THE NORTHCROFT LILIES.

"The Daisy Chain" when she heard wheels, and the
Lincoln party came in.
 There was a great deal to tell, and every one talked
very fast; but still nothing was said about taking
Gertrude to see the Cathedral, and she began to fear
and wonder if she should see it before the winter set
in. But mamma called her her useful little daughter,
and papa said she was quite a little housekeeper; and
so she went to bed happy.
 October had come, and still Mary Brooke stayed
on at Northcroft. She was much stronger, and at last
letters came to say her father would like her home on
the tenth. So preparations had to be made, and
Gertrude tried to squeeze so much amusement into
the remaining week, that her mamma had to remind
her she would undo all the good Miss Brooke had
gained if she would make her work so hard at enjoy-
ment just at the last.
 And so the last evening arrived, and as Mr. Layton
gave Gertrude her good-night kiss, he said, "Come
down to breakfast ready dressed, pussy; I am going
to take you to Lincoln."
 So the long-looked-for pleasure came at last, and
just when she needed it, for she felt very sorry to lose
Miss Brooke, who seemed to love her dear old friends
nearly as much as she did herself. They saw her off
by the London train, and then Mr. Layton took
Gertrude's hand, and together they saw all that could
be seen. Part of an old building which had once
belonged to John of Gaunt; quaint old houses, with
gabled ends and overhanging stories, which had doubt-
less a story of their own, if any one could have read
it. She was charmed with the massive old Stone-bow,
though she expressed her wish to papa that they would
not have the two shops under it, which she disliked