Jasper Read online

fink p'raps I was," he said with satisfaction. "I can't remembervery well, but I don't fink I meaned to be naughty."

  "You did roar," said Leila; "I can remember it; or rather squealed. Youweren't big enough to roar."

  "Everybody's got to be naughty some time or other," remarked Chrissiejauntily. "I know you think Lell and me horridly bad, Miss Earle, butp'raps we'll turn out awfully good after all."

  "I hope so," said their governess, smiling. Then she added rathergravely, "I wish, dears, you could understand how much sorrow and regretyou would save yourselves in the future if you would really try to bemore thoughtful now," and for a few minutes both little girls seemedimpressed. Then, to change the subject, Christabel began again--

  "Mummy's coming back on Monday, Miss Earle. Roland's had a letter, andhe thinks she's very worried."

  "I am sorry to hear it," said Miss Earle. "Well, any way, let us try tohave a cheerful report waiting for her, as far as we are concerned."

  And the rest of the walk passed in a most pleasant way.

  But, alas! the children's dinner, which the two girls had with theirgoverness downstairs, was a cause of irritation, for, without being"greedy," I am afraid I must allow that they were very "dainty," whichis almost as bad.

  "I hate cutlets done like this," said Chrissie. "They're so dry. Ilike them with that nice reddy sauce."

  "Tomatoes," said Leila. "So do I. And I don't see why we should haveplain potatoes, instead of mashed or browned, just because Mummy'saway."

  She pushed her plate from her.

  "Leila," said Miss Earle sternly, "go on with your dinner," and as therewas nothing else to eat, and Leila was hungry, she had to do so.

  Then came the next course.

  "Apple pudding! I hate cooked apples!" exclaimed Christabel. "Is thereno cream, Lewis?"

  No--there was no cream.

  "What a hateful dinner," both children complained, and as they saw MissEarle about to speak, Chrissie interrupted her.

  "I know what you're going to say--all that about poor children who havenothing to eat, and that we should be thankful to have anything. ButI've heard it hundreds of times, and I don't see why we should havenasty things, all the same. It doesn't make it any better for the poorchildren."

  "If your food were _not_ nice, perhaps I would agree with you, but asthings are, I cannot," said Miss Earle.

  But eat her apple pudding Chrissie would not, and as she had really nothad enough dinner for a strong, healthy child as she was, her temper wasby no means at its best for afternoon lessons, and Miss Earle walkedhome, feeling sadly discouraged.

  "I must tell Mrs Fortescue that I'm making no way with them," shethought. "Things have gone too far. I do not see how one is to get anylasting impression on them. And yet, I am so sorry to disappoint theirmother! I wonder if she is really in trouble? What _would_ thosechildren do if actual misfortunes came over them?"

  A sort of presentiment, caused greatly, no doubt, by her sincereinterest in her pupils, and anxiety about them, seemed to add to herdepression.

  "I wish I had heard what Roland said," she thought. "He is a good sortof boy. Perhaps he was only trying to make the girls more consideratefor their mother just now."

  CHAPTER THREE.

  BREAKING BAD NEWS.

  The day I have described was a Thursday, and on Monday the children'smother did return, as she had said. Nothing very particular hadhappened during the last day or two. Leila and Chrissie had gone onmuch as usual, sometimes good-tempered and pleasant--so long, that is tosay, as there was nothing to ruffle or annoy them--but alwaysthoughtless and heedless, quite unconcerned as to the comfort of thoseabout them, thinking of nothing but their own wishes and amusement.

  Still, on the whole, both the schoolroom and the nursery had been fairlypeaceful. Miss Earle had found less fault than she might have done; sheeven let some small misdemeanours pass as if unnoticed, but she wasgrave and rather silent.

  "I hope she's beginning to find out that it's no use nagging at us,"said Chrissie, though "nagging" had never been Miss Earle's way; but asto this, Leila seemed doubtful.

