Part 24 (1/2)

”I aer--Coie,” said Merry Cardew

They went out into the grounds, and Merry, putting her hand into her pocket, took out a little brown leather bag She thrust it into her coie

”It is for you--for you, darling,” said Merry ”Take it, as a loan, if you like--only take it It is only ten pounds I a at all; but do take it, just as a mere loan It is o fros to some fresher place with this to help you

Do--do take it, Maggie! I shall so love you if you do”

Maggie's narrow eyes greide Maggie's sallow face flushed There caenuine sense of downright love for the girl who had done this thing for her And ten pounds, which meant so very little to Merry Cardew, held untold possibilities for Maggie

”You will hurt ie treot to Aneta's ears that she had taken this ot abroad in the school! Oh, she dared not take it! she ie? Why don't you speak?” said Merry, looking at her in astonishie; ”but I just can't take the ie! but why?”

”I can't, dear; I can't It--it would not be right You mustn't lower me in my own estimation I should feel lon if I took your money

I knoell I as are fusty and musty, but we are neither of us so poor as that I'll never forget that you brought it to me, and I'll love you just more than I have ever done; but I can't take it”

”Do co for his breakfast; and as to Peterkins, he has got Spot-ear out of his cage

Peterkins is crying like anything, and his tears are dropping on Spot-ear, and Spot-ear doesn't like it Do coie--”Good-bye, darling Merry My best thanks and best love”

That evening, or in the course of the afternoon, Maggie appeared at Shepherd's Bush She had been obliged to travel third-class, and the journey was hot and dusty

She lay back against the cushi+ons with a tired feeling all over her

For a tiet her poverty Now it had fully returned to her, and she was not in the ood-natured There was no need to show any charhbors, who, in their turn, thought her a disagreeable, plain girl, not worth any special notice

It was, therefore, by no ht of steps which belonged to that lodging-house in Shepherd's Bush where Mrs Howland was staying Maggie knew the lodgings well, although she had never spent much time there As a rule, she contrived to spend almost all her holidays with friends; but on this occasion her h Maggie had no real love for her mother, she was afraid to disobey her

Mrs Howland occupied the drawing-roos

They were kept by a Mrs Ross, an untidy and by no eneral,” and the general's nareat ure, and had a perpetual s she was nothing better than a slavey, but in the afternoon she generallywhite streaht herself very fine in this attire, and she had donned it now in honor of Miss Howland's arrival She had no particular respect for Mrs Howland, but she had a secret and consuie had been kind to Tildy once or twice, and had even given the general a cast-off dress of her own Maggie was plain, and yet people liked her and listened to her words

”Oh miss,” said Tildy when she opened the front door, ”it's lad to see you! Your ma is upstairs; she's took with a headache, but you'll find her lyin' down on the sofy in the drawin'-rooie ”And how are you?”

she added good-naturedly ”Oh, you've got your usual smut”