Beryl's Triumph by Eglanton Thorne

THE hour of the governess's arrival came all too soon for Coral and Beryl. The children wore very grave faces, as, fresh from the hands of Lucy, with clean white frocks and smoothly brushed hair, they went down to the drawing-room to await the coming of the stranger, whom they were inclined to regard as their natural enemy.

Tea-things stood ready on the drawing-room table, and Miss Hollys, very handsomely dressed, sat on a low chair languidly working at some embroidery. In her way, she was as anxious as the children with respect to the newcomer. The arrangement was one she had long desired, and from which she hoped to reap advantage. If Miss Burton proved an agreeable companion, it would be very pleasant to have some one besides the children to speak to; some one, too, who would be better able to appreciate her pretty dresses and the costly ornaments on which she prided herself.

Moreover, the presence of the governess in the house would set Miss Hollys free to leave home as frequently as she wished, and she had already planned a visit she would make as soon as she had seen Miss Burton comfortably settled with the children. Pleasant and self-congratulatory as Miss Hollys' reflections were, she was not so absorbed in them as to be unconscious of the severe shock to her nervous system, conveyed by Beryl's violently banging the door behind her as she entered the room.

"Oh, Beryl," exclaimed her aunt crossly; "when will you learn to close a door quietly? Thank goodness, there is a governess coming to teach you manners! If ever a girl needed to be well taken in hand, you do. I hope Miss Burton is a thorough disciplinarian, and will keep you in strict order."

Beryl could only guess at the meaning of the word disciplinarian; but she gave it credit for the most unpleasant significance. She pouted and scowled as she crossed the room to the side window, which commanded a view of the entrance-gate.

"I have no doubt she will be everything that is horrid," she muttered to herself.

"I hope she will teach you to be better-tempered, and to speak politely to your aunt," said Miss Hollys, unable to hear her niece's words, but guessing from Beryl's angry face that they were not of a correct nature.

The speech which trembled on Beryl's lips then was anything but a polite one, and would certainly have demonstrated her need of instruction in courtesy; but happily, she remembered how often she had had to repent of her hasty utterances, and checked this retort in time. As Beryl was quiet, and provoked no further reproof, Miss Hollys turned her attention to Coral.

"Leave that dog alone, Coral! " she exclaimed, speaking in the severe tone in which she generally addressed the child whom she regarded as an unwelcome addition to the household. "I hope Miss Burton will teach you how wicked it is to be cruel to poor dumb animals. How would you like anybody to treat you in that way?"

Coral thus detected in stealthily pulling the poodle's tail, with a view to rousing him from his lethargic state, coloured deeply; and finding herself quite unable to imagine what her feelings would be if she were in the dog's place, tried to escape from the uncomfortable speculation by running to join Beryl at the window.

But Beryl came to her defence. She could not resist this opportunity of giving her aunt an indirect hit in exchange for her annoying rebukes.

"It does not hurt that creature to have his tail pulled," she declared, eyeing the poodle contemptuously. "He is too fat to have any feeling. All he can do is to eat and sleep. I would not have such a stupid dog for the world."

"That is because you are a very silly girl," said Miss Hollys, colouring with anger at hearing her pet thus disparaged. "I am sure Coral did hurt him, poor fellow. Hear how he is moaning."

Beryl laughed, and gave Coral a glance, which plainly spoke her amusement at the idea of the poodle's sleepy grunts being interpreted as expressions of pain.

But Coral missed the glance, for she was looking intently for the phaeton, and at that moment she exclaimed hurriedly, "Oh, Beryl, here comes the carriage! I can see Andrew's head above the wall; but I can't see the governess. Do you think she has really come?"

"Yes, I can see somebody else," said Beryl, as the horse stood still at the entrance, and Andrew alighted to open the gate. "Let us go to the front door. Come along."

The children darted out of the room with such speed as awakened fresh reprimands from Miss Hollys. Standing at the open door, they directed curious glances at the phaeton as it rolled lightly along the gravelled path.

The little form seated beside Andrew did not at all resemble their preconceived notions of the governess's appearance. This was no grim, gaunt, sour-looking individual. The spectacles which Beryl had deemed indispensable to the work of an instructress were wanting, and the bright brown eyes, which looked down on the children as the carriage drove up, seemed to know no need of them.

"Can she be the governess, do you think? " whispered Coral, looking wonderingly at the bright face smiling on her from beneath the little round hat which suited it so admirably.

As soon as the phaeton drew up, the young lady sprang down from her seat as lightly as a child, without waiting for Andrew to help her. She looked scarcely more than a child, indeed, as she stood beside her new pupils, for she was only a few inches taller than Beryl, and her trim little figure and round rosy face had the most simple, girlish look.