And even now, when increasing years were making her more healthily human, true friendship and constancy had invariably called out a feeling of glad surprise. At every turn the world was proving kinder to her than she had dared to hope. She was still deep in the letters when her cousin came home. "Well," said Rachel, "I've just heard a queer thing. You know the work I had last week, teaching Mrs Robertson the stitch for that tidy? Well, she had some friends in to tea last night, and she never asked me! Did you ever hear the like of that? She thinks she's just going to get her use out of me!" "I expect, dear," said Mona, "that the stitch proved more than she could manage after all, and she was afraid to confess it." "Well, I never did know any one so slow at the crochet," said Rachel resentfully, releasing the wonderful red cap from its basket. "She may look for some other body to help her the next time. But we'd better take our porridge and be off to our beds, if we're going to St Rules to-morrow." Mona read her letters once more in her own room, and then another thought asserted itself unexpectedly. "I wish with all my heart that I could have shown him the sketch-book, and made a clean breast of it," she said to her trusty friend in the glass; "and yet"--her attitude changed--"why should he stand on a different footing from everybody else?" The face in the glass looked back defiantly, and did not seem prepared with any answer. CHAPTER XX. ST RULES. When Mona appeared at the breakfast-table next morning, Rachel regarded her with critical dissatisfaction. "I wonder you don't get tired of that dress," she said, as she poured out the tea--from the brown teapot. "It's very nice of course, and as good as new, but changes are lightsome, and one would think you would sometimes prefer to wear something more youthful-like. Pity your print's at the wash." Mona looked out of the window. "I have another," she said, "if you think it won't rain." "Oh no. And besides, you can take your waterproof." "It's not so much that I mind getting anything spoiled, as that I hate to be dressed unsuitably; but I do think it is going to be a beautiful day." She left the room as soon as she had finished breakfast, and returned in about ten minutes. "A gavotte in cream and gold," she said, making a low curtsey. "I hope it meets with your approval." "My word!" said Rachel, "you do look the lady! and it's cheap stuff too. Why, I declare you would pass for a beauty if you took the trouble to dress well. It's wonderful how you become that hat!" "Took a little trouble to dress well!" ejaculated Mona mentally. "A nice thing to say to a woman who makes dress her first aim in life!"