Produced by Louise Pryor, Janet Blenkinship and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
[Illustration: "My dear child, what is wrong?"]
_Author of "The Little Heiress," etc., etc._
THOMAS NELSON AND SONS _London, Edinburgh, Dublin, and New York_ 1907
_I. Tears,_ 9 _II. A Friend in Need,_ 23 _III. Uncle and Niece,_ 38 _IV. Tea at Hunters' Brae,_ 52 _V. A Visit to the Low Farm,_ 66 _VI. Confidences,_ 79 _VII. Marjory's Apology,_ 94 _VIII. The Secret Chamber,_ 108 _IX. Peter's Story,_ 124 _X. Marjory's Birthday,_ 144 _XI. The Mysterious Stranger,_ 160 _XII. Marjory keeps a Secret,_ 175 _XIII. The Old Chest,_ 188 _XIV. The Prophecies,_ 202 _XV. Twelfth Night,_ 218 _XVI. Miss Waspe gives Good Advice,_ 232 _XVII. On the Loch,_ 246 _XVIII. The Stranger Returns,_ 259 _XIX. Important Letters,_ 274 _XX. The Doctor's Disappointment,_ 288 _XXI. Hopes Realized,_ 300
"A maid whom there were none to praise, And very few to love."--WORDSWORTH.
Marjory was lying under a tree in the wood beyond her uncle's garden; her head was hidden in the long, soft coat of a black retriever, and she was crying--sobbing bitterly as if her heart would break, and as if nothing could ever comfort her again.
"O Silky," she moaned, "if you only knew, you would be so sorry for me."
The faithful dog knew that something very serious was the matter with his young mistress, but he could only lick her hands and wag his tail as well as he was able with her weight upon his body.
A fresh burst of grief shook the girl; and Silky, puzzled by this unusual behaviour on Marjory's part, began to make little low whines himself. Suddenly the whines were changed to growls, the dog shook himself free from the girl's clasping arms and stood erect, staring into the wood beyond.
Marjory was too much overcome by her grief to notice Silky's doings, and it was not until she heard a voice quite close to her saying, "You poor little thing, what is the matter?" that she realized that she was not alone.
She looked up, startled, wondering who this stranger could be making free of her uncle's woods. She saw a lady, tall and fair, looking kindly at her, and a girl who might have stepped out of a picture, so sweet and fresh and pretty she looked in her white frock and shady hat.