How strangely things came about, she thought.

Here she was, back in her home again, as she had so often longed to be, but oh how different it was from what she had pictured--no joy in coming, no one to meet her, a stranger to welcome her, the house silent and strange.

Could it be really she, Kitty Trenire, walking alone up the old, wide, familiar staircase as though she had never gone away or known that brief spell of school life?
Could she really be come back to her own again, as mistress of her father's house?
It seemed so--for a time, at any rate.

Kitty felt very serious, and full of awe at the thought, and as she slowly mounted the dear old stairs a little very eager, if unspoken, prayer went up from her heavy heart.
Then she reached the door of her room and Betty's, and knocked.
"Who is there ?" demanded Betty's voice.

"Me.