They asked her to tea once or twice; they invited her to the school-treat, where she was only self-conscious and miserably shy; and Mr.Ellerton had at least one friendly and pastoral talk with Miss Frederick as to the difficulties of her pupil's character.

For a long time little came of it.

Marcella was hard to tame, and when she went to tea at the Rectory Mrs.Ellerton, who was refined and sensible, did not know what to make of her, though in some unaccountable way she was drawn to and interested by the child.

But with the expansion of her thirteenth year there suddenly developed in Marcie's stormy breast an overmastering absorbing passion for these two persons.

She did not show it to them much, but for herself it raised her to another plane of existence, gave her new objects and new standards.