"You want a quiet, plain dress; let me recommend you to get it the first thing to-morrow morning. Peter Robinson has some very nice dresses for young girls; and Evans, just a little farther down Oxford Street, has perhaps even smarter costumes. You ought to get a very nice dress for about four guineas. It would be wrong to spend more. A warm coat and a nice short skirt would be the thing. Shall we go to-morrow morning to Evans's?" "No, thank you," I replied. "But, my dear child, you want a dress. Well, perhaps you will get one of the girls to go with you." "I would rather," I replied. I gathered up all my parcels in my arms and prepared to leave the room. "Just as you like, dear; but remember we go on the 24th to Hedgerow House." "On the 24th; yes, step-mother, thank you." I went upstairs. PART TWO, CHAPTER THREE. CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY. After all, Christmas Eve was jolly. You may cherish a feud against the most innocent and good-natured person in the world with all your might and main; but unless you are specially wicked you cannot bring it into prominence when every one else around you is in the best of good spirits. It was altogether a very merry party which started off by train from Liverpool Street _en route_ for Hedgerow House. We seemed to have left cares of every sort behind us. The boys were absolutely unruly in their mirth. As to father, he elected to go in a smoking carriage. This was a very keen disappointment to Augusta. I saw her start from her seat as though she would accompany him; but not being invited--indeed, the Professor did not even see her--she sank back again and solaced herself by eating chocolates and reading a German book the whole way down. "Don't you ever want to watch the scenery?" said Von Marlo in his slow Dutch fashion. "Yes, when it is worth looking at," she responded. She glanced at him. "You are a foreigner?" "Yes, a Dutchman." "I don't approve of Dutchmen." She lapsed back into her German. Von Marlo thought it well to change his seat. He came nearer to me. Oh, I forgot to say that Hannah was also of the party. Now, she had not wished to come; she had objected very strongly; but my step-mother, there was no doubt, was beginning to win Hannah over. Hannah came to my room that very morning when I was dressing to go, and said, "Miss Dumps, I do hope you won't take it amiss, but--" "Why, what is it, Hannah?" I asked. "Well, I'm going too." "I'm very glad," I said.