Inez Appears
The little girl seated herself at the extreme end of the tree-trunk; she looked at Diana with a frown. Diana held out her hand, full of primroses and bluebells.
"Have a nosegay?"' she asked.
A shake of the head was the only answer given, and then suddenly the little stranger burst forth:
"I've run away, and I mean to stay away. They all hate me, and I hate them. And Julia is the worst of all. She's a murderer; she drowned my puppy and held my hands tight when I tried to save him. She drowned him in the water-butt and laughed all the time, and, oh, he thought I would save him. He looked at me, and he was such a darling!"
"The wicked woman!" exclaimed Diana, roused to quick indignation.
The little girl buried her face in her hands and sobbed as if her heart would break.
Mrs. Inglefield moved closer to her and put her motherly arms round her.
"My poor little girl, tell me a little more. What is your name? And where do you live?"
"My name is Inez. I used to live in London with Dad and Mother and I was happy there, for I had a kind Nanny. And then she went away and Julia came. And Dad and Mother are out in Spain, and our house in London is shut up, and Mother said it would do me good to come down to the country and stay at the Park with Julia."