Curly, whose tears were now growing less, flung herself impetuously into Robina's arms, while Robina laid a trembling hand on her shoulder. Robina by this time was on her knees, both children fondling her. Harriet stood still for a minute. Then she said in a lofty tone: "Take them to the house--or rather, take the boy to the house. _I_ was sent to fetch them, but of course it would be like you to interfere. You want to be his school-mother, and to get the pony--I know you; and let me say at once that I despise you for your horrid ways!" Robina turned scarlet. "You have no right--no right to say such things to me!" was her first remark. Then with a great effort she managed to quiet herself. Her eyes, with a wild light in them, were fixed on Harriet's face. "I despise you too much," she said slowly, "to take any notice of your words. Curly, you shall have a ride, my sweet, on my shoulder; and Ralph, you will hold one of my hands. We must come quickly to the house, for Mr Durrant wants you to say good-bye." "Oh, good-bye," said Ralph; "that hurts, doesn't it?" He forgot Harriet, who was watching the scene from a few feet away. A new expression filled his beautiful little face, his eyes were fixed on Robina with a world of appeal. "Yes," said Robina; "it hurts; but brave people don't mind pain." "I am brave; I shan't mind it," said Ralph. "Hold my hand for a bit after _he_ goes, will you? and then I shall not mind at all." Book 1--CHAPTER FIVE. EXPLAINED. After prayers that evening Mrs Burton, as she had arranged, had a talk with the girls of the third form in her own private sitting-room. She spoke very simply, and explained what she considered her view of the matter. "My dears," she said, "this is a very nice opportunity for you, for really to win the affection of a little fellow like Ralph is to achieve a victory; and I earnestly want you all to try, not so much for the sake of the prize as because the looking after a little fellow like that, who will be very spirited and, doubtless, also very exacting, will be good for your own character, teaching you forbearance, unselfishness, and much thought for others, which are qualities every girl ought to cultivate. These are essentially girls' qualities, my dears; for all those girls who hope to be true women by-and-by ought to possess them. They are better and of greater value to the possessor than money or cleverness or beauty, for they mean beauty of the heart, and will last, my loves, when mere outward beauty fails, and, in short, even beyond this life, when time is no more. And now, dears, I am going to tell you my little plan.