brains for some incontestable excuse, when the door opened. "Papa," Prissy cried, and Dr Norman entered. This was the first time in Kitty's life that she had met a gentleman in the full acceptation of the word, and she started to her feet, colouring uneasily. The sudden blush, the involuntary movement and the momentary embarrassment, made her look girlish and graceful, and induced Dr Norman to greet her less formally than he would otherwise have done. He came forward and shook her cordially by the hand, uttered one or two hospitable formularies rather absently, and then sat down to eat his lunch. "What have you got for me, Laura?” he said, surveying the remnants of the meal with quite a contented air; "and, Regy, mind and bring up some of your best wine for Miss-Laura's visitor. I let these children manage the house," he said, turning to Kitty with a smile; "it's the easiest way."

"Miss

Laura pointed at the different dishes triumphantly. Silver praised this," she said, "and this, and this—all of them my providings."

"Laura, I thought of the tarts," Wattie said, "and helped cook to make them; you shouldn't take the credit of everything."

"The tarts were very nice, Wattie," said Kitty, patting the boy's shoulder.

"Miss Silver calls everything nice," Wattie said; "and I say Miss Silver is nice; don't you, papa?"

"Of course," Dr Norman made answer, still absently; "I wish you would order cook to bring up stale bread, Laura, dear; you will all kill yourselves with indigestion if you go on in this way."

"I forget things," Laura said, colouring with vexation.

"And, Regy, I don't suppose you know it, my boy, but this claret is the very newest in the cellar, and quite unfit for human drinking; if these terrible children poison you during your stay, Miss Silver, I hope I shall not be indicted by your friends for murder."

"I told Regy he knew no more about wine than a new-born

baby," said Master Clevy; "but he lights a big candle, and goes down the cellar looking as wise as King Solomon."

"If you don't behave yourself, Master Clevy!" Regy exclaimed, authoritatively, "I shall cut off your glass of port at dessert on Sunday, and so I tell you!"

Clevy made a very impolite gesture of defiance, and began a new subject of discussion. Little Prissy looked from one to the other, contracting her little brows and pursing up her rosy lips. "Papa," she said, "shan't you and I be glad when they are all gone back to school?"

Kitty watched this little girl narrowly, and soon saw how matters stood. Prissy was her father's pet. He scolded her sometimes, and he never scolded his other children; but Kitty was clever enough to see that this exceptional harshness was on the surface only, perhaps meant to hide a real partiality. She was unlike her brothers and sister, less vivacious, less demonstrative, less artless in look and manner; and she evidently adored her father, and expected a great deal of adoration in return. Whilst he was calmly eating his uncomfortable meal, she kept by his side, and every plate and glass must pass through her hands.

To please Prissy he did all sorts of things distasteful to him -ate her comfits, nursed her doll, "opened his mouth, shut his eyes, and saw what she should send him," and when he had done, rose and returned to his study, having first bowed to Kitty with a distant air.

"I thought you said that Dr Norman always travelled during the holidays?" Kitty asked of Laura.

"He is going to Norway in a week's time," Laura answered; and her face said that she was glad.

"It's very unkind of you to say papa is going, Laura," Prissy broke in, fiercely, "when you know that I shall be miserable whilst he is away. I shall say Miss Silver is going, for you love her better than papa."

"Prissy!" Laura expostulated, with tears in her eyes.

"Nobody loves papa but I," Prissy went on, "and nobody loves me but papa, and I shall ask him to take me to Norway."

cry.

"Shouldn't we all be miserable," said Clevy, pretending to "Miss Silver wouldn't be able to eat, I shouldn't know how to console her, and we should all get skeletons by the time you got back.”

Miss Prissy seized her doll, and dashed out of the room at this. Kitty expostulated with the offender.

"Why do you tease the child?" she said; "she's but a baby, after all."

"But she does take so much upon herself!" Clevy replied, a little repentant, nevertheless. "Miss Silver, she tries to rule us all."

"As if you were not able to take care of yourself, without taking refuge in that sort of thing?"

"What sort of thing?"

"Teasing and tormenting. I wish you would amuse me, and leave Prissy alone."

