"I won't come into rooms when people call me a tiresome child at the door and I haven't been naughty," said the new-comer, with much dignity and scanty punctuation. She was a very small person indeed. Of years she numbered five, in height and appearance she might easily have passed for three. She was hardly a pretty child, for her features, though small and delicate, were wanting in the rosebud freshness so charming in early childhood; her eyes, when one succeeded in penetrating to them through the tangle of wavy light hair that no combing and brushing could keep in its place, were peculiar in colour and expression. There was a queer greenish light in them as she looked up into Roma's face with a half-resentful, half-questioning gaze, standing there on the door-mat, her legs very wide apart, under one arm a very small kitten, under the other a very big doll--fond objects of her otherwise somewhat unappreciated devotion. She was a curious child, full of "touchy tempers and contrary ways," not easily cowed, rebellious and argumentative, and no one had as yet taken the trouble to understand her--to draw out the fund of unappropriated affection in her baby heart. Roma got tired of holding the door open. "Come, Floss," she said, impatiently, "come in quickly." Floss stared at her for another minute without speaking. Then, "No," she said deliberately. "I won't come in nor neither go out;" and as Roma turned away with a little laugh and a careless, "then stay where you are, Floss," the child shook with indignation and impotent resentment. "She is really dreadful, Roma," said Mrs Eyrecourt, plaintively. "For some time past nurse tells me it is the same thing every day--out of one temper into another, from morning to night." "She must take after her uncle," said Roma; "it is all contradiction. Don't bother yourself about her, Gertrude. I'll ring for nurse." And the matter ended in the poor little culprit being carried off to the nursery in a whirlwind of misery and passion, reiterating as she went that mamma and aunt _made_ her naughty when she had "comed down good." "What has become of Quintin?" asked Roma, when they were again left in peace. "I haven't seen him this morning." "He is spending the day with the Montmorris boys. He set off quite early, immediately after his breakfast, in great spirits, dear fellow," replied his mother. "How different he is from Floss, Roma!" "Yes," answered Roma, "he is a nice boy. But it comes easily to people like Quintin to be good, Gertrude. He has everything in his favour-- perfect health, a naturally easy temper, good looks, and every one inclined to think the best of him. Whereas poor little Flossy seems to have been always at war with the world. She is so delicate too. My conscience pricks me sometimes a little about that child."