THE NORTHCROFT LILIES.

 hand; and Nancy's eyes had a glad look in them as
 they rested on the sweet, delicate blossoms, and broad,
 cool leaves which lay on the patchwork quilt; and she
 was busy arranging them when Miss Brooke, the new
 clergyman's only daughter, came in.
 "Oh, what lovely lilies !"
 "Yes, ma'am, Miss Gertrude has just sent them,
 they're very beautiful; do please take some, ma'am,"
 she said.
 Oh, thank you; but I should rob you, Nancy."
 But Nancy, with her long thin fingers, tied a few
 drooping sprays together with some beautiful leaves,
 and placed them in the lady's lap.
 "c Oh, thank you, Nancy! I shall prize them very
 much, and they remind me of my old home;" and the
 thought of happy days gone by in the woods near
 Cheltenham gave a slight tone of sadness to her voice
 which Nancy detected.
 Miss Gertrude says the Northcroft woods are full
of them; she wrote to me last week."
 "Is she the tall, grave-looking Miss Layton?"
inquired Miss Brooke.
 "No, ma'am, that's Miss Effie; she is very kind,
and good, and thoughtful, but I like Miss Gertrude
best. She is the middle one-the one with light hair
and dark blue eyes;" and Nancy did not feel she could
say any more about Miss Gertrude just then, so heavily
did the thought press upon her that her little friend
was miles and miles away.
 There is a little one, is there not?"
 "cYes; Miss Lottie: she is seven; she was born
just when I had my accident; she is a very funny little
girl. And the young gentlemen are very nice-Master
John (he comes next to Miss Effie) and Master Frank--
they used to come in the holidays. I've a little basket