstell of love, and not judgment, but I wasn't comforted by them, not abit, --not even when I turned up the sheep chapter that I used for tolearn as a little 'un. It says there, "My sheep hear My voice, and Iknow them, and they follow Me. " And I says to myself, "Reuben! you'venever a listened to His voice; you've a gone your own way all your lifethrough, and you ain't a follered Him one day in all thesixty-and-eight years you've a bin on this 'ere blessed earth!" Well, I began to think I'd better say that prayer my dear old missis a toldme, "Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. " And then 'twas lastToosday night about seven o'clock I got the answer. '

The old man paused, took his pipe out of his mouth, and looked up atthe blackened rafters across his little kitchen with a quivering smileabout his lips; whilst Betty, with knitted brows, tried hard to followhim in what he was saying. 

'I was a-turnin' over the leaves of the old Book, ' he continued, 'whenI come to a tex' which stared me full in the face, and round it waspencilled a thick black line, which was the doin' of my missis. I'llread it for you, little maid. '

He rose, and took from the shelf a large family Bible. Placing it onthe table, he turned over its leaves with a trembling hand; and thenhis voice rang out with a solemn triumph in it, '"Come, now, and let usreason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, theyshall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shallbe as wool. " My knees began to tremble, for I says to myself, "Reuben, 'tis the Lord's voice to thee. " And I drops down on the floor, justwhere you're a-sittin', missy, and I says, "Amen, so be it, Lord. " Igets up with a washed soul--washed in the blood of the Lamb. '

There was silence; the old man's attitude, his upward gaze, his solemnemphasis, awed and puzzled Betty. 

'And now you're in the text!' she said at last, somewhat wistfully; asshe drew Prince to her, and lifted him into her lap. 

'I shall be one o' these days, for certain sure, ' was old Reuben'sreply; 'but 'tis the Lord that will put me there; 'tis His washing thathas done it. '

'That's what Miss Fairfax said; she said it wasn't tribulation wouldbring us to heaven. She made me sing, --

 "There was no other good enough To pay the price of sin; He only could unlock the gate Of heaven and let us in. "

But I'm quite sure God won't mean me to stand in the middle of thosepeople round the throne, if I haven't been through tribulation; I'mquite sure He won't! I shall find myself in a mistake if I try tocreep in among them; and, oh! I want to be there, I want to be there!'

Tears were welling up, and Prince wondered why he was clutched hold ofso convulsively by his little mistress. Reuben looked at her, rubbedhis head a little doubtfully, and then straightened himself up with asudden resolve. 

'Look here, little maid; you just a foller me: I'm a-goin' to thechurch. '

Up Betty sprang, her tears were brushed away; and she and Prince dancedalong by the side of the old man, her doubts and fears dispersing forthe time. 

But Reuben was very silent. He led her into the cool, dark church andup the side aisle to the tomb of little Violet Russell. There hestopped, and directed the child's gaze above it to the stained-glasswindow. 

'Can you read the tex', little maid?'

'Yes, ' said Betty brightly; 'why, even Bobby and Billy know that:"Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not. "'

'And that's what the Lord says, ' the old man went on; 'did He say thechildren were to have tribbylation afore they comed to Him? Why, forsure not! And if you, little missy, go straight into His arms when yougets to heaven, you'll be safe enough, and He'll know where to put you. '

Betty's little face beamed all over. 

'And He will love me, even if I haven't been through tribulation?'

'Why, for sure He will. '

Betty gave a happy little sigh. 

'I tell you what, now, ' Reuben added; 'if you're a-wantin' to havetribbylation made clear to you, I'll take you down to see oldJenny--praychin' Jenny, she used to be called--for she used to holdforth in chapel bettern than a parson. And she's bin bedridden thesetwelve year; but she can learn anybody about the Bible; she knows tex'sby thousands; there hain't no one can puzzle Jenny over the Bible. '

'Is she very ill?' asked Betty. 

'She's just bedridden with rheumatics, that's all; but 'tis quiteenough; and I was calkilatin' only t'other day that I'll have to bediggin' her grave afore Christmas. '

'Will you take me to see her now?'

'For sure I will. '

Out of the cool church they went, and along the hot, dusty road, tillthey reached a low thatched cottage by the wayside. Reuben lifted thelatch of the door, and walked right in. 

There was a big screen just inside the door, and a voice asked atonce, --

'Who be there?'

''Tis only Reuben and a little lass that wants to see you. ' And Bettywas led round the screen to a big four-post bed with spotlessly cleanhangings and a wonderful patch-work quilt. Lying back on the pillowswas one of the sweetest old women that Betty had ever seen. A closefrilled night-cap surrounded a cheery, withered face--a face thatlooked as if nothing would break the placid smile upon it, nothingwould dim the joy and peace shining through the faded blue eyes. 

Betty held out her little hand. 

'How do you do?' she said; 'this old man has brought me to see you. Hesaid you would tell me about tribulation. '

'Bless your dear little heart! Lift her up on the foot of the bed, Reuben. Why, what a bonny little maid! and who may she be?'

'She be lodgin' at Farmer Giles's; and be troubled in her mindconcarning tribbylation. '

The old woman reached over, and laid a wrinkled hand on the soft, childish one. 

'Then tell old Jenny, dearie, what it is. '

Betty was quite ready to do so; and poured forth such a long, incoherent story that it was very difficult to understand her. Jennydid not quite take in her perplexity. 

'Ay, dearie, most of us has tribbylation in some form or t'other; Ioften think, as I lie lookin' at my patchwork quilt, that it be just apictur' of our life--a little bit o' brightness and then a patch ofdark; but the dark is jined to the bright, and one never knows justwhat the next patch will be. But the One who makes it knows--He'sa-workin' in the pattern, and the black dark bits only serve to show upthe bright that's a-comin'. '

'Ay, ' said Reuben, sinking into a chair; 'I mind plenty o' black daysin my life; but I've had a many bright 'uns too--ay, and one white 'un, and that were last Toosday! It be a fine patch o' white in my quilt, Jenny!'

'Tribbylation!' said the old woman musingly; 'I mind o' several verseson it: "In the world ye shall have tribbylation; but be of good cheer:I have overcome the world. " "We must through much tribbylation enterinto the Kingdom of God. " "We glory in tribbylation also, knowing thattribbylation worketh patience. " "Who shall separate us from the loveof Christ? shall tribbylation?" Ah, tribbylation is tryin' to theflesh, but 'tis for the improvin' of the soul!'

'And does everybody have it except children?' asked Betty with a solemnface. 

'I think as how most folks have it in one form or t'other; the saintsget it surely, for "whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgethevery son whom He receiveth. '"

'What does "chasteneth" mean?'

'Punish, I take it, dearie, your father and mother punishes you attimes, don't they?'

'No, never; only nurse. '

'Ah, well; and doesn't she desire your good? She don't do it just tospite you. '

'I s'pose it's for my good, ' said Betty doubtfully. 

'Tribbylation will allays be a mystery, ' went on the old woman, speaking more to Reuben than the child. 'We must bow our heads andtake it, whether we like it or no; and it's wonderful strange howdifferently folks take it! Seems to me, as the Bible puts it, it'sjust a fire, and whiles some like wax gets melted and soft by it, t'others are like the clay, they gets hard and unbendable. I've knownlots o' both those sorts in my time; 'tis only by keeping close to theHand that smites that you feels the comfort and healing that goes alongwith it. If you keeps a distance off, and lets the devil comea-sympathisin' and a-groanin' with you, then it's all bitternessthrough and through. '

'Ay, ' said Reuben, 'me and the devil have oft sat down together over mytroubles; and he do know how to make 'em werry black!'

Betty's round eyes and puzzled gaze at this assertion made Reuben adoptanother tone. 

'But here's this little lass, Jenny, a-wantin' to have tribbylation, for fear she shouldn't be one o' the Lord's people after all. '

The old woman looked across at the child, and then she nodded brightlyat her. 

'And you shall have it, dearie; the Lord will send it surely; and whenyou're in the midst o't, you mind these words o' the Lord's, "Be thoufaithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. " It's intribbylation our faith fails; we can't see in the dark, and we mistrustour Guide. '

Betty's face lit up at these words, and she brushed away someglittering drops from her long lashes. 

'You think I shall really have it?' she questioned eagerly. 

'Surely you will in some form or t'other, and p'raps before you're agrowed-up woman. I sometimes think little folks' troubles are as bigas the older folks. '

Betty did not hear much more of the conversation that followed. OldJenny had done more to comfort and satisfy her than any one else, andshe left the cottage with Reuben, saying, --

'I like Jenny very much, and so does Prince; we will come and see heragain. '

CHAPTER IX

Betty's Discovery

Molly and Douglas were up in an apple tree in the orchard late oneafternoon, when Betty and Prince came rushing by. 

'Hullo, where are you going?' shouted Douglas. 

Betty came to a standstill, and Prince likewise, the latter putting histongue out and looking up inquiringly, as he panted for breath. 

Betty cut a caper. 'I'm going to spend the day with Miss Fairfaxto-morrow; me and Prince, hurray!'

And Prince danced round his little mistress's legs with delighted barks. 

'I don't believe it, ' said Molly, looking down through the leafybranches; 'didn't she ask us too?'

'No, only me; she said she'd ask you another day. '

'Where did you see Miss Fairfax?'

'In church; she has been making the loveliest music, and Prince and Ihave been singing. '

'Prince singing!' said Douglas contemptuously; 'I should like to hearhim!'

'He does, ' Betty said eagerly; 'he really does. He kind of whines inhis throat and up his nose, and sometimes he puts up his head, openshis mouth wide, and gives a lovely howl! And he looks awfully pleasedwhen he's done it; he thinks he sings very nicely. Where's nurse?'

'She's washing Bobby; he tumbled right into the pig-stye, and came outa disgusting objec'!'

'Is she rather cross?'

'Of course she is; she won't let you go to Miss Fairfax if you ask hernow. '

'Then I'll wait till tea. '

Betty threw herself down on the grass, and Prince sat at her feet, thumping his tail on the ground, and watching intently every changethat flitted across her face. Now and then he would make a snap atsome flies; if Betty spoke to him, his whole body would wriggle withecstasy; he seemed to live on her smiles and caressing words. 

'It will be very dull to spend the day with a grown-up person, ' saidDouglas presently; 'I'm glad she didn't ask me; I never do care forgrown-up persons. '

His lordly air in making this assertion helped to fortify Molly, whowas bitterly disappointed in not being included in the invitation. 

'I love her!' exclaimed Betty; 'she's the nicest grown-up I've everseen. She does laugh so, and isn't a bit proper. '

'Well, you'll be sick of it before the day is over, you see if youaren't! Now Molly and I are going to have a lovely day. Would youlike to know what we're going to do?'

Molly listened eagerly, for Douglas's plans were always sudden andunexpected. 

'We're going off directly after breakfast with our dinner in ourbasket, and we're going down to the brook. I'm going to build a bridgeover it at the widest part!'

Both sisters looked aghast at this audacity. 

'What will you build it of?' questioned Betty sceptically. 

'Of stones and clay. We shall make the clay down there; and I shallput a few boards in, and make it all smooth with some putty that I sawin the stable. '

'You will fall in the water and get drowned, ' said Betty; and then shejumped up and ran off to the house, to escape a pelting shower of smallgreen apples from her irate brother. 

Nurse made a few objections at first, when she heard of Betty'sinvitation; but when she knew that Miss Fairfax was going to call forher little guest, and had promised to bring her safely back again, shegave the required permission; and Betty's sleep that night was full ofwonderful dreams about her coming visit. 

She woke very early the next morning, and was full of confidences toPrince of all that they were going to do and say. She gave nurse norest after breakfast until she had dressed her in her best white frockand tan shoes and stockings; then, with her large white Leghorn hat andlittle white silk gloves, she sat up on a chair in the best frontparlour, feeling very important, and making a dainty little picture asshe sat there. Prince had a piece of pink ribbon tied round his neck;Mrs. Giles had produced it from her work-basket, and had gained afervent kiss and hug from the little maiden thereby. 

