Odd | Page 7

do any of those.'
And Betty's tone was very determined.
'What are you going to do, then?'
'I shall be busy all by myself. I'm going out to look for some one.'
'Who?' asked Molly curiously.
'Some one Mr. Roper told me about. He sent his love to her and a kiss.
It's a secret between me and Mr. Roper, I shan't tell you any more.'
And Betty rolled over in the grass with a delighted chuckle at the
puzzled faces round her.
'It's only one of her make-ups,' Douglas said, recovering his composure.
'Let me tell you of my plans. Do you see those thick trees at the top of
that hill? That's a real wood. Now, if nurse sends us out tomorrow
afternoon while she takes a nap, I'm going there, and you girls must
come after me.'
'And us, too,' put in Bobby, listening attentively.
'If you can walk so far, and don't go telling nurse about it.'
'How far is it? Six miles?' asked Molly, who would have been willing
to walk ten, had her brother so ordained.
'It is only through three fields, Sam told me.'

Sam was one of the carters, who had already become one of Douglas's
greatest friends.
'He be the pluckiest, knowingest little chap that ever oi see wi' such a
baby face!' was the carter's opinion of him.
'If it's a very nice wood perhaps I'll come,' said Betty.
'You must save something from dinner to take with us, for we will have
a feast when we get there.'
This sounded delightful, and all spent the rest of the day in busy
confabulation as to how they could get there without being stopped by
any one, and what provisions they must take.
But, alas! when the next day came, nurse announced her intention of
taking Douglas and Molly with her to tea with a friend, a little distance
off, and so the visit to the wood was postponed.
Betty pleaded to be allowed to go with them, but nurse refused.
'I can't have more than two; and I'm taking them more to keep them out
of mischief than anything. Mrs. Giles is going to look after the little
ones, so you must amuse yourself.'
Betty felt rather disconsolate after they had gone. She wandered into
the farm kitchen, where Mrs. Giles, a good-natured, smiling woman,
was busy making bread. The twins were in a corner playing with some
kittens. Betty stood at the table watching. At last she looked up a little
shyly and said,--
'Mrs. Giles, do you know a very nice governess that lives here?'
'A guviness, bless your little heart. There's Miss Tyler in the village,
two mile off--but I don't think much of her. She's too giddy and smart,
and the way she carries on with Dan Somers is the talk of the place!
Are you after having lessons then?'
'Oh no, no, no!' cried Betty eagerly, 'that's why I don't talk about it to

any one; but I should like to see her, for I have a message to give her. I
don't think it can be Miss Tyler; Mother Nestor--I forget the name, but
something like Nestor or Nasher--Mr. Roper called her. She's old and
young together, and very pretty.'
Mrs. Giles laughed. 'Old and young together! I know of nought like that;
when we gets old, youth don't stick to us. Do you think I answer to that
description, Miss Betty?'
'I should say you were very old,' observed Betty reflectively, 'not a bit
young; but I think your red cheeks are very pretty.'
Mrs. Giles laughed again, and Betty left the kitchen saying, 'I'll go out
of doors and look for her; perhaps she'll be coming along the road.'
Into the bright sunshine she went, across a clover field, and out at a
gate into the white, dusty road. She trotted along, picking flowers by
the wayside, and peeping over hedges to look at the tiny lambs or
young foals and heifers sporting on the green grass. Everything was
new and delightful to her; the birds singing, the budding trees, the
bright blue sky, and sweet fresh air, all was filling her little heart with
content and happiness. Wandering on, she kept no reckoning of time or
distance, until she came to a church in the midst of green elms, and
rooks keeping up a perpetual chatteration on the topmost branches of
the trees.
Betty was a little afraid of rooks; they were so big and strong and black
that she feared they would peck her legs; but she was very tired and
warm, and as the church-gate was open she thought she would venture
into the cool shade of the elms inside. Her little steps took her to the
church porch, and finding