"Well, your sister is one of the governesses."
"Yes, I know."
"And yet we are all very fond of you."
"It is very kind of you; but they were all fond of me at Mrs. England's school; and when I was at that sort of school at Mrs. Henderson's, where there were boys as well as girls, the girls used to quarrel with the boys as to who was to play with me. People have always been kind to me. I don't exactly know why."
"But I do, I think," said Lucy; "because you are taking, and can make people love you. It is a great gift. Now, give me your hand. We'll walk along by the riverside. It's so pretty there, is it not?"
"Yes, lovely," said little Agnes.
Lucy walked fast. Presently they sat down on a low mossy bank, and Lucy spread out her skirt so that Agnes might sit on it, so as to avoid any chance of taking a chill.
"You see how careful I am of you," said the elder girl.
"All the girls are careful of me like that," said little Agnes. "I don't exactly know why. Am I so very, very precious?"
"I expect you are to those who love you," said Lucy, coming more and more under the glamour of little Agnes's strange power of inspiring affection.