Author Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1900 Excerpt:...Miss Rose had told her to call. At least, that's what the servant downstairs said when she gave me the message. I looked over the staircase into the hall to see the girl. She's such a funny figure--might have come out of the ark, as they say. A sort of a charity girl she looks like. Most likely sent to ask for a subscription, or maybe an imposturer altogether.' Nurse's English was not immaculate. 'I told the servant to keep a eye on her--we cannot be responsival for hats and umberellas. I thought I must tell you, but I can just slip down and say my ladies are engaged.' 'No, no!' cried Hebe. 'Luda darling, do say she may come up. It's Sibyl.' And Luda gave the permission, feeling a considerable amount of curiosity herself, and adding, to soothe nurse's feelings, that it would not take her two minutes to wrap up in her big cloak when the chairman came. CHAPTER VIII. MORE THAN PRETTY. The girl with the innocent grace, And the hand that was always ready, And the sweet little pitying face.--The Woman and the Bird. REPARED as she was for something decidedly peculiar in the way of outward appearance, Luda Clavering could scarcely help giving a little start of surprise as the quaint figure of the young water-carrier was ushered into the room; and as her eyes travelled from the figure to the face, a feeling of inconsistency was added to the strangeness. Sibyl was so very lovely, and, not only that, so remarkably refineddooking. In their childish way, both Jasper and Hebe had been conscious of this, and had spoken of their new acquaintance's sweetness and prettiness, but they had not realised her uncommon beauty as fully as their elder sister's more trained eye did at once. And the slightly timid, yet quite calm, almost dignified, manner in which Sibyl came forward a...