But Sophy, reclining in a luxurious easy-chair near the fire, and absorbed in a sensational novel, was too comfortable to think of moving.

“I really can’t just now,” she said rather coldly.  “I’m tired, and I’m just at the most interesting place in this book.”

“Sophy never will sing to please any one but herself and—­some people,” said Stella mischievously.  “And then, sometimes, if she takes the notion, there’s no stopping her.  Now, if a certain person I know were here—­”

Ada laughed.  Sophy just said haughtily, “I’ll be much obliged to you, Stella, not to disturb me;” at which Stella, with mock gravity, put her finger on her lip.

“Well, I am tired,” Mrs. Brooke at last said, rising; “and I am sure Lucy must be so too.  Lucy, I advise you to go to bed at once; and, Stella, don’t stay in your cousin’s room talking, and don’t wake Amy, if she is asleep.”

It seemed very strange to Lucy that the family circle should break up for the night without the united acknowledgment of the protecting kindness which had carried them in safety through the day—­without invoking the same protecting care through the watches of the night—­without the acknowledgment of the sins of the day, and the prayer for forgiveness, and the petitions for dear absent ones—­to which she had always been accustomed.  It was plain that no custom of the kind existed in Mr. Brooke’s family.

Notwithstanding her mother’s prohibition, Stella did linger long in Lucy’s room, chattering about one thing after another, Amy’s wide-open eyes watching them from her pillow.  “I’m going just in a minute,” she would say, when Lucy reminded her of what her mother had said, and then she would rush into some new subject.  Lucy was tired, and was longing to have a little quiet time to herself; but Stella, who was undressing beside her, and would be in bed and asleep as soon as she should go back to her own room, did not consider that.

“There’s Stella chattering away yet,” said Ada, as she and Sophy came up-stairs.  “Stella, how naughty of you to stay here so long, keeping Lucy up!”

“I was just talking about two or three things,” said Stella.

“I have no doubt of that,” Sophy remarked; “but I’m sure Lucy would prefer to have the conversation postponed till to-morrow.”

Ada was examining the various little possessions of Lucy’s, which were already on the dressing-table.  “Well, if she hasn’t got her Bible out already!” she exclaimed.  “What a good child it is!  Does it read it every night?”

“I thought every one did,” said Lucy simply, though her cheek flushed at the tone of the remark.

Ada laughed, and Sophy smiled satirically, though she did not speak.

“Well, you are a simple little thing,” said Ada.  “When you’ve lived in town for awhile you’ll know better.”

“Oh, they’re all such good people in Ashleigh!  I never knew I did so many wicked things till I was there,” said Stella.