"Miss Ada, you quite startled me!" said Margaret, looking up pleasantly in the bright young face. "It seems a long time since you were here." "Yes, I've been dutiful at home, and so I couldn't come. Where's Miss Arbuthnot?" "She has gone out into the town to get a few things, I believe, miss." "Is she alone?" asked Ada, glancing round the nearly empty nursery. "Oh, no! Alfy and Maggie are with her." "I think I shall wander down the town too, presently, when I am warm, and see if I can find her. I wonder I did not meet her as I came." "She might be in a shop," suggested Margaret. "Yes, I daresay she was. And how is 'baby Alice,' Margaret?" Their eyes turned towards the hearthrug where the little maid was seated. Her warm winter frock was covered by a snowy pinafore, and her flaxen hair was neatly parted, with an attempt at two or three soft little curls. "She looks pretty well?" said Ada, half questioningly. "Yes," said Margaret, also with a slight hesitation in her voice, "but she wants a great deal of care, Miss Ada; I doubt if she will ever be strong." Ada took her up on her lap, and began to talk to her in baby language, Alice staring at her with grave eyes for some moments, and then holding out her arms, with quivering lips, to her nurse. "She is so shy," said Margaret apologetically, "we have quite a trouble with her sometimes; but we do love her so dearly!" And she fondly kissed the fair little neck, and held her close to her. "I suppose I am warm now," said Ada, rising; "but your heath is bitterly cold at the open part there, Margaret." "But very healthy," added Margaret. Ada made her way once more over the top of the heath—"the abode of the zephyrs," she told Christina it ought to be called—and soon found herself in the midst of the shops. After walking up and down for a few minutes, she was touched on the hand by a little girl, and was quickly drawn into a draper's shop, where she found Christina seated, while close to her, with very stolid countenance, Alfy Ross was perched, watching the proceedings gravely and without surprise. "Here you are," exclaimed Ada; "I began to think I should miss you after all." "It was Maggie spied you; she always knows what is going on, don't you, Maggie?" Maggie answered by a little smile; then Christina counted her change, and they all turned homewards. When they entered the hall at Sunnyside, Christina told the children to go at once to the play-room. "I don't want to," said Alfy, making towards the dining-room. "Come along, Alfy," said Maggie; "I've got something to show you." Alfy, still persisted that "he didn't want to," and walked straight into the other room. "Alfy," said Christina firmly, "come at once, as I told you." Alfy held on by the table, and looked determined not to give in. Christina took no more notice, but closing the door upon him, went up with Ada to take off their things.