Clevy was immensely flattered, and he wanted to begin amusing her at once. Would she like to go and see his rabbits, or his little pigs, or his boat?

To each Kitty made affirmative answers, but she could not get out yet, she said, as she wanted to write a letter.

"Then I'll go and see that all my things are in nice order," Clevy said, and went away.

When he was gone Regy left Kitty's side, and taking up a book, threw himself into an arm-chair in the farther end of the Laura looked at Kitty, and smiled significantly. Kitty saw in a moment that she had made a mistake.

room.

"What an interesting book that must be Regy is reading," she said, after a time.

Regy read on sulkily.

"We must find out the name of that book, Laura. We must put it away under lock and key when you and I have designs upon Regy's time. Oh, dear! I am sorry he is so fond of reading!"

Regy read on.

"You see," Kitty added, very gravely, "I had reckoned upon you and Regy and I getting rid of the children some

times, and enjoying ourselves quietly; but if he likes books better than our company, what shall we do?" Regy's jealous fit was giving way. ing," he said, "but you asked Clevy to and I thought I wasn't wanted."

"I'm not fond of readamuse you, Miss Silver,

"You're only joking," Kitty said, "it's quite impossible you should mind what I say to a little fellow like Clevy!"

Regy looked quite an inch higher that moment, and Kitty felt sure of his allegiance for the future. But she had not yet secured Wattie and Prissy, and before the day was over, what with one vexation and another, wished herself fairly back in Paradise Place. Dr Norman was courteous wherever he encountered her, which was seldom enough; and the fresh atmosphere of the place, its airiness, its liberty, its cheerful disorder, pleased her. But those terrible children! Poor Kitty could not sleep for thinking of all the sacrifices she must make to obtain popularity among them all. Laura's childish confidences, Wattie's rough affection, Prissy's caprices, Clevy's overwhelming good-nature, Regy's gallantry, equally bored her, and she saw no way of escape.

She seemed to have slept for an hour or two only, when a loud rapping at the door awoke her.

"Do get up, Miss Silver," Regy said; "we've got out the boat, and are going for a row before breakfast-it's so nice!" For the first time in her life, Kitty made her toilette at six o'clock in the morning; with what rueful longings and regrets for the undisturbed attic in Paradise Place, may be imagined!

CHAPTER V.

THE THIN EDGE OF THE WEdge.

KITTY had come down to Shelley House determined to conquer all before her, and ere the first three days of her visit were over she had very fairly succeeded. Every one in the house adored her, except Dr Norman, and with him she felt as much of a stranger

C

as ever. She had tried various means to drive in "the thin edge of the wedge," as the phrase goes, to interest him, to make him understand her interest in him, to establish some sort of friendliness between them. But as yet she seemed very far from succeeding, and in four days more he was to start for Norway. In spite of his seeming good-nature, Kitty could but think him very unamiable. Having invited her to his house, he ought, at least, to have seen that she was made comfortable and amused. As it was, he left her entirely to the tender mercies of the children, merely playing the part of host by such catechisms as these:

"Clevy,

"Regy, have you driven Miss Silver out to-day?" have you got the proper number of croquet-balls, so that you can all play together?" "Laura, I hope, whilst I am gone, you will invite the Fanshawes and the Dawsons, and make Miss Silver as gay as you can,"—and so on.

"Does Dr Norman never go out with you?" Kitty asked Laura one day, rather impatiently.

"He has not gone out nearly so much since mamma died,” the child said "at least not to see our friends. He is very learned, you know, and knows So and so, and So and so,"-here Laura enumerated half a score of scientific men," and it isn't likely he would care for our friends. It is very unfortunate for us that papa should be learned?"

"I suppose he still grieves very much for the loss of your mother?" Kitty said.

"Not so much as he did at first," Laura answered, tenderly; "I think he tries to make the house happy now-and we are very happy, arn't we?"

Kitty answered mechanically, and fell into deep thought. She could afford to think about Dr Norman now, having no other subject of concern, and she did think about him in good earnest. He was a learned man, a gentleman, and a recluse ; it puzzled her very much to handle such idiosyncrasies as these. She was clever, and had read a good deal, but not the sort of literature that would recommend itself to him; Kitty felt that she had better play the part of an ignoramus altogether. She