At last Nesta arrived in a low pony carriage, to Betty's intensedelight. She wished that Molly and Douglas had waited to see her stepin and drive off, but they had run off half an hour before, nursehaving packed them a lunch-basket, as desired. 

Nesta smiled at the excited child, as she and Prince tumbled themselvesinto the carriage with a good deal of fuss; but when they were onceoff, driving through the shady lanes, Betty folded her little handsdemurely round Prince in her lap, and upon her face came that dreamylook her friend so loved to see. She did not ask questions, and thedrive was a quiet one, until they at length drove through some irongates round a thick shrubbery, and up to a big white house with greenVenetian shutters, and a brilliant show of roses in front. Betty waslifted out, and taken up some low stone steps into a broadold-fashioned hall. It seemed very cool and quiet inside; thick softrugs lay about the tiled floor, large pots of flowering shrubs stoodhere and there, and at the farther end was an open door with stripedawning outside, and a glimpse of a smooth grassy lawn and brightflower-beds. 

Nesta opened a door, and led Betty into a darkened room, full of sweetscents of heliotrope and roses. 

'Now I am going to bring you something, so sit down and wait for me. '

Betty's quick eyes were taking in everything; and as for Prince, hisnose was as busy as his eyes, and a low growl and a stiffening of hisears soon told his little mistress that he had discovered somethingobjectionable. When Betty crossed the room on tip-toe, she found himin front of a large mirror, and the snarl on his lips was not pleasantto see, as he faced his mock antagonist. 

'Oh, Prince, for shame! I must hold you; what would I do if you brokethat glass? Now come and look at these beautiful pictures. Look atthat lady up there; she has got a little dog in her arms very like you. '

It was a pleasant morning-room, with plenty of pretty ornamentsscattered about, and after the farm kitchen it had a great fascinationfor Betty. 

Nesta presently returned with some sponge cakes and a glass ofraspberry vinegar, which Betty found most refreshing. 

'Do you live here all alone?' she asked. 

'No, ' said Miss Fairfax, smiling; 'I have my mother and sister here. My mother is not very well to-day, but I will take you to see my sisternow. Come along, this way; will Prince be good?'

'Yes, he won't bark at all unless he meets another dog. '

Betty trotted along, following her guide across the hall to anotherroom, where on a couch near the window lay a lady. 

'I've brought a little visitor to see you, Grace, ' Nesta said in cheerytones. 'This is the little girl I was telling you about the other day. '

'I can't bear children, ' was the fretful reply; 'why do you bring herhere?'

But nevertheless she put the book down that she was reading, andscanned the child from head to foot. Betty's grave face and earnestscrutiny in return seemed to vex her more. 

'How children stare! Do you think me a scarecrow, child? can't youkeep your eyes to yourself? What is your name?'

'Betty, ' and the little girl drew to her friend's side rather shyly. 

'Go and shake hands, ' whispered Nesta. 

Betty went up to the couch and held out her little hand. The invalidtook it, and the fair, flushed little face seemed to attract her. 

'This is a perfect baby, Nesta; I thought you meant a much older child. Well, little girl, haven't you a tongue in your head? Have you nothingto say? It's the way of this house: here I lie from morning to nightwithout a soul to speak to, and if I do have a visitor it is half adozen words, and then off they go! I should like them to lie here andsuffer as I do--perhaps they might have a little more feeling for aninvalid if they did. '

'Are you going to die?' asked Betty timidly. 

'Take her away!' gasped Miss Grace; 'don't bring a child to mock me;and I suppose you will be devoting yourself to her the whole day, and Ishall have no one to read the paper to me. '

'No, ' said Nesta brightly, 'I am going to let her play in the garden, and then I shall come to you as usual. Come along, Betty; now you andPrince can have a scamper. '

Out into the garden they went; but Betty rubbed her eyes inbewilderment when she got there. Surely she had seen this gardenbefore! Was it in her dreams last night?

She tripped across the velvet lawn, answering Nesta's questions andremarks rather absently, and then suddenly she turned round with abeaming face. 'I've been here before, ' she said; 'I had some liliesfrom over there, and I came through that little door in the wall fromthe wood. Do you know my lady? She looks like a queen. Does she livewith you?'

Nesta looked perfectly bewildered. 

'You must be dreaming, Betty. How could you have come here? When didyou come?'

Betty told her of her adventure in the wood, and Nesta listened inwonder. 

'It must have been my mother, and yet I can hardly understand it. Itis unlike her to take any notice of children. ' Then she added, 'Do youthink you can make yourself happy in the garden, Betty, or would youlike to go down the green walk outside the little gate?'

'Will you open the gate and let me see?' said Betty thoughtfully. 

Nesta took her to it, and then for a moment they stood silent, lookingdown the green avenue, with the golden sunshine glinting through theleafy trees, and the tall bracken swaying to and fro in the summerbreeze. 

'Which do you like best, Betty--the garden or this?'

Betty turned and looked behind her at the lovely flowers andbeautifully kept grass and gravel walks, and then she heaved a littlesigh as she looked out into the wood. 

'My beautiful old lady asked me that question before, and I thoughtthen I liked the garden, but now I like this green walk best, ' she said. 

'You prefer nature uncultivated, don't you? So do I. But I do notoften come out here. This is my mother's favourite spot. '

'Did you say "Nature"?' questioned betty eagerly. 'Do you mean MotherNature? You said you would show her to me one day. '

'So I did, I have quite forgotten. Well, there she is out there, Betty. Nature is God's beautiful earth: the country, the birds, therabbits, and the squirrels--everything that He makes and that manleaves alone. '

'I don't understand;' and the child's white brow was creased withpuckers. 'I thought she was a woman: Mr. Roper said she was; he saidhe had learnt many a lesson from her. '

'And so have I, ' said Nesta softly. 'Listen, Betty. Sometimes I havegone out of doors tired and worried and sad; I have wandered throughthe wood, and the sweet sounds and sights I have seen in it havebrought me home rested and refreshed. They have spoken to me of God'slove, and God's care, and God's perfection. You are too little tounderstand me, I expect, but you will when you get older. God makeseverything beautiful, and He watches over the tiny birds and insectswhom no one but Himself ever sees. The tiniest flower is noticed byHim, and all His works in nature lead us to think of Him, and toremember how He loves and cares for us. '

Betty's blue eyes were raised earnestly upwards. 

'God does love everything, doesn't He? And He loves Prince just asmuch as He does you and me. '

Nesta hesitated. 'I think, darling, God has a different love for us towhat He has for animals. We have cost the dear Saviour His life; oursouls have been redeemed. Animals have no souls, they do not know thedifference between right and wrong----'

'But Prince does, ' broke in Betty hastily; 'he knows lots of the Bible, for I've told him about it, and I read The Peep of Day to him onSunday. He likes it; he lies quite still on my lap and folds his pawsand listens like anything. And I've told him about Jesus dying forhim, and how he must try to be good. And he does try: he wanted to runafter some little chickens yesterday, and I called him and told him itwas wicked, and he came away from them directly; and I know he wantedto go after them dreadfully, for he was licking his lips and glaring atthem!'

This outburst from Betty was too much for Nesta. She looked at herwith perplexity, then wisely turned the subject, and after a fewminutes' more chat left her, and went back to the house. 

Betty wandered out into the wood, and then seating herself on a softbank surrounded by ferns and foxgloves, she drew Prince to her. 

'Come, you little darling, how do you like this? Isn't it lovely to bespending a day in that lovely house, and not have to be shut out withonly some lilies to take away? Do you like it, Prince? And do youthink we shall see that nice queen, and find out if she sent you in abasket to me? Do you understand about nature, Prince? I wish I did, but it's the earth, I think; you put your mouth down and kiss it. Isn't it nice and soft?'

And then, laying her curly head on the velvet moss, Betty pressed herlips to it, whispering, 'Mother Nature, Mr. Roper sent you his love anda kiss!'

Prince was not content to stay as quiet as this for long, and when arabbit popped out from a hole close by, he was after it like lightning. Betty tore after him delightedly, and a scamper removed from her busylittle mind for the time thoughts that were beginning to trouble her. 

When Nesta returned to the garden half an hour after, she found Bettydeep in conversation with the old gardener, and Prince was hunting forsnails in a thick laurel hedge close by. 

'We didn't stay out in the wood very long, ' Betty explained; 'we gottired of running after rabbits. '

'You must come in to luncheon now; I want you to come up to my room towash your face and hands. '

'Will the cross lady be at lunch?' asked Betty, as she trotted up thebroad oak stairs a few minutes later. 

'Hush, dear; she is ill, remember. I don't think she will lunch withus. '

Nesta took her little visitor through a long passage to a prettybedroom, and Betty looked about at all the pictures and knick-knacks, asking ceaseless questions, and fingering everything that she could gethold of. Her curls were brushed out, her hands and face washed, andthen she was brought down to the large drawing-room. 

'This is my little friend, mother, ' said Nesta, going in. 

A tall figure turned round from the window, and Betty saw hermysterious lady once again. She looked colder and sterner than ever, and put up her gold pince-nez to scan the little new-comer down; butBetty's radiant face, dimpling all over with pleasure as she held upher face for a kiss, brought a softer gleam to the old grey eyes, and, to her daughter's astonishment, Mrs. Fairfax stooped to give theexpected kiss. 

'It is the little trespasser, ' she said. 'I did not know I should seeyou again so soon. '

Then she turned to Nesta. 'Grace informed me she intended to lunchwith us. She is in the dining-room already, so we will wait no longer. '

They walked in silence across to the dining-room, and Betty, awed bythe big table, the noiseless butler, and the cold, formal statelinessof the meal, sat up in her big chair, subdued and still. 

CHAPTER X

A Little Messenger

Miss Fairfax seemed the most talkative, but her conversation was aperpetual flow of complaints; the food, the weather, and her ailmentswere her chief topics, and Betty's round eyes of amazement, as she satopposite, served to irritate her more. At length she gave a littlestart and scream. 

'I am sure there is a dog in the room!' she exclaimed. 'How often Ihave told you, Jennings' (this to the butler), 'to keep the dogs out ofour rooms!'

'It's my dog, ' said Betty at once; 'it's only Prince; he always sitsunder my chair; he's such a dear, he waits as quiet as a mouse. '

'Take him out of the room at once, Jennings; I can't eat anothermouthful while he is here. You ought never to have allowed him to comein!'

'Oh, Grace, he won't hurt you!' said Nesta, remonstrating. 

Miss Fairfax put her knife and fork together, and leant back in herchair. 

'Very well; as my nerves are never considered in the least, it isuseless for me to speak; I had better go back to my room. I amcontinually being urged to join you at meal-times; yet, when I do, I amexpected to go through the misery of having a wretched dog crawlinground my feet, and setting every nerve in my head quivering andthrobbing. '

'Take the dog outside, ' said Mrs. Fairfax quietly; then, turning toBetty, who looked very perturbed and flushed, she said, 'Jennings willtake care of him, and he shall have some dinner in the kitchen. '

'He won't be beaten, will he? He didn't know it was wrong to followme'; and Betty's eyes began to fill with tears, as she saw Princeseized by the scruff of his neck, and carried off, in spite ofindignant growls and snaps. 

'No, he won't be beaten, ' she was assured; but after this she had noappetite for her dinner; and when the ladies rose from the table sheran up to Mrs. Fairfax. 

'May I have Prince again now? He's so very good. I want himdreadfully. '

'Yes, he shall be brought to you. What are you going to do with thechild, Nesta?'

'I will take her out into the garden, mother. But I hear old Mrs. Parrhas come up for some linseed meal I promised her. Her husband is veryill again with bronchitis. I shall not be gone long. '

'Then Betty shall come upstairs with me. '

Again Nesta wondered, but wisely said nothing. 

Prince came scampering across the hall, and Betty, now completelyhappy, took hold of Mrs. Fairfax's hand, and went upstairs into alovely little boudoir, where she sat down in a low cushioned seat bythe window, and chattered away to her heart's content. 

