CI-APTER VI.
SEVERAL months had passed away since the
events took place which are recorded at the
close of the last chapter. The summer, and
with it the holidays, had flown. Autumn was
on the wane, the trees were fast losing their
leaves, and raw, damp evenings and mornings
succeeded those, which only a few weeks before
had been so lovely and pleasant. Gilbert had
gone back to Oxford, and the girls to school,
everything had returned to its usual routine;
it almost seemed as if the holidays had never
been, or rather that they were a vivid dream
too bright and happy to last, so quickly had
everything resumed its old aspect.
 Changes, however, were at hand. Mr. and
Mrs. Hamilton dreaded the winter nights and
bad weather which were approaching for their
daughters; they feared a repetition of last
year's colds, and determined to pursue a
different plan with them; one which would
not expose them so much to the inclemency
of the weather in their daily journey to school,
whilst at the same time their education should
continue to make due progress. The subject