ItwasinthisorderthatwearrivedattheSt。Leonards’。Veronica，underanawning，sippingicedsherbet，appearedtobethecentreoftheparty。Shewasrecountingherexperienceswithamodestythathadalreadywonallhearts。Therestofus，shehadexplained，hadpreferredwalking，andwouldarrivelater。Shewasevidentlypleasedtoseeme，andvolunteeredtheinformationthatthegreys，toallseeming，hadenjoyedtheirgallop。
IsentDickbacktobreakthegoodnewstohismother。YoungButesaidhewouldgotoo。HesaidhewasfresherthanDick，andwouldgettherefirst。Asamatterofhistoryhedid，andwasimmediatelysorrythathehad。
Thisisnotawell—orderedworld，oritwouldnotbeourgooddeedsthatwouldsooftengetusintotrouble。Robina’sinsistenceonourwalkingupthehillhadbeenpromptedbytenderfeelingfordumbanimals：avirtuousemotionthatsurelytheangelsshouldhaveblessed。Theresulthadbeentobringdownuponhersufferingandreproach。ItisnotoftenthatEthelberthaloseshertemper。Whenshedoesshemakesuseoftheoccasiontoperformwhatonemightdescribeasamentalspring—cleaning。Alllooseoddsandendsoftemperthatmaybelyingaboutinhermind——anyscrapofindignationthathasbeenreposingpeacefully，halfforgotten，inacornerofherbrain，sheferretsoutandbrushesintothegeneralheap。Smallannoyancesoftheyearbeforelast——littlethingsshehadn’tnoticedatthetime——incidentsinyourpastlifethat，sofarasyouareconcerned，presentthemselvesasdimvisionsconnectedmaybewithsomepreviousexistence，shewhiskstriumphantlyintoherpan。Themethodhasitsadvantages。Itleavesher，sweptandgarnished，withoutascrapofill—feelingtowardsanylivingsoul。Forquitealongperiodafteroneoftheseexplosionsitisimpossibletogetacrosswordoutofher。Onehastowaitsometimesformonths。Butwhiletheclearingupisinprogresstheatmosphereroundaboutisdisturbing。Theelementofthewholethingisitscomprehensiveswiftness。Beforetheyhadreachedthesummitofthehill，RobinahadacquiredatolerablycompleteideaofallshehaddonewrongsinceChristmastwelvemonth：thepresentafternoon’sproceedings——
includingastheydidthealmostcertainsacrificingofasistertoaviolentdeath，togetherwiththeprobabledestructionofafather，nolongerofanagetotriflewithapoplexy——beingbutafitandpropercomplementtowhathadgonebefore。Itwouldbelong，asRobinaherselfthateveningbitterlydeclared，beforeshewouldagaingiveeartothepromptingsofherbetternature。
TotakenextthesadcaseofArchibaldBute：hissoledesirehadbeentorelieve，attheearliestmomentpossible，theanxietiesofasisterandamother。Robina’snewhat，notintendedforsport，hadbrokenawayfromitsfastenings。Withit，ithadbroughtdownherhair。Thereisaharmlesscontrivanceforbuildingupthefemalehaircalled，Iamtold，apad。Itcanbemadeofcombings，andthen，ofcourse，isliterallythegirl’sownhair。HecameuponRobinaatthemomentwhen，retracingherstepsandwithherbacktowardshim，shewaslookingforit。Withhisusualluck，hewasthefirsttofindit。EthelberthathankedhimforhisinformationconcerningVeronica，butseemedchieflyanxioustopushonandconvinceherselfthatitwastrue。ShetookDick’sarm，andleftRobinatofollowonwithBute。