'Did you send Prince to me? You did, didn't you? I knew it was you!He is such a darling, and it makes me into a couple--which I've neverbeen before. '

Mrs. Fairfax smiled; she seemed to lose some of her stiffness when withBetty alone. 

'And is he as much a companion as another brother or sister might be?'

'I think he's much nicer. I wouldn't have any one instead of him forall the world. '

'What have you been doing with yourself since I saw you?'

'Lots and lots of things. I go to church to hear Miss Fairfax play theorgan; and I take flowers to dead Violet; and I have got into lots ofscrapes; but I don't think I'm quite as naughty here as I used to be inLondon. At least, we can't quite make it out. Douglas was saying theother day, nurse lets him climb any trees here; but if he tried toclimb a lamp-post, or even one of the trees in the parks, in London, hewas always being whipped or put into cells for it! And in the countrywe can go out without gloves, and run races along the roads, and swingon gates, and we never get punished at all. We don't want to go backto London; it's so dreadfully hard to be good there. '

'But don't you want to see your father and mother again?'

'Yes, I s'pose so; but we don't see them very much in London. I'd liketo stay in the country for ever and ever, and so would Prince. ' Aftera pause she went on, 'You see, there's a good deal more going on in thecountry than in London. We know a lot more people, and there's alwayssomething fresh happening. Now, in London every day is the same, andwe have only the nursery to play in, we get so tired of it. At thefarm where we live we're always having nice surprises; lots of littlecalves are born quite suddenly, or little horses, and we don't knowanything about it till we go and see them in the morning. Yesterdaythere were six little black pigs, such little beauties! And then wehave so many more people to talk to. There's Farmer and Mrs. Giles, and Sam, and all the carters, and the old man who digs the graves, andold Jenny, and you, and Miss Fairfax, and Mr. Russell, but I've onlyseen him once. '

Betty paused for breath. 

'And what do you find to talk about to so many people?'

'I've been talking rather grave talks with some of them, ' Betty saidreflectively, 'about tribulation. '

Mrs. Fairfax raised her eyebrows. 

'That is very grave talk indeed for such a mite as you. What do youknow about it?'

'I know that everybody has got it except me, and I want to have it; andold Jenny said I'd be sure to come to it soon. She's had it, andReuben has, and Mr. Russell, and nurse, and Miss Fairfax has. Has thecross lady downstairs had it, and have you?'

Mrs. Fairfax's lips quivered a little as she turned away her head. Thesoft, childish fingers were probing the wound, and she shrank fromtheir touch. 

Betty went on dreamily, 'I often wonder what it's like, and whether youfeel like Christian did in the dark valley; but he got through it allright at last! I should like to come right through it into the middleof the text, and Jenny says I shall some day!'

There was glad triumph in her tone. 

'What text?' asked Mrs. Fairfax, looking out of the window, and away tothe green woods in the distance. 

Betty repeated once more the familiar words, --

'"These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washedtheir robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. " How gladthey must be to have had it! don't you think so?'

And then the stately Mrs. Fairfax sat down, and took Betty upon herknee; drawing her close to her, till she had the little dark curly headresting against her shoulder, she bent her head to hers, and said, almost passionately, --

'God grant you will never know such trouble as mine, littleone--trouble that turns your heart to stone, and blots all heaven fromyour sight!'

Betty put her little arms round her neck. 

'Old Jenny said I should have it, ' she repeated, 'and she told me whenI was in the middle of it to remember, "Be thou faithful unto death"--Iforget the other part. '

There was silence for some moments; then Mrs. Fairfax kissed theupturned face. 

'Now run downstairs, little woman, and find Nesta. I will say good-byenow, for I shall not see you again. '

Betty obeyed instantly, and when she had gone, for the first time formany a long month, the sorrowful woman knelt in prayer. 'God help me!'she cried; 'I have been an unfaithful servant, and have refused to turnto Thee for comfort. '

The rest of the afternoon was as delightful as the morning to Betty. She visited the stables and poultry yard; she picked strawberries, andate them whilst she picked; she gathered a large nosegay of flowers totake home to nurse; and then, at four o'clock, she came in to adelicious little tea in the cool, shady drawing-room. Miss Fairfax waslying on the sofa there, but she seemed to like to hear the child talk, and even condescended to allow Prince to come inside to receive a lumpof sugar on his nose, whilst he sat up and begged. 

'I've had a lovely day, ' said Betty, as Nesta was putting on her hatupstairs in the bedroom. 

'And so have I, ' responded Nesta, laughing. 'You have been very goodcompany, Betty; I shall be quite dull when you are gone. '

'Have you no one to talk to, when I'm not here? Are you an odd one?'

'Perhaps I may be. '

 Why don't you make yourself into a couple with someone, like Prince and me?'

But this made Nesta's soft eyes fill with tears; and Betty felt veryuncomfortable until she was kissed and told she was the funniest littlechatterbox living. The pony carriage came round; and a little latershe was being driven home, rather tired, and very happy, at her day'souting. 

Nesta left her at the gate, and drove silently home. Betty had broughta good deal of brightness into her life; and though she was alwaysoutwardly so cheery in her manner, her heart was often heavy and sore. It was not a cheerful house; and as an hour later she tried to enliventhe solemn dinner-table, expecting as usual to meet with no response, but grumbles from Grace and chilling indifference on the part of hermother, she was surprised by Mrs. Fairfax's efforts to take part in theconversation. 

'That child is an original character, ' she observed. 'Do you know whothey are, Nesta?'

'Yes, Mr. Crump was telling me the other day; their father is theMember for Stonycroft, and their mother that Mrs. Stuart who is so busyin philanthropical objects in town. She was one of the Miss Champneys, the clever Miss Champneys, as we used to call them. I think thechildren must inherit the talents of their parents, for though they areregular little pickles for mischief, they are all original in theirway. Betty thinks the most, I should say, the others seem to live indreamland half their time. I came across the other girl and boy in anold willow tree the other day. I spoke to them, but was hushed up atonce by the boy, who put his fair curly head out of the branches, andsaid, "You're not to speak to us just now; we're hiding from the Queenof the Brook! she comes dashing down in foam, she's so angry with us;and if she splashes us we shall be turned into black dogs, and have togo on all fours till dinner time!" I laughed and left them. I don'taltogether envy their nurse!'

'Betty is not enough of a child, ' Mrs. Fairfax said; 'some of hersayings are quite uncanny. '

'Do you think so? She has plenty of life and spirits. But she is achild of intense feeling. I am afraid she will suffer for it as shegrows older. Yesterday I came upon her outside the churchyard crying, as if her heart would break, over a dead frog. I tried to comfort her. "Oh, " she sobbed; "I'm so afraid Prince has killed it. I didn't seehim, but he may have; and he doesn't look a bit sorry. What shall I doif he grows up a murderer!"'

Mrs. Fairfax would have thought Betty a stranger child still, if shecould have seen her that evening tossing in her little bed. 

Molly was fast asleep; nurse had left the room, and all was quiet; butBetty was going over in her busy little mind the events of the pastday. At last she stretched out her hand to Prince in his basket. 

'She said you had no soul, Prince; I wonder if you haven't! I wishyou'd say prayers to God; I'm sure God will give you a soul, if youought to have one! Prince, wake up!'

Prince rolled over, shook himself, and jumped up on the bed, wonderingwhat was the reason of this summons. 

Betty sat up with flushed cheeks and bright eyes. 'Come here. Prince!Now beg! that's right. Now say a prayer; just a very little one. Ipray for you, darling, every night; but you're big enough to prayyourself. God will know your language if you speak to Him, and you canjust speak secret to Him--I do often. Now, Prince--no--don't lick myhand, and keep your tail still. I wish you'd shut your eyes. I'll putmy hand over them--there! Now Prince, ask God to give you a soul, andforgive your sins, and take you to heaven when you die. '

Betty bent her head in silence; whilst for two minutes Prince keptperfectly still; then she took her little hands from his eyes, and hegave a quick short bark of delight, perhaps in anticipation of a lumpof sugar for this new trick taught him. If so, he was disappointed, hewas only kissed and put back into his basket. And Betty laid herlittle head on the pillow, but only half satisfied. 'O God, ' shemurmured sleepily, 'if Prince hasn't prayed properly, please forgivehim, and give him a soul and make him a good dog, for Jesus Christ'ssake. Amen. '

CHAPTER XI

A Daring Feat

It was a hot afternoon in July. The children had tired themselves outwith play, and were resting under some shady trees near the farm. Byand bye Betty wandered off into a neighbouring cornfield, and restingher head against an old log of wood in the corner of it, went fastasleep, whilst Prince sat at her feet, keeping a faithful watch overhis little mistress. Mr. Russell, sauntering through a footpath in thefield, came up and looked at them; and his artist's eye was at oncecharmed with the picture they made. He stood, and taking out hissketch-book, drew a rapid outline of Betty's little figure as she laythere, one hand grasping some red poppies, and the other arm thrownbehind her curly head. Prince was also sketched; and then Betty awoke. She looked confused at first, then jumped to her feet. 

'Don't be frightened, ' said Mr. Russell gravely. 'Do you live nearhere?'

Betty pointed out the farm. 

'And do you think you would be allowed to come to my house one day, forme to make a picture of you?'

Betty coloured with pleasure. 

'I'll ask nurse. All by myself?'

'All by yourself--at least with your dog. Where is your nurse? Wouldshe come out here to speak to me?'

Nurse was only in the next field, so was easily fetched, and thoughdemurring somewhat at first, was soon reassured by Mr. Russell, whopromised to keep her only about an hour. 

'I will see she returns to you safely, my good woman; and when you findthat she has come to no harm, perhaps you will allow her to come again. I want to make a little sketch of her, for a subject I have in view. '

And it was settled that Betty should go to him the next day at twoo'clock. 

'I don't quite like it, ' said nurse afterwards, when talking it overwith Mrs. Giles; 'but he seemed rather a high-handed gentleman, as ifhe wouldn't take no. I don't know whether the mistress would like it, most children would be shy of it, but none of these seem to know whatshyness is; and Miss Betty seems to make friends wherever she goes. Ican't understand it; Miss Molly, to my eyes, is much the most taking!'

'Mr. Russell is our landlord, ' responded Mrs. Giles; 'he's a propersort o' gentleman, and he won't hurt the child by a-paintin' of her. He lives all alone since his little girl died, and maybe she'll cheerhim up; he's very downhearted, folks say. '

'Why should you go and not us?' said Molly, when Betty ran off to tellthem all about it; 'it's too bad; you're getting all the nice things, and I'm the eldest. '

'I don't expect you'll like it, ' said Douglas, rolling over on thegrass and tickling Bobby's bare legs with a bunch of grass; 'I know theman, and he has an awful temper! Sam told me he thrashed a boy who wastaking a bird's nest out of his orchard; and he has a large glass roomwith skeletons and bits of people's bodies lying all about. I think helikes to get children in there, and then he keeps them prisoners, andnever lets them out again. '

Betty stood still, eyeing her brother doubtfully. 

'I don't believe it. '

'You wait till he gets you there! He has dead men's legs and hands. Sam says he's seen them through the window! He's a Bluebeard; healways keeps the room locked, and doesn't let any one in. And if hetakes you in there to-morrow afternoon, you'll never come out again!'

'And then I shall have Prince, and take him back to London for my dog, 'put in Molly. 

'Prince is coming with me, ' Betty retorted; 'so if I never come backagain, Prince won't! And I don't care if we don't come back. I'drather live with Mr. Russell than with you when you are cross. '

'He'll fatten you up with porridge for a week; and then he'll cut youup into little bits, and Prince too. '

Betty laughed and danced away, Prince at her heels. 

'You're jealous because I'm going to be put into a picture, ' she calledout. 'I'll tell you all about the dead men's legs when I come back. '

The next afternoon she was taken up to the Hall by nurse, who arrayedherself in her best clothes, and was delighted when she was taken tothe housekeeper's room to be entertained. She would have liked to waitthere the full hour, but Mr. Russell had promised to bring back Bettyhimself; so she had not that excuse. 

