than a butterfly has, as it skims from flower to flower, till at length she grew very weary, and wished to return to the house, but did not know how, and felt afraid of encountering all the strangers who would be there, unprotected by either of the Miss Brownings. The hot sun told upon her head, and it began to ache. She saw a great wide-spreading cedar-tree upon a burst of lawn towards which she was advancing, and the black repose beneath its branches lured her thither. There was a rustic seat in the shadow; and weary Molly sate down there, and presently fell asleep.

She was startled from her slumbers after a time, and jumped to her feet. Two ladies were standing by her, talking about her. They were perfect strangers to her, and, with a vague conviction that she had done something wrong, and also because she was worn-out with hunger, fatigue, and the morning’s excitement, she began to cry.

“Poor little woman! She has lost herself; she belongs to some of the people from Hollingford, I have no doubt,” said the oldest-looking of the two ladies; she who appeared to be about forty, though she did not really number more than thirty years. She was plain-featured, and had rather a severe expression on her face; her dress was as rich as any morning dress could be; her voice deep and unmodulated— what in a lower rank of life would have been called gruff; but that was not a word to apply to Lady Cuxhaven, the eldest daughter of the earl and countess. The other lady looked much younger, but she was in fact some years the elder; at first sight Molly thought she was the most beautiful person she had ever seen, and she was certainly a very lovely woman. Her voice, too, was soft and plaintive, as she replied to Lady Cuxhaven—

“Poor little darling! she is overcome by the heat, I have no doubt—such a heavy straw-bonnet, too. Let me untie it for you, my dear!”

Molly now found voice to say—“I am Molly Gibson, please. I came here with Miss Brownings;” for her great fear was that she should be taken for an unauthorised intruder.

“Miss Brownings?” said Lady Cuxhaven to her companion, as if inquiringly.

“I think they were the two tall, large young women that Lady Agnes was talking about.”

“Oh, I daresay. I saw she had a number of people in tow;” then, looking again at Molly, she said, “Have you had anything to eat, child, since you came? You look a very white little thing; or is it the heat?”

“I have had nothing to eat,” said Molly, rather piteously; for, indeed, before she fell asleep she had been very hungry.

The two ladies spoke to each other in a low voice; then the elder said in a voice of authority, which, indeed, she had always used in speaking to the other, “Sit still here, my dear; we are going to the house, and Clare shall bring you something to eat before you try to walk back; it must be a quarter of a mile at least.” So they went away, and Molly sat upright, waiting for the promised messenger. She did not know who Clare might be, and she did not care much for food now; but she felt as if she could not walk without some help. At length she saw the pretty lady coming back, followed by a footman with a small tray.

“Look how kind Lady Cuxhaven is,” said she who was called Clare. “She chose you out this little lunch herself; and now you must try and eat it, and you’ll be quite right when you’ve had some food, darling.—You need not stop, Edwards; I will bring the tray back with me.”

There was some bread, and some cold chicken, and some jelly, and a glass of wine, and a bottle of sparkling water, and a bunch of grapes. Molly put out her trembling little hand for the water; but she was too faint to hold it. Clare put it to her mouth, and she took a long draught and was refreshed. But she could not eat; she tried, but she could not; her headache was too bad. Clare looked bewildered. “Take some grapes, they will be the best for you; you must try and eat something, or I don’t know how I shall get you to the house.”