  "I don't know. I think there's something the matter with her," shereplied. And so there was; the poor girl--for she was still a girl inspite of her learning and cleverness--was making up her mind that shewas not the right person for her present pupils.

  "Perhaps an older governess would manage them better," she thought. "Imust speak to Mrs Fortescue when she returns," and in the meantime itseemed wiser to avoid "scenes."

  And Nurse, too, on her side, had been extra patient--scarcelyinterfering in the squabbles and noisy discussions which every day wassure to bring. She almost left off begging Leila and Christabel to_try_ to be less careless and untidy; she only "scolded," as they calledit, once or twice, when the inkstand was overturned on Leila's new redserge frock, and when Christabel wilfully cut a quarter of a yard offher best sash to make an "eiderdown" for the doll-house bed.

  "There's something the matter with Nurse too," said Chrissie. "She's asgloomy as an owl."

  "Poor Nurse, she's had bad news," said Jasper. "Her was cryin' all byherself last night. I sawed her, and I kissed her, and she hugged me.I was so sorry for her."

  "Rubbish," exclaimed Chrissie; "you're so silly, Japs. I hate people inlow spirits. It's so gloomy, and when Mummy comes back, I suppose we'llhave to look rather gloomy too for a bit. Roland says it would be onlydecent because of Uncle Percy. _I_ call it humbug."

  But when "Mummy" did arrive, there was no need for any "seeming," for assoon as her little daughters saw her poor face they were both startledand shocked and really grieved; even the few days, less than a week,that she had been away from them had changed her so sadly. And as Ihave already said, neither Leila nor Christabel was actuallyhard-hearted or wanting in affection down at the bottom of her heart.

  It was all thoughtlessness and selfishness--selfishness truly not knownby themselves--that were the cause of their being so troublesome, sodisappointing, so very far from what they should have been, in so manyways.

  "Mummy," exclaimed Chrissie, always the first to notice things, "Mummy,have you been ill? Leila, don't you see how pale poor Mummy is, youstupid thing?"

  Their mother glanced up beseechingly. She was kissing Jasper over andover again, as he clung to her, though with tears in her eyes.

  "Dears," she said, "my head is aching terribly. No, Chrissie, I havenot been actually ill, but I have not been able to sleep, and scarcelyto eat, since I left you. And poor Daddy, too--when I have taken off mythings and rested a little, I will send for you and tell you--" hervoice broke.

  "I wish you'd tell us now," said hasty Christabel. "If it's anythinghorrid, it's worse to have to wait."

  But Leila was thoroughly roused out of her dreams for once, by thistime.

  "Be quiet, Chrissie. It's very selfish of you, when Mummy is so tired.I wonder--" and she glanced round the schoolroom, where they all were--Miss Earle having left--"I wonder if--" but before she could finish hersentence, Jasper, who had run off suddenly, made his appearance again,very solemn and important, as he was carefully carrying a cup of nicesteaming tea.

  "Ours was just ready," he said. "I knew it was, and Nurse brought it tothe door for me. Her wants you to take it while it's quite hot."

  Mrs Fortescue took the cup from the kind little hands and drank itgladly.

  "Thank you, darling," she said, "that has done me good;" but Leilalooked rather put out, and murmured something about a "meddlesome brat."

  "I was just going to order it," she said, but while she had been"thinking," Jasper had been "acting!"

  Their mother got up from her seat.

  "Your own teas will be cold. Don't stay any longer just now. You mayrun up to my room as soon as Roland comes in," and for once the littlegirls felt they could not loiter or linger.

  "There's something awful the matter," said Christabel, as they walkedslowly upstairs. "P'raps robbers have got into Fareham and
stolen lotsof things, and Mummy's come back to send detectives after them, and--"

  "Really, Chrissie, you are too silly," interrupted Leila; "as if Mammawould look like that about a stupid burglary! Besides, there would havebeen no secret about it, and it would have been in the papers."

  "Then what can it be?" said Christabel, and as they were now at thenursery door, she ran in,