rummyrules

"Yes, certainly. Let me introduce you to someone in particular. Janet May, come here, my dear."

She had to own to herself that Bridget had proved a very irritating companion. She would take her part, of course; but she felt quite certain at the same time that she was going to be a trial to her. As she stood by her window now, however, a little picture of the scene which the Irish girl had described so vividly presented itself with great distinctness before Dorothy's eyes.Miss Percival's accident, and Bridget O'Hara's share in it, were the subjects of conversation not only that night, but the next morning."This is the very plainest dress I possess, Mrs. Freeman; I pulled a lot out of my trunk this morning to look at them. There was a sky-blue delaine with coffee lace, and a pink surah, and——"

rummyrules

Dorothy detached herself from Bridget's clinging arm, and ran quickly up the sloping lawn.When Mrs. Freeman told Bridget to go away and leave her, the Irish girl stopped playing with the tendrils of hair on Evelyn's forehead, and looked at her governess with a blank expression stealing over her face."Oh, miss, it's that poor dear young lady."

Oh, yes, she ought to tell; and yet—and yet——"We won't discuss the whys nor the wherefores; the fact remains that I do dislike her."

"Will you have some fruit?" she said coldly, laying[Pg 14] a restraining hand as she spoke on the girl's beflowered and embroidered dress.

"No. You are to take off that unsuitable afternoon costume you are now wearing, and put on a neat print dress for your morning work."

[Pg 33]

"My dear, you have been ill, which accounts for your nervousness. But in any case a person with the stoutest nerves may be pardoned for fainting if she is flung out of a carriage. I cannot imagine how you escaped as you have done."