And Douglas and Molly were consoling themselves at home, by building ahay castle in the meadow, and capturing Bobby and Billy at intervals, under the plea of painting their pictures; and then going through aprocess which was more entertaining to them than to their littlevictims--that of cutting off their arms and legs to hang on their walls. 

It was nearly five o'clock when Betty returned, and her little tonguewas busy all tea-time. 

'Such a funny room! and Mr. Russell had changed his mind, and he isn'tgoing to paint my picture; but he's going to make a dead figure of meand Prince instead; he's got some white wet stuff like putty, and herolls up his shirt-sleeves like a workman! I had to lie down andpretend to be asleep, but I could keep my eyes open, and I did see somelegs, but they're images--and there was a image without a head, a deadfigure, you know. And there were beautiful curtains, and flowers, andrugs, and pictures half finished. It was rather an untidy room. Itold Mr. Russell what you said, Douglas; and he laughed. He gave mesome peaches, and then we had a nice grave talk coming home. '

This and more Betty revealed; and her visits to the Hall became veryfrequent as time wore on. If she enjoyed them, Mr. Russell did too, and yet she brought to him mingled feelings of pleasure and pain. Hetalked lightly to her, and put aside his stern moods whilst with her;but every now and then some childish gesture or tone would stab himwith the memory of his little daughter, and his brows would contractand his voice falter at the remembrance. 

One day he was called away from the studio, and for some time Betty wasleft alone. 

When he returned, he found her lying flat on her chest, turning overthe leaves of a book. 

'What book have you got hold of?' he asked; 'something that seems tointerest you. '

'It's Revelation, ' said Betty, with a beaming face. 

'The Bible? I did not remember I had one in the room; ah yes, Iremember, it's here for its antique cover! Well, what do you make ofRevelation?'

'Oh, I love it, don't you? I'm reading about the singing in heaven;and it says "ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands ofthousands. " What crowds there will be! Mr. Russell, supposing heavengets too small for all the people, what will happen?'

'I don't think there's a chance of that, ' Mr. Russell said, smiling;'it doesn't look as if many are bound there in the present age, at allevents. '

'It says, ' went on Betty, with her finger on the page, 'for Thou wastslain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood, out of every kindredand tongue and people and nation; that takes in everybody, doesn't it, Mr. Russell?'

'Yes, ' said Mr. Russell, looking down at the little figure on thefloor, half humorously, half sadly; 'every one that wants to be takenin. '

'Why should any one want to be outside?' questioned the child. 

Mr. Russell did not answer; he went to his outline and uncovered it. It was rapidly progressing. Betty's little figure was nearly finished. There was the gnarled log of wood against which she lay; and Prince'soutline had already been commenced. 

She jumped up and came over to look at it. 

'It would make a beautiful grave, wouldn't it?' she said thoughtfully;'I should like to have it put on the top of mine when I die. '

'Don't talk about dying, child!' was the hasty reply. 

'I'm afraid I'm not ready, ' said Betty, with a shake of her curly head;'but I will be when I've been through tribulation! Mr. Russell, do youthink a dog can go through tribulation?'

'No, I do not, ' said Mr. Russell, laughing. Betty's views on herfavourite text were by this time well known to him; and he generallytreated her childish difficulties with respect; but this unexpectedquestion was too much for him, and Betty's little face clouded over athis laugh. She was very silent after that, and went home with rather awistful little face. 

But all serious thoughts were dissolved at the news that awaited her. Molly rushed out, her long hair flying in the wind: 'I've got a letterfrom Uncle Harry, and he is coming to see us next week!'

'And he's going to spend a week with us; he's going to fish, and Ishall fish too!' shouted Douglas. 

'And Uncle Harry will have cwicket with us!' cried the twins. 

'Of course he wrote to me, as I'm the eldest, ' said Molly proudly; 'ifyou'll be very good I'll read you his letter. ' And producing a verycrumpled envelope from her pocket, she read:--

'DEAR MADAM MOLLY, --

'I have had orders from your respected parents to come down for aninspection of you all; so expect me Tuesday, the 27th inst. Tell nurseall complaints will be attended to, and punishment duly administered. She must get me a room somewhere for a week, as I have heard there isgood fishing in your neighbourhood. My love to doughty Douglas and thethree B's. 

'Your affectionate uncle, 'HARRY. 

'P. S. --Tell nurse I shall bring a rod with me. '

'Isn't he a funny dear?' went on Molly. 'He pretends he's coming topunish us! Won't we have fun when he comes!'

'He doesn't know there are six of us now, ' observed Betty, withsparkling eyes; 'I wonder what he will say to Prince. '

The children could do little else but talk about their uncle's comingvisit for the next week; and when at last Tuesday arrived, they were ina great state of excitement. Nurse could hardly curb their turbulentspirits. Captain Stuart was adored by his little nephews and nieces, and his visits were always a golden time. At last, after rescuingDouglas from a farm wagon that he was driving off during the carter'sabsence, Molly and Betty from an infuriated sow that they were tryingto wash under the pump, and Bobby and Billy from a hay-cutter they weremeditating using, nurse locked up all the five in the garret, hopingthey would be safe there until their uncle arrived. Prince was leftoutside; and all Betty's beseeching petitions that he might share theirpunishment were unheeded by nurse. So Prince crouched down outside thedoor, patiently keeping watch, and now and then responding to hislittle mistress's voice through the keyhole by sundry whines and barks. 

'Nurse won't dare to put us in cells after to-day, ' said Douglaswrathfully; 'she is just doing it to pretend to Uncle Harry that we'realways in disgrace; and I hate her!'

'And I was going down to the brook to get some forget-me-nots, to putin Uncle Harry's room, ' said Molly plaintively. 

'It's wather nice being punished all together, ' said Bobby, who alwaysdreaded being left alone. 

Betty said nothing; her curly head was out of one of the windows, andshe was deep in thought. At last she drew it in. 

'S'posing the house was to take fire, and we were all to be locked inhere?' she suggested. 

Molly looked quite frightened at the thought; but Douglas rose to theoccasion, and he said triumphantly, --

'Yes, nurse would be in a pretty state then! Farmer Giles would rushoff for a fire-engine; we would throw up the windows, and then I'd getout on the roof and make a speech. I'd remind nurse of all the nastythings she has said and done to us since we were babies; how she hassaid over and over again there never were such children in the world, and that we nearly drove her mad; and then I'd say she'd be sorry nowwhen she was going to see us burnt before her eyes; and she would besobbing and crying, and so would Mrs. Giles and Sam and all the others!'

'But they might get ladders to take us down, ' suggested Molly. 

'There's only one ladder long enough. Sam would put that up, but theflames underneath the floor would come out and burn the ladder in two;and there's no fire-escape! They don't seem to have them in thecountry. I should go on speaking as long as I could, and then I shouldsay we didn't wish to go down to our graves angry, so we would forgiveher, only we hoped the next children she had she would be kinder to. And then I would say good-bye; and the roof would be crackingunderneath me; and nurse would scream and cry; and then I would take aleap right into the middle of the fire; and there would be a kind ofexplosion, and the house would fall in; and the next day there would befive heaps of bones and black ashes! all that was left of us! and nursewould sit down with a broken heart in the middle of us!'

Bobby and Billy had been listening to this awful story with their eyesnearly starting out of their heads; and now both burst into sobs ofterror. 'We're going to be burnt! Nurse, nurse, let us out; we willbe good!'

They were hushed up in scorn by Douglas; but Molly soothed andcomforted them, assuring them it was only a make-up, and that the housenever would catch fire. 

'And if it did catch fire I would get out safe, ' said Betty solemnly;'for I should climb out of the window and walk along the gutter, holding on by the roof; and then I should climb down by the pear treeover Uncle Harry's bedroom. '

'You couldn't do it, ' said Douglas scoffingly; 'girls can't climb!'

'I could do it; I could do it now!'

'Then do it, do it; I dare you to do it!'

Betty's eyes sparkled; and Molly at once left the twins, and ran to thewindow and put her head out. 

'I think she could do it if we lifted her out; but it looks awfuldangerous; I should be afraid. '

'I'm not a bit afraid, ' said Betty sturdily. 

'You wait till you're once out. I dare you to do it!' And Douglasdanced up and down in delight at the coming excitement. 

Not a doubt entered Betty's head as to the right or wrong of such anescapade; her impulsive little soul was longing to prove to her brotherher ability in climbing, and audacious as she was in daring feats, thisseemed to be a test of her powers. The garret window was opened; itwas in the roof, so Betty had no difficulty in climbing out andstanding in the gutter, which ran right round the house. Then slowlyand carefully, in sight of the four admiring faces at the window, shecommenced her perilous walk. Steadying herself by leaning with onehand on the sloping roof at her right, Betty walked triumphantly ontill she reached the corner of the house; here she hesitated. 

'Come back, ' called out Molly; 'you can't turn the corner!'

'I dare you to go on!' naughty Douglas cried excitedly. 

There was breathless silence; but others besides the little inmates ofthe garret were watching this feat in horror. Two gentlemen werewalking leisurely through the meadow in front of the house. 

'What on earth is that on the roof, Stuart? Not a child, surely!'

'A child it is; good heavens! It's one of my hopeful nieces; she'll bedashed to pieces to a certainty! Come on, St. Clair; only don't make arow!'

They reached the house as Betty was in the act of turning the corner. For a moment the little figure swayed outwardly, and Captain Stuartquite expected that moment to be Betty's last; but she recovered herbalance most miraculously, accomplished the turn successfully, and wentsteadily on till she reached the pear tree. 

Both gentlemen remained perfectly silent, knowing that a start mightproduce a false step, and they watched her descent to the ground nowwith less anxiety. Half-way down had Betty got, when there was arushing sound of feet, and nurse, with a scream of horror appeared onthe scene. 

Betty's nerves gave way; she placed her foot on a rotten branch, whichbroke under her; her hands relaxed their hold. Another scream fromnurse, echoed by Mrs. Giles behind her, and the child fell heavily, butsafely, into her uncle's arms below. 

CHAPTER XII

Uncle Harry's Friend

'There's a pretty welcome for a tired man who wants his dinner!'

Betty was standing before her uncle with a white little face anddetermined, set mouth, and nurse was releasing the other littleprisoners and bringing them down to their uncle. 

Captain Stuart's friend was lounging on the low window-seat of the bestparlour, looking on with an amused eye. 

'Nurse thinks you ought to have a good whipping, ' continued CaptainStuart, stroking his long, fair moustache very gravely, though therewas a twinkle in his blue eyes. 'I think we must have a court-martialfirst. Were you trying to kill yourself, Betty?'

'I was trying to save myself from a fire--I mean a fire that might be. '

The sentence was begun bravely, but the little lips began to quiver. Shaken by her fall, afraid of her uncle's anger, and uncomfortable bythe presence of a stranger, she burst into tears. 

And then Captain Stuart took her on his knee, and drew out his largehandkerchief. 

'There, little woman, rest your head against my shoulder and cry away;it will do you good. I was beginning to think you a little stoic. '

The door opened, and the other children appeared, with very large eyesand solemn faces. 

They kissed their uncle in a subdued fashion, and then Molly said, 'Nurse told us Betty had fallen, is she hurt?'

'Is her legs bwoken?' demanded the twins. 

'I knew she couldn't do it; I told her she couldn't!'

In an instant Betty's face appeared from behind her handkerchief. 'Idid do it; I did! and I could do it again to-morrow; so there, Douglas!'

Then Uncle Harry laughed outright, after which he pulled himself up, and said as sternly as he could, --

'Now look here, youngsters, I'm not good at scolding, as you know; butyou're all old enough to know that it is not true pluck to go crawlinground roofs like cats, and running the risks of breaking your necks anddamaging your limbs for the rest of your lives. Now then, who is toblame? Speak up like little Britons, and don't be ashamed of owning upand telling the truth about it. '

There was a pause. Douglas got very red in the face, but blurted out, 'I dared her to do it. '

'And I said I thought she could do it, ' said Molly with tearful eyes;'but I did ask her to come back at the corner. '

'And I dared her to go on, ' added Douglas. 

