Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Juliet Sutherland, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net [Illustration: 'Let's come away,' whispered Marjorie.] The CHILDREN of WILTON CHASE By MRS. L. T. MEADE AUTHOR OF A GIRL IN TEN THOUSAND, A RING OF RUBIES, GIRLS NEW AND OLD, ETC. NEW YORK GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS Copyright 1891 BY CASSELL PUBLISHING COMPANY * * * * * CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. MARJORIE'S WAY, 1 II. SHARK, 13 III. ERMENGARDE'S SIN, 25 IV. THE DAY OF THE PICNIC, 32 V. LOCKED IN THE CUPBOARD, 62 VI. A STOLEN TREASURE, 69 VII. A GOOD, BOYISH SORT OF GIRL, 82 VIII. FATHER'S BIRTHDAY, 97 IX. FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, 104 X. THE REIGN OF CHAOS, 115 XI. AFTER THE FUN, 133 XII. AFTER THE BIRTHDAY, 150 XIII. BASIL'S OPINION, 162 XIV. I SERVE, 175 XV. LILIAS, 187 XVI. THE BEAUTIFUL DRESS, 199 XVII. THE MORE BEAUTIFUL FACE, 210 XVIII. IN THE TOILS, 217 XIX. SOME PEOPLE WHO DID NOT FLATTER, 228 XX. WHAT DID BASIL MEAN? 235 XXI. SUSY'S FEVERISH DESIRE, 241 XXII. QUITE IN A NEW CHARACTER, 250 XXIII. BLESSED AND HAPPY, 261 * * * * * THIS STORY IS DEDICATED, WITH AFFECTION, TO MARJORY A CHILD WHO, POSSESSING THE SPIRIT OF LOVE AND SERVICE, HAS INSPIRED THE IDEA OF THAT OTHER MARJORY WHO APPEARS IN THESE PAGES. _August, 1891._ * * * * * THE CHILDREN OF WILTON CHASE CHAPTER I. MARJORIE'S WAY. "I don't care," said Ermengarde. "I won't do it! I won't obey her!" "What are you saying, Ermie?" Ermengarde was standing by the dressing-table in her room. She had been talking half to herself; she now turned quickly round, and confronted a plain little girl of between eleven and twelve. "Is that you, Marjorie? I didn't know you were listening. I had not an idea you were in the room."