It will be the shortest way in the end." The two girls laid their heads together over the Bradshaw, Evelyn's dark-soft hair making a charming contrast to Aurelia's yellow curls.

At last the journey was made out and duly written down, and a post-card despatched to the uncle in Dublin.
"Have you seen Ralph anywhere ?" asked Aurelia, when she had finished it.
"I am afraid I was a little tiny wee bit cross to him this morning, and I am so sorry." Evelyn always seemed to stiffen when Aurelia talked about Ralph, and, under the pretext of putting her post-card in the letter-bag for her, she presently left the room, and did not return.
Aurelia sat down on the hearth-rug, and held two plump little hands to the fire.

It was quite impossible to go on writing to Jane while she was there, and I gave it up accordingly.
"I am glad Evelyn is gone," she said, confidentially.

"Do you know why I am glad ?" I said I could not imagine.
"Because," continued Aurelia, nodding gravely at me, "I want to have a very, very, _very_ serious conversation with you, Colonel Middleton." I said I should be charmed, inwardly wondering what that little curly head would consider to be serious conversation.
"Really serious, you know," continued Aurelia, "not pretence.

About that!" pointing with a pink finger at the inlaid writing-table.