'And Bobby and me clapped our hands at her, ' put in Billy eagerly, feeling anxious to share in the glory of the escapade. 

'Do you think it a brave thing to urge another on to danger, when, perhaps, you would be afraid of taking their place yourself?'

It was Douglas who was addressed, and he hung his head in shame. 

'But he was just getting out of the window to follow her, when nursecame up, ' said Molly, in defence of her favourite brother. 

'I didn't know boys were in the habit of following girls, ' remarkedCaptain Stuart drily. 'I think doughty Douglas must have another name. Listen, my boy, and remember this to the end of your life. There weretwo young fellows came out to join our battalion in Egypt. We wereordered out one morning on a reconnaissance, and both these youngsterscame with us. They were strong, fresh-faced young fellows, oneespecially; he was the heir to a big property at home, and had left hiswidow mother to come and earn a name for himself. I can see him now, with his sparkling eyes and merry laugh, as he rode on just in front ofme with his chum. I won't give you children details, but we had asharp bit of fighting that morning, and bullets were flying prettyfreely. At the finish, when returning, having dispersed our enemy, wecame across another party of them entrenched on a height. Orders weregiven to fire lying down, as they were skilled marksmen and had theadvantage of the position. "Now then, " whispered one of these youngfellows to the other, "make your name; scale the hillside and stormtheir fort. "

'"I would if I had my orders to, " was the quick retort. 

'"We're like rabbits in the underwood, " the youngster went on. "Dothose skulking fellows think we're afraid of showing ourselves? A goodBritish cheer and a sight of our rifles would soon send them to theright-about. The poor old major is dead beat and wants a nap, or hewouldn't give such an order. Show yourself, Castleton; let them have asight of your six foot six. What? _afraid_!"

'In an instant Johnny Castleton stood up in the full strength of hismanhood, and the next moment his brains were scattered by a bullet, hisdead body falling into the arms of the friend who was the cause of hisdeath. Do you think he died the death of a hero, Betty? How do youthink his friend felt, Douglas, when he had to write home and tell thewidowed mother her boy would never come back to her? Do you know, thefolly of his act so weighed upon his mind that he left the army, andwhen I last heard of him his friends were afraid that his reason wasgiving way. There now! I've made your faces solemn enough to satisfynurse. And you will never dare your sisters to do foolhardy exploitsagain, will you, my boy? And you will never listen to him if he does, girls? Now my lecture is ended, and you can tell nurse to forgive youall. Where is Mrs. Giles? I wonder if she could put up my friend fora night or two. '

Captain Stuart put Betty down from his knee, and rose to his feet. Heso seldom lectured the children that his words left a deep impression, and none of them ever forgot the lesson imprinted on their minds. Theywere rather subdued for the rest of the day, and not altogether pleasedat the advent of Major St. Clair. 

'We shan't get Uncle Harry a bit to ourselves, ' grumbled Douglas, asthe children were playing in the garden whilst the gentlemen were atdinner; 'he'll be going out fishing with that other fellow every day, and he's going to stay the whole week with him. '

'I like him rather, ' said Molly; 'he is something like Mr. Roper. '

'He has nice sad eyes, ' put in Betty; 'and he likes Prince. '

But before long Major St. Clair was taken into favour. He was a tall, dark man, with rather a stern look, until he smiled; and then thechildren knew they need not be afraid, for he had more smiles thanfrowns for them during his stay. Douglas, to his great delight, wasallowed to go fishing with them. 

'You see, ' he confided to his sisters, 'they couldn't get on very wellwithout me, as I'm learning to put their bait on for them, and I helpto unpack their luncheon-basket, and very often I lie down on the bankand tell them stories; they like that very much. '

One afternoon they were all in the orchard under some shady trees: thegentlemen were smoking and reading the papers, the children playing alittle way off. Presently Betty came sauntering up to her uncle, Prince close at her heels. 

'We're going for a walk, ' she said; 'I s'pose you wouldn't like to comewith us?'

None of the little Stuarts ever did anything without first invitingtheir uncle to participate in it. 

'No, I wouldn't, ' he said, leaning lazily back in his wicker chair andsurveying the little figure before him with amused eyes. 'Where areyou bound? Your independence of thought and action will be sadlycrippled when you get back to town. Does nurse let you all scour thecountry at your own free will?'

'What does scour mean?' asked Betty with knitted brows. 'Does it meanscrub? for I'm sure the country doesn't want cleaning. ' Then, notliking the laugh following her words, she went on hastily: 'Nursedoesn't ask where I go, so I don't tell her; but I go to church, when Idon't go to Mr. Russell. '

'And what do you do there?'

'Well, ' said Betty, looking very steadily at her uncle, 'if you andMajor St. Clair won't say anything about it, I'll tell you. '

'Wild horses won't tear it from me, ' said the major. 

'I go to take some flowers to a little dead girl there; she likes tosmell them, and hold them in her hands instead of the dead lily she hasgot. And then I've got a friend who meets me there--a lady she is--andshe sings the most beautiful songs on the organ! they make me crysometimes. And the church is so dark, and still, and cool; it's abeautiful place. '

'Will you let me come with you?' asked Major St. Clair, rising as hespoke. 

'It is an enchanting programme, ' murmured Uncle Harry; 'tears amongstthe dead! I warn you, my dear fellow, the church is nearly a mileaway. '

'I want to stretch my legs, ' was the response. 

Betty set off radiant, with much self-importance. 

'You see, ' she said, looking up at the major through her long lashes asshe trotted along at his side, 'I don't always ask people to come withme; Prince and I are quite enough. But you're a visitor, and so isUncle Harry. You won't talk or make a noise in church, will you? Andwill you help me to get some honeysuckle from the hedge as we go along?Violet will like to smell it--at least, I make believe she will. '

The walk seemed a short one to the major, Betty entertained him sowell. When they reached the church, she took him straight to themonument she loved so much, and was pleased with his genuine admirationof it. She placed the honeysuckle reverentially in the clasped handsof the little figure, which she stooped down to kiss as usual, and thenpointed to the stained window above. 

'Don't you like it?' she said in a solemn whisper. 'And do you see thetext? Mr. Russell put it there. I was asking him the other day aboutit. I asked him if he was like one of the disciples that wanted tokeep the children away from Jesus, and if he put it up for that, and hesaid, Yes, he did want to forbid Violet to go to Jesus when He calledher. I expect Violet is very glad she wasn't kept back, don't youthink so?'

'I expect so, ' the major responded gravely. 

'She wasn't any bigger than me, ' continued Betty, standing before thewindow with clasped hands, and that upward dreamy look that always cameupon her sweet little face when talking about serious things, 'butshe's got through tribulation safely. Mr. Russell told me how she boreall the pain of her illness for a whole year without a grumble; andpain and suffering is tribulation, isn't it?'

'What do you know about tribulation?'

How often had Betty been asked that question!

'I know a great deal about it, ' she said, looking at the major veryearnestly; 'and though I haven't had it, I'm expecting to. Have youhad it?'

'No, I don't know that I have, ' was the amused reply. Then, a shadowcrossing his face, he added: 'Trouble and I are not strangers. I thinkI have had my share. '

'And a big trouble is tribulation, isn't it? And it's on the way toheaven. '

Then the major smiled his sweet smile. 'That's it, Betty, on the wayto heaven. We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom ofGod. '

'And have you had a big trouble?' persisted the child. 

'Yes, I have, ' the major said slowly; 'a very big trouble, Betty. Atone time of my life it would have overwhelmed me, but I've learnt totake things differently now. '

'You'll hear my friend sing about tribulation, p'raps, if I ask her to;she will be here directly. Where will you sit? I like to sit on thechancel step, and Prince sits in my lap. '

'I will find a seat for myself. Perhaps I shall slip away into thesunshine again. '

And Major St. Clair sauntered round the church, looking at the oldtablets until he heard the door open, and then he slipped into a seatat the side of the church behind an old stone pillar. 

Betty seated herself on the chancel steps after her greetings with herfriend were over. The picture she made as she sat there was longriveted on Major St. Clair's memory: the golden sunshine streaming in, the old carved pews in the background, and the dainty little whitefigure hugging her spaniel in her arms, would have charmed an artist'seye. But it was not this sight that made the strong man suddenly turnpale and clutch the back of the seat in front of him with nervous, trembling hands; his startled gaze was no longer upon Betty, but uponthe slight, graceful figure that was now taking her seat at the organ. 

Betty's clear, childish voice was heard, --

'Please sing about tribulation. I've brought some one with me whowould like to hear it. He's listening at the back of the church. '

Nesta gave a hasty look round, but seeing no one, turned again to theorgan, and in a minute her beautiful voice rose in the triumphantstrains of the song of the redeemed. Major St. Clair folded his arms, and stood up behind his pillar. He seemed strangely moved, and as thelast notes died away he hastily quitted the church. 

CHAPTER XIII

'When We Two Met!'

Betty was so absorbed in the music that she forgot all about the major. 

'When I grow up, do you think I shall be able to play and sing like youdo?' she asked, with a little sigh of happiness. 

'I dare say you may, dear. '

'But shall I have an organ to play? In London you can't go into anychurch and play, can you?'

'No; it is only because I know the clergyman here that he gives mepermission. '

'And why do you never come to church here on Sunday?'

'Because we have a little church nearer us; but it has not an organ, and so I come over here. '

'Do you know what I do when you're singing? I shut my eyes and pretendI'm in heaven. It's lovely! If you shut yours you could pretend too, and I wish you could go on singing for ever and ever!'

Nesta laughed, and kissed the little eager, up-turned face. 'I shouldget very tired and hungry, I'm afraid. I am not an angel, Betty; butyou're right, darling. I, too, get very near to heaven when I'msinging;' and she added musingly, --

 In heart and mind ascending, My spirit follows Thee. '

When, a little later, Nesta came out of the church with Betty, the tallfigure of Major St. Clair came forward to meet them. 

'Good-afternoon, Miss Fairfax. '

His tone was cold and grave; but Nesta started, and turned white to hervery lips; then with an effort she recovered her composure, and heldout her hand. 

'It is a long time since we have met, ' she said. 

There was a pause, but Betty came to the rescue with the delightfulunconsciousness of childhood. 

'Do you know my Miss Fairfax?' she asked the major. 'You never told meyou did. Didn't she sing beautifully? Did you like "Tribulation"? Welike it the best of all her songs, don't we, Prince?'

She stooped to caress her little dog; then, as he broke away from her, she darted after him. 

Major St. Clair stood still, and his eyes never moved from Nesta's face. 

'Do we meet as strangers?' he asked. 

'No, ' she said, a little unsteadily, and her lips quivered in spite ofherself, as she strove in vain to meet his gaze calmly; 'as oldfriends, I hope. '

'Never!' he said, a passionate light coming to his eyes; 'it must beeverything or nothing to me, as I told you long ago. '

She was silent; a little sigh escaped her, so hopeless and yet sopatient, that Major St. Clair continued hotly, --

'I would not have come here, had I known you were in thisneighbourhood; but having met I cannot go without a word with you. Nesta, you are not happy; I see it in your face! Time has not soothedand comforted you; why will you not let me share your trouble and standby you when perhaps you need a friend more than ever you did in days ofold? Do you realize the blank you are making in my life, as well as inyour own? Yes, I know I am taking much for granted; but yours is not anature to change. I believe in you now as I always did, and it is onlyyour mistaken ideas of duty that have brought this trouble into ourlives. '

He paused, and then Nesta spoke, looking away from the low churchyardwall by which they were standing to the hills in the distance. 

'I am sorry we have met, ' she said simply, 'very sorry, for it is painto us both; but the circumstances in my life have not changed; I cannotact differently; my mother and sister require me, and my mother----'Her voice faltered. 

