The Story Girl crept out with Felix and me to the morning orchard, while Dan and Peter went to do the barn work.

“It isn’t any use for me to try to learn to cook,” she said.

“Never mind,” I said consolingly.  “You can tell splendid stories.”

“But what good would that do a hungry boy?” wailed the Story Girl.

“Boys ain’t always hungry,” said Felix gravely.  “There’s times when they ain’t.”

“I don’t believe it,” said the Story Girl drearily.

“Besides,” added Felix in the tone of one who says while there is life there is yet hope, “you may learn to cook yet if you keep on trying.”

“But Aunt Olivia won’t let me waste the stuff.  My only hope was to learn this week.  But I suppose Felicity is so disgusted with me now that she won’t give me any more lessons.”

“I don’t care,” said Felix.  “I like you better than Felicity, even if you can’t cook.  There’s lots of folks can make bread.  But there isn’t many who can tell a story like you.”

“But it’s better to be useful than just interesting,” sighed the Story Girl bitterly.

And Felicity, who was useful, would, in her secret soul, have given anything to be interesting.  Which is the way of human nature.

Company descended on us that afternoon.  First came Aunt Janet’s sister, Mrs. Patterson, with a daughter of sixteen years and a son of two.  They were followed by a buggy-load of Markdale people; and finally, Mrs. Elder Frewen and her sister from Vancouver, with two small daughters of the latter, arrived.

“It never rains but it pours,” said Uncle Roger, as he went out to take their horse.  But Felicity’s foot was on her native heath.  She had been baking all the afternoon, and, with a pantry well stocked with biscuits, cookies, cakes, and pies, she cared not if all Carlisle came to tea.  Cecily set the table, and the Story Girl waited on it and washed all the dishes afterwards.  But all the blushing honours fell to Felicity, who received so many compliments that her airs were quite unbearable for the rest of the week.  She presided at the head of the table with as much grace and dignity as if she had been five times twelve years old, and seemed to know by instinct just who took sugar and who took it not.  She was flushed with excitement and pleasure, and was so pretty that I could hardly eat for looking at her—­which is the highest compliment in a boy’s power to pay.

The Story Girl, on the contrary, was under eclipse.  She was pale and lustreless from her disturbed night and early rising; and no opportunity offered to tell a melting tale.  Nobody took any notice of her.  It was Felicity’s day.

After tea Mrs. Frewen and her sister wished to visit their father’s grave in the Carlisle churchyard.  It appeared that everybody wanted to go with them; but it was evident that somebody must stay home with Jimmy Patterson, who had just fallen sound asleep on the kitchen sofa.  Dan finally volunteered to look after him.  He had a new Henty book which he wanted to finish, and that, he said, was better fun than a walk to the graveyard.