"Really, Miss Carlton," she said, "I am highly flattered to think that a young lady who stays here in my humble house--no offence, ladies, I am sure--but in my modest and inexpensive habitation, should know the Beverleys of Castle Beverley." "We don't know them!" here called out Josie. Brenda gave Josie a frown which augured ill for that young lady's pleasure during the rest of the day. She paused for a minute, and then said modestly: "It so happens that my dear sister is a special friend of the eldest Miss Beverley. They are at the same school. My sister is staying at the Castle at present, and I have had a letter inviting me to go there for to-morrow. It will be a very great pleasure." "Very great, indeed,"--replied Mrs Dawson--"a most distinguished thing to do. We shall all be interested to hear your experiences when you return in the evening, dear Miss Carlton. Hand Miss Carlton the peas," continued the good woman, addressing the flushed and towsled parlour maid. Brenda helped herself delicately to a few of these dainties and then continued: "Yes, we shall enjoy it; my dear sister's friends are very select. I naturally expected to go to Castle Beverley when I heard she was there; but I didn't know that the Beverleys would be so good-natured as to extend their invitations to these dear children. Even the little accountant, Nina, is invited. Nina, you'll be sure to take your book with you, dear, for you might make some little private notes with regard to the possible expense of housekeeping at Castle Beverley while you are there. You, dear, must be like the busy bee; you must improve each shining hour--eh, Nina? eh, my little arithmetician?" "I am _not_ your arithmetician; and I--I hate you!" said Nina. These remarks were regarded by the other ladies present as simply those of a naughty child in a temper. "Oh, fie, Miss Nina!" said a certain Miss Rachael Price. "You should not show those naughty little tempers. You should say, when you feel your angry passions rising, `Down, down, little temper; down, down!' I have always done that, and I assure you it is most soothing in its effects." "But you wouldn't if you were me," said Nina, who was past all prudence at that instant. "If you had an odious--odious!" here she burst out crying and fled from the room. "Poor child! What can be the matter with her?" said a fat matron who bore the name of Simpkins, and had several children under nine years of age in the house. "Aren't you a little severe on her, Miss Carlton? Strikes me she don't love 'rithmetic--as my Georgie calls it--so much as you seem to imagine." Brenda laughed. "I am teaching my dear little pupil a lesson," she said. "That is all. I have a unique way of doing it, but it will be for her good in the end."