'Your mother is still of the same opinion, ' he said. 'I look back withregret to my heated words when last I saw her. Time and anotherTeacher has shown me since where I was wrong; but, Nesta, let me pleadmy--may I say our cause with her again? She has no right to spoil ourlives, and it is no true kindness to her to allow her to do it. Giveme your permission to come and see her. '

'I cannot; it will only stir up her grief and pain afresh. She willnot, cannot, look at things in a different light. '

'And are you going to part with me like this?'

His tone was low and husky with feeling. He added, a little drearily, 'I wonder, after all, if your affection has cooled; you speak so calmlyabout it all, that it makes one think----'

Nesta heard him so far, and then put out her hand as if to stop him. 

'Oh, Godfrey!'

That was all; but as the old familiar name slipped from her lips sheburst into tears, and turning aside, leant her arms on the old wall andburied her head in them. 

Major St. Clair stepped up quickly. 'Nesta, Nesta, you must not! Icannot stand it! My darling, we cannot part like this!'

What he might have done was never known; perhaps, with his strong armround her, Nesta would have yielded then and there; but a mostinopportune childish voice broke in close by. 

'You've made her cry! You've made my Miss Fairfax cry!' And with alittle rush Betty flew to comfort her friend. 

In an instant Nesta was standing erect again. 

'It is nothing, darling; we have been talking over old times. Good-bye, Major St. Clair. '

She turned down a path at the side of the church, whilst Major St. Clair gazed after her in bewilderment and vexation. 

'Oh!' he said, shaking his head at Betty as they retraced their wayhomewards, 'you're like a little boy I once knew, who would bring me adelicious plate of cherries. "Would you like to have some, major?Look at them; aren't they lovely?" And then, as I stretched out myhand, he would snatch them back with malicious glee, and gobble them upin my sight. '

'He was a very rude little boy, ' said Betty, a little offended, 'and Idon't think I'm a bit like him, for I haven't brought you anything thisafternoon. '

Very restless and uneasy was Major St. Clair all that evening; CaptainStuart more than once took him to task for his moodiness and absence ofmind, but was quite unsuccessful in eliciting a satisfactoryexplanation. 

The next day they went off fishing together, but about four o'clockMajor St. Clair left his friend and sauntered back to the house. Finding Betty and Prince playing together outside, he called her tohim, and, lying full length on the grass, led her on to talk aboutNesta. Betty innocently fell in with his wish; she gave him a graphicdescription of her day at Holly Grange, and then went back to the daywhen she first met Mrs. Fairfax in the wood. 

'She's like a queen, ' said the eager child; 'her face is so stern andproud, but she's very sad! Every grown-up person seems sad about here!I like Mrs. Fairfax very much; she gave me Prince. '

Major St. Clair listened, and asked questions, and then suddenlystarted to his feet. 

'Come for a walk with me, ' he said; 'wait till I have written a letter, and then we will start. '

'To church again?' inquired Betty. 

'No, not to church; to Holly Grange. '

'It's miles and miles, ' said Betty dubiously; 'I went in a ponycarriage, but if you go by the wood it is shorter. '

'Oh, we shall manage it very well, and if you are tired I will carryyou. '

Major St. Clair's tone was quite cheerful, and Betty set off with him, delighted at being chosen as his companion. 

'Are you going to see Miss Fairfax?' she asked presently. 

'No, I don't think I shall go into the house at all; but I want you totake a note to Mrs. Fairfax and bring me back an answer. '

Betty coloured up with pleasure. 'I shall like to do that, ' she said;'it's such a nice house inside, and you should see the flowers! Ithink I could be quite happy if I were Mrs. Fairfax, couldn't you?'

She chattered on, and when at last the gates were reached, Major St. Clair entrusted her with the important letter. 

'Give it to Mrs. Fairfax yourself, Betty, and tell her I would like tosee her very much. '

Betty nodded, and clasped the letter tightly in one little hand, Princefollowed her closely up the drive. The hall-door stood open, and for amoment the child hesitated; then the old butler crossed the hall, andshe called out eagerly, --

'Please, can I come in and see Mrs. Fairfax?'

The man looked surprised. 'I don't think she will see you, ' he said, smiling; 'Mrs. Fairfax sees no visitors. '

'But I'm not a visitor, ' said the little girl; 'I'm only Betty, andI've got a letter to give her. '

'I will go and see. '

He disappeared, but returned a minute after. 

'Come in, missy--this way. '

He led the child into the drawing-room, where Mrs. Fairfax waspresiding at the afternoon tea-table. Nesta was not there, and Gracewas just leaving the room. 

A smile lightened Mrs. Fairfax's grave face at the sight of Betty. 

'All alone?' she asked, bending down to kiss her. 

'I've come to bring you a letter, ' said Betty, dimpling over withpleasure and importance. 

Mrs. Fairfax made her sit down in a little cushioned chair, and tookthe note in her hand. As she read it, she knitted her brows, and herlips took their sternest curve; then rising she went to the farther endof the room, and stood looking out of the low French window, her backturned to Betty, and her hands clenched convulsively by her side. 

Nesta was right in surmising what a torrent of painful memories wouldbe aroused by Major St. Clair's advent in their neighbourhood. 

If the letter had come a few weeks before, there would have been onlyone answer; but Mrs. Fairfax had been learning lately from the greatMaster Himself, and her heart was softened and subdued. Still it was ahard struggle, and pride fought for predominance. At length she turnedround, and went to her writing-desk; and then Betty crept up softly toher. 

'Major St. Clair asked me to ask you to see him, ' she said, laying herlittle hand on Mrs. Fairfax's knee. 

'I will write my answer, Betty; I cannot do that, ' was the cold reply, as Mrs. Fairfax turned her head away from the child. 

But Betty was not to be put off. 

'I think he would like to see you very much; and you'd like him, for heis Uncle Harry's friend; and he has such sad eyes, and he has beenthrough tribulation like you; at least, he has had a big trouble, hetold me; and that's just the same, isn't it?'

There was no answer. Betty continued: 'Shall I just go out and bringhim in? I've been telling him about you this afternoon, and how yougave me the lilies, and Prince, and he liked to hear it; he asked me alot of questions, and I think he wants to see you, and if you're like aqueen, like I told him!'

Then Mrs. Fairfax lifted the child on her knee. 'Oh Betty, Betty!' wasall she said, but some glistening drops fell on the child's curly head, as the grey head was bent over it, and Betty wondered why Mrs. Fairfax's voice sounded so strange. 'I think you will have to bringhim in here, ' Mrs. Fairfax said at last; and Betty trotted out of theroom in great delight. She found the major pacing up and down the roadwith a white, resolute face. He threw away the cigar he was smokingwhen he saw the child, and asked, with anxiety in his dark eyes, --

'Well, little woman, how have you fared?'

'You're to come in and see her. '

'Thank God!' and not another word did the major say till he was in thedrawing-room. 

It was a constrained and formal greeting between the two; and then Mrs. Fairfax turned to Betty, --

'Will you run into the garden, dear, till we call you? I think Graceis out there. '

Betty obeyed. Grace was walking slowly up and down the path, envelopedin shawls, and did not look well-pleased when the childish voicesounded in her ear, --

'May I come and walk with you?'

'Were you sent out here? Nesta, I suppose, as usual is out, so shewill not be able to look after you, and I certainly am not in a fitstate of health to amuse you and keep you out of mischief. '

'I'm not going to get into mischief, really, ' protested Betty in anaggrieved tone; 'I'll walk quietly along with you, and won't even picka flower. Are you better today?'

'No, I am not better--I don't expect I ever shall be, though I can getno sympathy from any one in this house. '

'What's the matter with you?' asked Betty. 

'Now, if you are going to worry me with questions, you can just runaway; if you were to be kept awake night after night, and never knowwhat it was to be without headaches, having every nerve in your bodyquivering from exhaustion, you wouldn't wonder what the matter was. '

'I expect you're like Violet, only she could never leave her bed. Mr. Russell said she would sometimes have no sleep all night, and she wasso patient, she used to say, "Read me about there shall be no pain. "Mr. Russell said he wouldn't have been half so patient as she was. Andnow she is singing right in the middle of "these are they which cameout of great tribulation. " Wouldn't you like to be her?'

Grace was silent. Betty's active little tongue turned to othersubjects; she told about her visit to the Hall, of her 'dead figure'which was being made out of 'soft putty'; of Prince's misdemeanourswhen he tried to chase chickens, and then came back to his littlemistress with his tail between his legs; of Douglas and Molly'swonderful games, and the twins' talents for getting into trouble; shetold her of her walk on the roof, and the story of the young soldiersrelated by Uncle Harry; and Grace listened, and eventually was amusedand interested in spite of herself. 

It was a long time before Betty was summoned to the house; and then shemet the major in the hall. 

'Run in, little one, and wish Mrs. Fairfax good-bye. '

Mrs. Fairfax stooped to kiss Betty; all the hard lines in her face haddisappeared, and her voice was unusually gentle. 

'You must come and see me another day, when I have no business tooccupy me. '

And Betty put her arms round her neck, and gave her a delighted hug. 

'You will meet Nesta coming back from the church if you keep to thelane, ' Mrs. Fairfax said, speaking to Major St. Clair; 'and we shallexpect you to dinner tomorrow. '

He raised his hat, and strode round the shrubbery with such energy thatit was all Betty could do to keep up with him. 

'Don't you think Mrs. Fairfax like a queen?' asked Betty presently. 'Was she like what I told you?'

'I have seen Mrs. Fairfax before, ' was the major's short reply; andBetty gave a little disappointed 'Oh!'

Not long afterwards they came in sight of Nesta. She was walking alongrather slowly, her eyes and her thoughts far away; but when she saw whoit was, a quick colour spread over her face. 

Major St. Clair stepped forward quickly. 

'Your mother has sent me to you, ' he said; and there was a glad ring inhis tone. Nesta looked up at him bewildered. 

'My mother! Have you seen her?'

'Yes; thanks to this little person here with me. '

Betty was kissed, but for once Nesta seemed oblivious of her presence. The child could not understand it, neither could she understand theexplanation that followed in low, earnest tones. She saw Nesta's eyeslight up with a sudden joy, and then fill with tears; she saw Major St. Clair bend his head very close to hers, and though she stood silentlyby she might just as well have been miles away, for all the notice thatshe received. At last with a little sigh she said, --

'I'm rather tired; I think I'll go home with Prince. '

Nesta turned to her at once. 

'You poor little mite! Godfrey, will you carry her? I must leave you. No, don't come with me. I shall see you to-morrow, and I would rathersee my mother alone. She has been so different lately, but I neverdared to hope for this! Good-bye, Betty; you have been our littlebenefactor. '

Betty was hoisted on the broad shoulders of the major, and carried homein silence; he was busy with his own thoughts, and she was tired andsleepy. 

They found Captain Stuart impatiently waiting for dinner. 

'Where have you been?' he asked; 'has Betty bewitched you?'

'She has done me a good turn to-day, ' responded the major. 

Betty dipped her little hand into her uncle's. 

'We've been to Holly Grange, Uncle Harry. I think Major St. Clair andmy Miss Fairfax must have quarrelled yesterday, for he made her cry;but they kissed each other and made it up to-day, and now we're allfriends. '

CHAPTER XIV

A Hero's Death

Captain Stuart's week was prolonged to a fortnight, much to thechildren's delight. They were all astonished when they heard thatMajor St. Clair was going to marry Betty's Miss Fairfax. Betty herselfwas very puzzled about it, for she was still unconscious of how large apart she had played in the little drama; and only wondered sometimesthat Nesta seemed to care so little for the organ now, and was so oftenoccupied in walking or driving with the major. This, perhaps, made herenjoy her visits to Mr. Russell's studio the more; and when one day heput the finishing touch to the bit of sculpture, she looked ratherwistfully at him. 

'And mustn't I come here any more now?'

'Come as often as you like, ' was the hearty reply; 'I like you chattingaway to me whilst I work. '

'I've a good many friends here, ' announced Betty upon the last eveningof Captain Stuart's stay; 'I think I've more friends than Molly andDouglas have. They don't care about grown-up people: I rather likethem!'

