ghteen or twenty, in a pink print frock with a large crimson rose pinned in its bodice, and a pink

part to let her pass, and from her perch she stared down from one sid

n', Nu

t be carryin' the

l furn

rom the bundle to Hester,

tell me you're the

m Hester

y dear soul," she asked with sudden

wh

rade for old persons- toteling poor bodies, 'm

put in the youn

ss an' get breakfast for an' see their boots is shined, and after that to catch the hoss and put'n to cart-well, you'll have to forgive it. That's your luggage Tom's carryin', I s'pose?-and a funny passel of traps school teachers travel with, I will say. You must b

is not m

you two been quarrellin'? Well, I never!

ion," Hester went on, flushi

son," declared Tom Trevarthen, red a

de o' me. We'll drive back to station, fetch your trunk, and be back in time to overtake Tom at the top o'

llenly. "But I'll not take a lift alongside o' she

h mortal, you. But-I declare

rathful. "It's despise her I do-comin' here

l and trudged away s

at him for a momen

l the week round, you couldn't find a better-natered boy. Well, jump up, my dear, and

one on equal terms with themselves. She was a sensible girl, by far too sensible to nurse on second thoughts a conceit that she was their superior simply because she spoke better English. Yet ha

p. The ill-balanced trap seesawed down the slope, and soon was spinning along the c

shall have it broiling hot afore noon. Now I come to think of it, 'tis high time we made our introductions. I'm Nuncey Benny-that's short for Annunciation.

ind enough to offe

, that never crossed his head. You mustn't think, my dear, that you bain't welcome. Only-well, I may

ot mind," said Heste

n' 'ee 'tis the second load you've a-lifted off my mind. F

t w

ved at the stationmaster's cottage. The station-maste

of tea, the both of you. It'll t

tion-master while he hoisted in the trunk. Two of Hester's earliest discoveries in this strange la

going round wi' the sun, I see, same as yesterd

in. "Is that how sleeves are wearin', up the country?"

tly," Hester answered gravely. "But

dest. Boots like yours cost more than I can spend on mine in a month o' Sundays; iss, and a trifle o' vanity thrown in. You've a

or my f

and always will be. I thought it might be for o

roke off, colouring again with annoyance. What did these people mean, that

of the hill, they over

Nuncey cheerfully. "If so, climb up

rd, an easel, and a coloured globe on one's back. The globe absurdly reminded Hester of a picture of Atlas in one of her schoolbooks, and she could

aughed o

man that never has a good word to fling at nobody, and maybe spanked 'en blue when he was a tacker and went to school wi' her. He's terrible simpl

in coming-as if, at least, I were selfish and unjust. And I never hear

had asked me that an hour ago, I'd have agreed wit

left; the song of larks rang forth almost with a shout; beyond the golden ridges of the wheat the grey vapour faded as breath off a mirror, and lo! a clear line divided the turquoise sky from a sea of intensest iris-blue. As she watched the transformation her heart gave a lif

he hand of some great unknown gardener; and this gardener was, of course, the sea-breeze now filling her lungs and bracing her strength. The shaven, landward-bending thorns and hollies, the close-trimmed hedgerow, the clean-swept highroad, alike proclaimed its tireless attentions. It

arest doorways, whence one and all nodded good-naturedly at Nuncey. Of some houses the doors were reached by steep flights of steps tunnelled through the solid rock; of others by wooden stairways leading to balconies painted blue or green and adorned with pot-plants-geraniums, fuchsias, lemon-verbenas-on ledges imminent over Hester's head. The most of the passers-by were women carrying pails of water, or country folks with baskets of market stuff. The whole street seemed to

threaded their way round two more corners, and entered a street scarcely less narrow than the other, but level. He

over a green-painted board, fixed across with the evident purpose of confining him to the house. Having despatched this urchin to warn his mother that 'the furri

n our family," said Nuncey, "there's noth

your

ainted doorway where the small urchin had resumed his survey of the world beyond home. "That's another of father's inventions; but the poor cheeld pulled down the kettle when he was

benign but puzzled smile, appeared in t

n curl-papers. Dear me, now!" Mrs. Benny regarded Hester with a look of ho

e that its cleanliness must be due to Nuncey and its untidiness to Mrs. Benny. The dimness was induced by a crowd of geraniums in the w

' all night? You must be p

screamed out clos

r name? Oh, rock and roll me

n to answer in a fright, wh

elf at sight of a grey and scarlet bird eyeing her with angry inquisitiveness from the cag

" Nuncey assured her

c

died of it. Father had 'en stuffed and put 'en in the cage in

. Benny, with her kindly, unsettled smile. "

And what's become of your manners?" she demanded of the urchin who had followed them in from the passage, and now s

t!" exclaimed Robert Burns

with,'" quoted Hester, laugh

She knows about stories!"

t mothers ought to thank the Lord for it. Sometimes, as 'tis, I feel as if the whole world was on my shoulders, and I can't be responsibl

ndeed," ans

e window; "but there's eleven of 'em, and three buried, and five at school this moment. I began with two boys-two years between each-and t

re's the kettle boilin'-fit and give her a cup of tea, and take her upstairs. 'Tis near upon half-past nine already, and at half-past ten father was to b

ad already arrived; and he too could not help

maintained, laughing. "I feel my years, I assure y

had given us no partic

o me about the school

im, then, M

her's. He used to visit us regularly once

He said it almost sharply. Hester, puzzled to know what offence she had nearly co