evening's adventure—that is, sharing it between us, one commencing and the other finishing. "And," she added, hastily, seeing a look of alertness in Lotty's face, bespeaking an eagerness to be the first to begin, "Lotty being, as she says, the most skilful in describing, shall take upon her the concluding portion; that, of course, will be the most sensational." And aunty smiled. "And she can exercise all her eloquence and ability to render it as interesting as possible. Mechie shall give me the more matter-of-fact beginning. Now, Mechie."

I perceived, what I do not think Lotty did, that aunt had other and deeper reasons for wishing to hear this little history of our troubles, and depended upon having a true statement from me. Thus called upon, therefore, I very reluctantly described our stroll in the garden and my enjoyment of its retirement, its shade, its beautiful flowers and wild scenery. I could not with the least truthfulness include Charlotte in a participation of these feelings, for she had made no pretence even of liking it or being at all charmed by the attractions which so pleased me. On the contrary, she unhesitatingly declared the garden to be stupid. With yet greater unwillingness I was obliged to admit Lotty's proposal to extend our walk, and my own objection, on the ground of uncle's advice and the lateness of the hour; and this I told, though truly sorry to tell of my sister's fault, for I dearly loved her. But it was a far more painful feeling to my nature to lie under the imputation of having utterly disregarded the wishes of our kind friends, and of even setting them totally at defiance. Albeit I felt my cheeks flush deeply, and my manner was nervous and my voice low, and I much wished I could have left out this disagreeable portion of my account, but it might not be. Charlotte, who from the style of my character well knew what was coming, sat with disconcerted face and averted looks, gazing out through the large folding windows on the moonlit scene.

CHAPTER VII.

When I concluded aunt placed a cushion on the ground by her side, and called to Lotty to place herself on it, which she did, laying her face in aunty's lap in an indolent sort of manner. Her expression was one of thorough consciousness of having done wrong, but without that feeling of repentance which would have filled my eyes with blinding tears and my cheeks with blushes. At this point I arose and went into an adjoining room, thinking my presence might distress Lotty; yet, the door being open, I heard aunty speaking earnestly on this old subject of truthfulness, pointing out the labyrinths to which so many resorted instead of following the straight road of honesty. She pressed upon her the danger of allowing small beginnings of sin to go on unchecked, seeing that even Lotty's short experience had often shown her how fatally great its endings sometimes became; and in no way, she added, was the point in question more forcibly illustrated than by the works of nature. "You have often noticed, and so, I know, has Mechie, a certain little cloud, peculiar, I believe, to the Cape, just making its appearance, creeping stealthily, occasionally quite hid, then emerging into view, then doubling round a projection, and turning and twisting, and so on, and over the top of the Table Mountain. You know how very small it generally is in the beginning, seldom larger than a man's hand, and is white and picturesque, and tangible-looking, and seems to select any tiny aperture or division on the mountain brow to glide through. One might really fancy its object is to avoid observation, or why not advance at once and openly over the broad unobstructed space? However, it seems unreasonable to suspect harm of so little and innocent a looking thing, for harmless indeed it then is, although in truth its undeveloped character is fraught with danger, violence and mischief. Well, it advances, and advances, gaining breath and magnitude every yard of the way, till finally the whole mountain side is enveloped in its folds. And now, no longer inoffensive in its proceedings, its real nature breaks out. Down pours a tornado of wind, sweeping over land and water, driving the ill-secured vessels from their moorings, bearing clouds of noxious sands into our habitations, and but that long experience has suggested to us efficient means of securing our property from destruction, much ruin would constantly result from the visit of that little, apparently simple mist. My dear child, when in future you are tempted to exaggerate in the slightest degree remember the 'cloud-hand.' I have been more especially induced to speak in this way on the present occasion because this morning, Lotty, I had a few minutes' conversation with Susan concerning your late rising, which has been frequent during the last fortnight, and your reasons and excuses for the same—many and various." Mrs. Rossiter abstained from any allusion to that evening's deception on Lotty's part. I knew her reason, and was grateful for it. She feared creating bitter feelings in my sister's heart toward me, and yet I was sure that Lotty's account to uncle of our misadventure, given in her own cautious style and coming so immediately after the offence of the morning, had excited aunty into thus speaking without farther delay and in the impressive manner she had done.

But now, softly quitting the room, I put on my hat and joined uncle on the balcony.