'We like Uncle Harry, ' protested Molly. 

'And who do you like the best of all your friends, Betty?' asked MajorSt. Clair. 

'I think I like Mr. Russell. You see, he's an odd one, like I used tobe before I had Prince. Miss Fairfax used to be an odd one too, butshe's one of a couple now. Mr. Russell has got no one; he's quitealone. '

There was great laughter at Betty's speech. 

'I think I'm an odd one, Betty, ' Captain Stuart said. 'What do youadvise? My making myself into a couple?'

'Two and two are so much more comfortable, ' went on Betty gravely; 'Idon't really know what I should do if I hadn't Prince to go with!Really at the bottom of my heart I love him better than anybody!Couldn't you get a dog, if you can't get any one else, Uncle Harry?You'd find yourself in a very nice couple then. '

How Captain Stuart laughed! And Betty was the only one who could seeno joke in the matter. 

After the gentlemen had left, the children had a quiet time. Bettywould still steal away to the church to hear Nesta sing and play; andone day all the children spent a day at Holly Grange. Nurse wasgetting a little tired of the quiet country life, and began to talkabout the return to London, which filled her little charges' heartswith dismay. 

'It will be dreadful to sit up and do lessons again, ' moaned Molly. 

'I think, ' said Douglas slowly, 'that I shall get lost the day we aregoing back; and then I shall live in the wood in that little hut; Ishall be a kind of wild man; and I shall eat berries and nuts, and whenI want some meat I shall kill a rabbit, and cook him! I really cannotstand being cooped up in that nursery at home again. '

'I've never, never been so happy in my life before, ' Betty chimed in;'but then of course I shall take Prince with me. Fancy! If we hadnever come to this farm, we should never have gone to that wood, and Ishould never have seen Mrs. Fairfax, and she would have never sent mePrince!'

'It's always "Prince" with you, ' Douglas said a little impatiently;'you can talk of no one else. '

The day following the one on which this conversation was held, FarmerGiles came into the kitchen in great perturbation about twelve o'clock. 

'Where are the children?' he demanded quickly. 

Nurse came into the room, leading Bobby, who had been undergoing achange of garments through a tumble into the duck-pond. 

'They're out in the meadows, ' she said; 'what's the matter?'

'I'm afraid there's a dog of Mr. Dart's loose; I've just heard say it'sgone mad, and can't be found! It's these dreadful hot days. I've justchained up Rough. Little Miss Betty must look after that dog of hers. Tom Dart and a neighbour is out huntin' for theirs now. '

'A mad dog!' exclaimed nurse in horror; 'call them in, Jack, do! Whatshould I do if they met it?'

And leaving Bobby in the kitchen, she as well as her brother ran out towarn the children. They found them in a clover field under the trees:Douglas was busy trying to work his way inside an old hollow trunk;Molly was digging down a rabbit hole; and Billy was waiting upon themboth. 

'Where is Miss Betty?'

'She's gone along the lane, ' said Douglas, looking up with a veryheated face; 'I sent her to the brook to get some water: we're going tolay in provisions for a siege; and this tree will be our hiding-place. '

'And I'm digging for treasure money, ' said Molly. 

'Is Prince with her?' asked nurse anxiously. 

'Yes, he won't ever stay with us. '

'They're safe enough in this field, ' said Farmer Giles, looking round;'but they'd best not wander in the lanes. We must have Miss Bettyback. '

Betty meanwhile was trotting contentedly along, hugging an oldearthenware jar. 

'We'll get them some water, Prince, and then you shall be the sentry;Douglas said you could be; directly you hear a step you must bark!'

Prince looked up, wagged his tail in response, and began to burrow inthe grass for imaginary frogs. 

And then Betty, feeling her jar very heavy, sat down against the hedgebank to rest. She remained there some time, chattering away to herdog, and was just starting on her way again, when shouts up the lanestartled her. 

A moment after, and straight down the lane towards her tore a largeretriever; his mouth was open and covered with foam, and he kept makingsnaps at the air as he rushed along. After him came two men and someboys. 

'Out of the way!' they shouted; 'he's mad!'

Poor little Betty stood in the middle of the lane, quite petrified. Itwas a very narrow lane; the banks and hedges were high on either side, and there literally seemed no escape for the child. On he came, withopen jaws and bloodshot eyes; and in another moment a shrill childishscream rose in the air, which sent an awful chill through nurse'sblood; for she was now close upon the scene. She arrived just as TomDart had got near enough to the dog to fire, and the report of a gunwent off as she clambered over a gate into the lane. 

She saw the body of the poor beast in the road, with Tom standing overit, but with trembling limbs made her way along to the little crowd nowassembled higher up the lane. They were bending down over something inthe middle of the road. Was it Betty?

'Is she safe? Who is hurt?' she gasped, as she pushed her way through. There, in agony of grief and terror, Betty was sitting upon the ground, shielding with her little arms her precious dog. 'You shan't take himfrom me, you shan't; he's my very own, and he's nearly killed!' she wascrying frantically. 

Nurse seized hold of her and the dog together. 'Are you hurt, child?Speak! Thank God, it's only the dog!'

Farmer Giles was already there, questioning the excited crowd. 'He wasmaking straight for her, but the little dog dashed in front just intime. See how he's bitten! Take him away from the little missy; he'llhave to be shot! 'Twas lucky for her she had him with her!' This andmore was told, with gaps and pauses; but Betty saw and heard nothing ofwhat was going on around her. She seemed almost beside herself withterror and grief. 

'Take us away, nurse! Get a doctor! he's bleeding! He mustn't, oh, hemustn't die! Don't touch him! Oh, I won't, I won't let him go!'

'Come, come, ' said Farmer Giles soothingly; 'I won't hurt him. We mustsee where he is bitten; perhaps I can put him to rights. You let mecarry him home. There, see, he's been bitten in his neck, but you'rehurting him, holding him so tightly! You let me carry him for you, andyou can walk by my side. '

'Will you bathe him, and put a bandage round, and make him well again?'

There was hope dawning in the blue eye raised so trustfully to his; andfor a moment the farmer hesitated; then he said, 'We'll do the best forhim we can. '

And Betty opened her arms, and Prince was tenderly lifted up, and apiece of sacking the farmer happened to have with him was wrapped roundhim. He lifted his head, and tried to lick Betty's little hands as hewas being taken from her; and she with a fresh burst of sobbing got upfrom the ground, and clutching hold of the farmer's coat, walked backto the house with him, nurse trying in vain to comfort her. 

Arrived at the farm, nurse took decided measures, 'You come indoorswith me, there's a good child; and let Jack attend to Prince. He willcome and tell you when he's better. No, I won't let you take him inyour arms again--now I mean it. '

'I must just see him once more; I must, nurse!'

'Ay, ' said the farmer, giving nurse a peculiar look, 'she shall haveone more look at him, before I take him!'

The sacking was uncovered, and Prince's ears pricked up and his brightbrown eyes sought his little mistress's face. Betty bent over him, andwas allowed to kiss the back of his brown silky head. 'My littledarling, ' she whispered, though tears began to fall again; 'I wish Ihad been bitten instead of you!' Then turning to Farmer Giles, shesaid, clasping her little hands in agony of entreaty, --

'You'll be as quick as ever you can, won't you? You won't be more thanfive minutes bathing his neck and binding it up, will you? and thenI'll sit by and nurse him till he gets better. Will you put him inthis basket and bring him to me as soon as ever you can?'

'Yes, yes, ' said the farmer a little gruffly, and then he went out tothe stables; and Betty stood by the kitchen window, too well trained inobedience to attempt to follow him, but with her little heartoverflowing with longing to have Prince in her arms again. 

'Now, ' said nurse very kindly but determinedly, 'come up into thenursery, and let me wash your face and hands and put you on a cleanpinafore. '

'He will get better, won't he, nurse? He didn't look very hurt. Can Igive him some bread and milk when Farmer Giles brings him in?'

Nurse evaded this question; she seemed ill at ease; and when a fewminutes afterwards the report of a gun went off, she started violently, then gave a sigh of relief. Betty was too absorbed in her own thoughtsto notice this; and, directly her toilet was finished, she randownstairs to the kitchen again. 

'Has Prince come in, Mrs. Giles? Is he better?'

'Bless your little heart, ' said Mrs. Giles, bustling about, 'Jack willbe in directly, and he'll tell you. '

And, a few minutes afterwards, Farmer Giles appeared. Betty ran to himwith outstretched hands. 'Where is he? Are you going to take me tohim?'

The farmer looked helplessly at his wife. 

'Where is nurse?' he said. 

'Keeping out of the way, ' muttered Mrs. Giles. 

The farmer fetched a deep breath. 'Come along, then, ' he said; 'I'vedone my best, and mustn't shirk the consequence. '

He took hold of Betty's hand, and led her to the stables; twice hecleared his throat, as if about to speak, and then at the door, keepingone hand on the latch, he put his other one under Betty's little chinand raised her face. 

'You'll be a brave, good little maid, won't you?' he said, 'and you'llbear up, for 'tis better for the little dog than to live in suffering. '

He opened the door, and Betty, not in the slightest understanding hiswords, pushed her way breathlessly in. 

There in his basket, cold and stiff, lay poor little Prince! For oneminute Betty thought he was asleep, and then the awful truth dawnedupon her. With her blue eyes dilating with horror, she turned andfaced the old farmer, and every vestige of colour left her cheeks. 

'He's not dead!' she cried. 'Wake him up, Mr. Giles; he shan't bedead!'

'My little maid, I'm dreadful sorry for you; but 'tis better so; andhis neck were near bitten through; he couldn't have lived long in anycase. '

Betty flung herself on the floor with such a sharp wail of despair thatFarmer Giles felt a lump rising in his throat He knew there could beno comfort yet for the broken-hearted child; that she must go throughher trouble alone--words at such a time were useless; and afterwatching her for some minutes, he slipped away to fetch nurse to bringher in. 

And Betty lay with her arms round Prince's basket, sobbing her veryheart out, and feeling as if light and joy and gladness had gone out ofher life for ever! When nurse came in a little later, and put a gentlehand on the little crouching figure, Betty turned round, furious in hergrief. 

'Go away, I shan't leave Prince; I wish I could die! Oh, nurse, nurse!' and a fresh burst of sobs shook her; 'tell me he isn't dead;tell me he isn't!'

Nurse tried in vain to pacify her; Betty was too over-wrought tolisten. One thing she stedfastly refused to do, and that was to leaveher dog, and nurse finally had to take her up in her arms by force, andcarry her, shrieking and struggling, to the house. Poor little Bettydid not prove herself a heroine; but nurse made allowance for her, andwas unusually patient and tender. 

'It's like a bit of her life gone, ' she confided to Mrs. Giles. 'Ialways think it a pity when children get so wrapped up with their pets, but Miss Betty never does anything by halves. '

All that hot afternoon Betty lay on her bed in the nursery. Nursecould not tempt her to eat any dinner; and when the first paroxysm ofgrief was over, she lay there, white and silent, with little clenchedhands, and now and then a quick-drawn sob escaping her. 

Nurse was relieved and thankful when, going in quietly shortly beforetea-time, she found her fast asleep, utterly worn out by her trouble. 

CHAPTER XV

Comforted

Betty did not wake before the children's bedtime, and nurse did notdisturb her; she trusted that a long night's rest would do her good. 

But early the next morning the awakening came, and with it an undefinedsense of misery. The little hand was at once put out for Prince'sbasket. 

'Prince, wake up, darling!'

There was no basket! What had happened? Was it all an ugly dream?But where was Prince?

And then Molly woke by feeling a tugging at her bedclothes, and therewas Betty, with round frightened eyes, standing over her. 

'Molly, Molly, wake up; tell me it is only a dream! Where is Prince?'

Molly sat up, rubbed her eyes, and tried to recover her lost senses;then she looked sorrowfully at her little sister. 

'Don't you remember, Betty? You get into bed with me, and I'll tellyou again. Nurse told us all about it; and me and Douglas aredreadfully sorry too!'

