gh the village in the following order-first the waggonette, drawn by the bony horse and packed to overflowing with baskets and young people, who waved their arms and shouted in high glee as they wen

reserved for the donkey-cart. The donkey, as a rule, was driven, or rather led, by Guy, the tall schoolboy, aged thirteen, who would be owner of the Towers, if it were not sold over his head, some day. Harry, the brother next in age, would also accompany the donkey-cart, and sometimes o

essing herself to Molly when they ha

uil blue eyes,

he pony-carria

Forest. "Is he the pretty little r

a, joining in t

ap," replied Annie. "I don't

ughed Nora. "He wants to

f the donkey-cart was explained to her, and no f

not yet b

s for the first meal. The Lorrimers always had two hearty ones whenever they went on a picnic. Kitty, Nora, and Annie Forest went off to explore the Fairies' Glen, a lovely s

ll you come to the top of the knoll with me? We can sit there and cool oursel

xteen, Hester was past seventeen, nevertheless

ttle frown between your b

ut the moment

for a picnic, you are here, you have brought your friend, Annie, about whom we have always heard so much, and Nan is home from

have not got me up to the top of this knoll just to make me recou

black imp. I thought I had tucked him up snug in bed until the evening, and t

and there was a suspicion of tears in the blue eye

said: "it's only that the colts,

k I know them

She spent almost all her leisure time with the colts, and I believe she used to ride them bare-backed. Well, they were sold this morning, and Nell will fret awfully. Fretting is very bad for her, for she is not at all strong, you know. That is one thing that troubles me," continued Molly, after a brief pause. "I am sorry the colts are sold,

with a mingling of

father is rich, for you are such a large family, and father has only Nan and me; but still, it can

n't care a bit for poetry, and not much for music, and even story-books don't amuse me unless they're the downright sort, like 'Little Women,' or unless they tell all about housekeeping and that sort of thing. I love c

r she saw that Molly wa

e well for church. You don't suppose I care about shabby hats, or even about the seaside, but I do care when I see father looking troubled. Once a stranger came to see him, and they were shut up together in the library for a long tim

w white you are.

I dread it. If he has to sell

choed Hester. "I should

ake yourselves useful. The donkey-cart has come, and so have Guy and Harry, and we are washing th

harming, capable Molly, who could work with a will and never once think of herself. Molly was so generally self-forgetful, that her happiness was not put on. G

-cloth would be laid in that part of the wood where the midges were least troublesome. Jane Macalister would not have to complain of no one helping her. Guy, who was very like Molly

airs when occasion required. She could put on rather a killing grown-up sort of would-be society manner. She never dared adopt it when Guy an

ufficient poor Nora's attempts to maintain a worldly conversation really were. She crushed her by telling her that she had never been in society herself in the whole cours

enly, "why should we two stand here chatter

ls, and as all the others adore it, I generally leave it for them to do. Won't you sit here? There is a charming little peep between tho

alf as beautifu

likes us to live quietly just at present. Molly and I will have to be presented by-and-by. It is a pity father and mother don't think more about society, but th

, "but did not the donkey-cart

of c

your broth

uy and Harry. How hot it is to-day-the heat

ter that Boris has not

oke, and left the astonished and in

ith Nan, and was in consequence feeling considerably out in the cold. Kitty knew that Boris was not of the party. She had known this from the beginning, but in the excitement and fun of having Nan Thornton to herself had been too self

Nan had been very snubbing and very disagreeable, and Kitty cordially hated her for the time being, and wished with all h

er kindly; "you are one of the Lorrimers, of course, but I

ull at Annie. She had never seen anyone so lovely as Annie before. She had ne

I am sure you will do just as well as Hester. Can you tell me

ed up into her eyes; her heart began to ache; she trie

he must be punished by staying indoors for a whole hour after lessons were over. I expect she forgo

ittle Boris! The moment I looked at him I knew I should ado

course; som

follow us,

alone; it's nearly an hou

impatiently; "but haven't you got a tr

o draws the waggonette, and Dobbin the pony, and Jacko the donkey. Of course, there's father

picnic?" said Annie; "I declare I shan't enjoy i

ght for?" asked Kitty,

You silly child, all fair ladi

I mean you're a very lovely lady-very, very lovel

and I won't have anyone else. Kitty, ca

de Harry's bicycle, but I don't thin

went back and

go back? Yo

e road is longer than by the fields, and you could

y, "and when you came back dinner would be o

ght shall be rescued by the lady. Now, come with me part of the way and show me the short cuts. Why, I'm as

e wonderfully precious in Kitty's eyes. She would, of course, snub him in five minutes after he did arrive, but that really did not matter. The fasci

e two miles off the distance. There's a bog, and a sunken

id Annie, laugh

erhaps the bull himself may be in the four ac

bit, no

tle dell. I'll start you from the w

Pilgrim's Progr

n an ecstatic whisper,

reveal it my knight shall

do love you; its so perfectl

Now we have come to the wicket gate. How

N

r the bull

N

ry dangers. Yes, I see my road. I follow the winding path wherever it lea

ie started with great v

le and watched her. Su

nn

e tu

Nell at home,

another L

e family; the duckling,

the full weight and delirious importance of her secret radiating all over her