"He had five or six in his hand; some of them must be for me. Suppose now, just suppose I could have whatever I liked--what should I choose? A letter from a lawyer to say I had come in for a fortune of a million pounds? That would be rather nice. What should I do with it, I wonder? Mother couldn't come away with me just now, which would be a nuisance. I think I would travel about with Mardie, and look at all the big estates that were for sale, and buy one with a tower and a beautiful big park, with deer, and peacocks, and sun-dials on the grass. I'd go up to London to buy the furniture,--the most artistic furniture that was ever seen. The drawing-room and library should be left for Mother to arrange, but I'd finish all the rest, so that she could come the first moment it was safe. I'd have a suite of rooms for myself next to hers. A big sitting-room,--blue,--with white wood arches over the windows; dear little bookcases fitting into the corners, and electric lights hanging like lilies from the wall. Opening out of that there would be another little room where I could amuse myself as I liked, without being so awfully tidy. I'd do wood-carving there, and painting, and sewing. I might have a little cooking-stove in one corner to make toffee and caramels whenever I felt inclined, but I'm not quite decided about that. It would be rather sticky, and I could always go down to the kitchen. Then there would be my bedroom--pink,--with the sweetest little bed, with curtains draped across from one side of the top to the other side of the bottom. I saw one like that once, and it was lovely. I'd have all sorts of nice things out-of-doors, too--horses for Mother and myself to ride, and long-tailed ponies for the children. I'd like to send the little ones to boarding-schools, but I am afraid Mother wouldn't consent to that; but they could have governesses and tutors, and a school-room right at the other end of the house. I should have nothing to do with teaching them, of course. I should be called `The Heiress of the Grange', and all the village children would bob as I passed by. It would be rather nice. I would give them a treat in the grounds every year on my birthday, and they would drink my health. It seems a great deal of happiness for a million pounds. I wish I had someone to leave it to me--an old uncle in Australia or Africa; someone I had never seen, then I could enjoy it without feeling sorry." The prospect of inheriting a million pounds was so engrossing that it was with quite a shock of surprise that Mildred perceived the old lady and her daughter retracing their steps down the drive. Downstairs she flew, two steps at a time, and discovered Miss Margaret emptying the letter-box of its contents. "Oh, Mardie, I saw the postman coming, ages ago! I've been dying to get that key for the last half-hour!"