Betty crept into Molly's bed, with much heart-sinking; the bad dreamwas truth then, and Prince was dead!

'Douglas and I went to see him in the stable, ' Molly continued in awhisper. 'Farmer Giles said he saved your life; so he was quite ahero, Betty. Don't you think he ought to have a tombstone tellingabout it? Douglas wondered if you would go into mourning for him; butI don't think people wear black for dogs, do they?'

'He saved my life, ' murmured Betty; 'oh, why did he? I wish I'd diedinstead; if Prince is dead, I can't live!' And then, with a freshburst of tears, she sobbed, 'And I shall be the odd one again! I shallalways be left out! and I shan't be in a couple any more! And, oh! Imust see Prince again; dear darling Prince, he was the only friend I'veever had. ' Then, drying her tears, she sat up. 'I'm going to thestable to look at him once again, Molly. I must give him a realgood-bye kiss; I couldn't yesterday. '

'But he's buried, ' Molly put in quickly. 'After tea last night we hadhis funeral. Farmer Giles dug a grave for him under our nice old appletree in the orchard, he said it was best to get him out of your sight. '

This was a terrible blow to Betty. 'I think I might have been at hisfuneral; he was my dog, and you and Douglas didn't care for him a bit!Farmer Giles is a horrid man! But, oh dear, oh dear, I don't care foranything now he's dead!'

And the curly head sank back on the pillow; and, like Ahab of old, Betty turned her face to the wall and refused to be comforted. 

For the next few days Betty gave nurse much anxiety; she crept aboutwith a white face and flagging footsteps, refused to play with theother children, and spent most of her time sitting by Prince's grave. She had no appetite, and had restless, wakeful nights. 

'Fretting herself ill over it, ' was Mrs. Giles's comment; 'she'll bebetter when she gets back to London. '

Nesta Fairfax came down to see her little favourite, and Betty shedmany tears on her knee. 

'It's no good; I shall never, never be happy again! No one cares forme like Prince; and now he's dead I've no friend left!'

'You have a good many friends, Betty. Listen, darling; when I'mmarried I'm going to live in London, and you shall come and stay withme sometimes, if your mother will allow it. '

'When are you going to be married?'

'Soon; but we shall have a very quiet wedding, or I would have you as alittle bridesmaid. '

Betty shook her curly head mournfully. 'It's no good, my heart isbroken; and I don't want to stay with anybody or do anything. '

She had the same answer to any one who tried to comfort her. And thenone afternoon Mr. Russell appeared on the scene. When he heard fromnurse how matters lay, he proposed that Betty should come and stay withhim for a week. 'It is change of scene and atmosphere that she wants. Let me take her back with me at once; my housekeeper will take goodcare of her. ' And this was managed, and Betty walked away with himquietly and contentedly. 

She was certainly happier roaming through his big house than she hadbeen at the farm; but there seemed to be some extra weight on her mindthat she would not reveal, and it was not until the first Sunday afterher arrival there that he discovered the cause. 

They had been to church together, had waited until the congregation haddispersed, and stood by Violet's monument. Betty had placed some freshroses on it, and as they were leaving the church she said, looking backwistfully, --

'I wish Prince had been buried in church; no one cares about his grave!I put flowers on it, but the chickens run through the orchard andscratch them off; and one day the horrid black pig was grunting withhis nose, and making a great hole in it! I wish he could have atombstone; no one cares a bit, and they almost laugh if I say anythingabout it. '

'Is that what is troubling you?' asked Mr. Russell kindly. 

'That's one of the things, but not the big thing. '

'And what is the big thing?'

Betty was silent; then she said, 'I'll tell it to you--p'raps thisafternoon. '

They went back to luncheon, and then Mr. Russell took his seat in theshady verandah that ran round the house. It was a still, warmafternoon. Betty got a stool, and sitting down on it rested her headagainst the knee of her friend. Outside the bees were humming roundthe roses and amongst the bright flower-beds on the lawn; the birdswere twittering in the old beeches close by; but over the whole scenehung a Sabbath peace and repose. 

The child looked away to the soft distant hills and the deep blue sky. 

'Shall I tell you what I promised?' she asked at last, bringing her sadlittle eyes to Mr. Russell's face. 

Mr. Russell nodded, and clutching rather nervously at his hand, Bettysaid a little hurriedly, 'Prince has always been so good, and I'vetalked so much to him of heaven, and he seemed to like it, and I--well, I tried to teach him his prayers, and I've prayed to God for him everynight, that I thought he would be sure to go to heaven, don't you thinkso? But I was reading Revelation, and I was thinking how perhaps hemight be able to sing in heaven, perhaps God would give him a propervoice--for Mrs. Giles told me she had a little deaf and dumb brotheronce who died, and she said he would be given a voice when he gotthere; and then I read in the last chapter--oh, I can't tell you!'

Down dropped the little head, and a burst of tears came. 

Mr. Russell did not speak; he got up and went inside the house to get aBible. Coming back, he spread it open on his knee and scanned thechapter through. 

'Well, ' he said at length, 'I don't see your trouble, Betty. '

'It says, ' sobbed the child, 'that dogs will be outside heaven with allthe wicked persons and all the liars! Prince was never wicked, andnever, never told a lie. I can't make it out, it's so dreadful!'

Mr. Russell almost smiled, but his tone was as grave as usual when heput his arm round Betty, saying, 'But, my dear child, that is not themeaning of the verse. How can I explain it to you? Let me try: theterm dog was used by the Jews to express anything unclean, despicable;the Palestine dogs were wild, savage animals, despised and scouted byevery one; and so people who led wicked lives, without any rightfeeling or principle, are compared to dogs. '

'Then it doesn't mean Prince? He may be in heaven after all? Oh, Iwish I had asked some one about it, but I was afraid! Miss Fairfaxsaid once he had no soul; but then I've asked God to give him one, andGod can do anything, can't He? Do you think he is in heaven? Oh, Mr. Russell, he must be somewhere!'

The piteous tone went right to Mr. Russell's heart. He leant forwardand lifted Betty on his knee. 

'Betty, do you love God?'

'Yes. '

'Very much?'

'I think I do, and I feel He loves me. '

'I think you do too, for you have often talked to me about Him, and youhave taught me to love Him too, Betty. Now you must trust God aboutPrince. I can't give you a text in the Bible to tell you Prince is inheaven, but God knows all about your little sorrowful heart. You tellhim all about it, and be at rest. There are times when we go throughlife that we must do this, yes, grown-up men and women, Betty, whenthey cannot see, and struggle to understand and penetrate the unseen, are brought down under God's hand. And He says to us, "I have donethis: now is the time to trust Me. " "Be still, and know that I amGod. " I have had to learn this lesson, and at times my heart has beenhard and bitter. But there, why am I talking like this to you? Youwill not understand. '

'I like it, ' said Betty, lying back in his arms, and looking out intothe sunny garden. 'And I may think what I like about Prince now, mayn't I? I'm quite, quite sure God loves him. God loves everybody, even the wickedest sinners, and Prince wasn't a wicked dog at all. '

There was silence, which Betty broke at last. 

'I like being here with you, because you talk to me so differently, andI feel so dreadfully alone at the farm. Nurse said you were a singlegentleman, and your servants couldn't have much to do. I must be asingle child, I feel! And they all say such stupid things to comfortme. Nurse said he would have had to die some time, and perhaps if Ihad taken him back to London he would have got run over, and Douglassaid I must pretend I never had a dog called Prince; and Molly told methat Douglas will soon be going to school, and then she and I will be acouple; and Mrs. Giles said if Prince hadn't died he would have goneraving mad and bitten all of us, and made us raving mad too, and wewould have all been shot, and we must be thankful; and Reuben, the oldgrave man, asked me if I didn't thank God that the mad dog didn't biteme; and old Jenny said perhaps I was making an idol of Prince, and sohe was taken away. How could I make an idol of him? I wouldn't say myprayers to him instead of God! You wouldn't be comforted to have thosethings said to you, would you?'

'No, I don't think I should, ' said Mr. Russell, smiling. 

'Mrs. Fairfax wanted to give me another dog, a little puppy; but Icouldn't, I couldn't have another dog when Prince is dead! Youcouldn't have another Violet, could you? I think you and I understand, because we've now both had some one dead belonging to us. '

Betty's week lengthened into three. Mr. Russell seemed loth to partwith her, and her subdued spirits and pathetic grief touched himgreatly. But the visit came to an end at last, and about four o'clockone bright afternoon the dog-cart was driven round to take her home, 'You shall come and see me again, Betty, ' said Mr. Russell brightly, 'and I shall come and see you when I am in London. I used to be atEton with your father, and shall like to renew his acquaintance. Andnext spring you ask your mother to take you to the Royal Academy, whereall the pictures are. I think you will see a white statue of a littlegirl asleep on a log of wood, and a----' He stopped. 

'And Prince, ' put in Betty sadly. 'I shan't bear to look at him; andyet I should like to. I don't mind going back to London; I thought Icould never be so happy anywhere as in the country, but I've beenmiserabler than I ever was in London. I shall be miserable now forever and ever!'

'Betty, ' said Mr. Russell suddenly, as they were driving through thesweet-scented lanes towards the farm-house, 'do you remember the textyou said to me when I first saw you in the church, and you were puttingforget-me-nots on my darling's tomb?'

'I expect it was my tribulation text, ' said Betty musingly. 

'Yes, it was. You told me you were unhappy because you had not beenthrough tribulation, and a short time ago you told me that you wereasking God to send you tribulation, and that you were hoping to get itsoon. '

'And you told me the same as everybody else--that I didn't know what Iwas wishing for. But I did, and I expect God will answer it; for oldJenny said I should come through it, and perhaps I wouldn't have towait till I grew up. '

'I think, ' said Mr. Russell slowly, as he looked down at the wistfullittle face, 'that God has been answering your prayer already. '

Betty looked up breathlessly. 'How?'

'I think He has sent you a little bit of tribulation to see if you canbear it, and if you will be a good, patient child over it, and not keepsaying you will never be happy again. '

Such a flash of light came across Betty's face, and into her big blueeyes. 

'Do you really think God has taken away Prince to give me tribulation?Oh! Mr. Russell, is it true, could it be? Is this coming throughtribulation?'

Her whole face was quivering with intense feeling. 

'I think it is as big a trouble as a little child like you can becalled upon to bear, ' said Mr. Russell, drawing her close to him; 'andI think God has sent it to you for some good purpose. '

A long-drawn sigh came from the child, and not another word did shesay; but when nurse and the other children came out to welcome herback, they were all surprised to see the radiant, happy look upon herface, and nurse inwardly congratulated herself upon the good her visithad done her. Mr. Russell received a fervent kiss and hug ondeparting, and Betty came back to her own circle again. 

But a glad surprise awaited her. Douglas and Molly were full of asuppressed mystery all tea-time; and, when it was over, theyimpatiently begged her to come to the orchard. She accompanied themwillingly, but gave a cry of delight and astonishment when she reachedthe old apple tree. There was a neat little iron railing surroundingpoor Prince's grave; above it was a stone pedestal, and upon this waslying the stone figure of Prince himself, the facsimile of the portraitof him lying at Betty's feet when she was fast asleep in the cornfield. Below in gold letters was written:--

'To THE MEMORY OF PRINCE, _Who gave his life for his mistress, 11th August, 18--. _'

'Mr. Russell had it put up, ' said Molly; 'he has come over severaltimes about it, and he said he wanted it to be kept quite a secret tillyou came back. Isn't it lovely?'

But Betty had no voice to answer; tears were flowing freely, and whenDouglas and Molly tried to comfort her, she assured them it was onlybecause she was so happy. They left her there shortly after, and shestood silent for some time; then her little face shone again with asoft radiance, and kneeling down on the green grass, with closed eyes, she bent her curly head, and these were the words she uttered, --

'O God, I thank You for answering my prayer, and sending metribulation. I thank You that I'm in the text at last!'

THE END.