"You are a queer, passionate little thing, Judy," she said, "but it's a very good thing for Hilda to be engaged to a nice sensible fellow like Jasper Quentyns, and of course it is more important now than ever for her. He'll be disappointed, of course, but I dare say they can get along somehow. Ah, there's Aunt Marjorie coming out of the house. I must run and speak to her, poor dear; how troubled she looks! and no wonder." Mildred ran off, and Judy stood where she had left her, in the center of the lawn, quivering all over. What did Milly mean by saying that Jasper would be disappointed--Jasper, who was going to get Hilda--Hilda herself? What could anyone want more than the sun? what could any man desire more than the queen of all queens, the rose of all roses? Thoughts like these flitted through little Judy's mind in confused fashion. Hilda was to be married to Jasper, and the Rectory of Little Staunton would know her no more. That indeed was a sorrow to make everyone turn sick and pale, but the loss of the money was not worth a moment's consideration. Judy wandered about, too restless and unhappy to settle to her play. Babs shouted in the distance that the wasp was not to be seen. Even the fate of the poor wasp scarcely interested Judy at present. She was watching for Mildred to reappear that she might join her in the avenue and ask why she dared to say those words about Jasper. "Well, Judy," said Miss Anstruther by and by, "here I am, back at last. I saw Aunt Marjorie, but I didn't see the Rector, and I didn't see Hilda. Aunt Marjorie tells me that Jasper Quentyns is coming down to-night, so I suppose he's going to take everything all right." "What do you mean, Milly?" asked Judy. "Why do you look at me in that fierce way, you small atom?" answered Mildred, stopping in her walk and looking at the child with an amused smile on her face. "Because I don't understand you," said Judy. "It is scarcely likely you should, my darling. Let me see, how old are you--nine? Well, you'll know something of what I mean when you're nineteen. Now I must go." "No, stop a bit, Milly. I don't understand you, but I hate hints. Miss Mills hints things sometimes, and oh, how I detest her when she does! and you're hinting now, and it is something against Hilda." "Against Hilda? Oh, good gracious, child, what an awful cram!" "It isn't a cram, it is true. I can't explain it, but I know you're hinting something against darling Hilda. Why should you say that Jasper will be disappointed? Isn't she going away with him some day? and aren't they going to live in--in a horrid--a horrid _flat_ together, and she won't even have a garden, nor fowls, nor flowers? And you say Jasper will be disappointed. Everything is going when Hilda goes, and you speak as if Jasper wasn't the very luckiest person in all the wide world. _I_ know what it means; yes, I know. Oh, Milly, I'm so unhappy. Oh, Milly, what _shall_ I do when Hilda goes away?"