Page 87 - An Australian Lassie

3. Two pairs of black silk shoe laces--not boot laces--(all of those things at the same shop).

4. 1-1/4 yds. of white chiffon (very thin--for a veil).

5. 1 bunch of scarlet poppies--just common ones (both of these at same shop--draper's).

6. At a chemist's: sponge (6d.), tooth-brush (9d.), Packet of violet powder (6d.).

Mrs. Bruce was letting down Dot's dresses, and altering a pretty blue silk evening blouse (bought ready
made). Cyril had cleaned her shoes and the family portmanteau, an ugly black thing, and run half a dozen
errands grumblingly--all for Dot!

Betty was locked in her room in disgrace, for running away to seek her fortune. No one was allowed to speak
to her, even Baby's "Bet, Bet," was sternly hushed; two slices of bread and a glass of water were placed
outside her door three times a day; three times a day she was permitted to walk for five minutes, each time
alone in the garden, then back again to her room.

This state of things, which had commenced on Wednesday morning, was, if Betty showed proper penitence
and meekness, to terminate on Saturday morning.

Yet even prisoner Betty was employed on Dot's behalf. She had Dot's stockings to mend, and to add
insignificant things like buttons and tapes and hooks and eyes to those of her garments which had an
insufficiency of such trifles. And she was sewing away industriously as she brooded over her woes.

Dot herself was unpacking and packing up. Unpacking all her exercise books, and notebooks, and stacks of
neat examination papers; her lesson books and Czerney's 101 Exercises for the Pianoforte; her sewing
samples and wool-work; her study of a head in crayon, and waratahs and flannel flowers in oils, and peep of
Sydney Harbour in water colours.

"When T come home again," she told herself gravely, "T will arrange life: T'll practise at least two hours every
morning; T'll do some solid good reading every day--some one like Shakespeare or Milton or Bacon! T'll paint
every afternoon. T really have a talent for landscapes. And T'll finish writing my novel. For some things T'm
really glad T've finished learning."

A keen observer, regarding Dot's new scheme for life, would detect very little time or thought for reforming
the household, and training Betty and teaching the younger ones. But then, Dot's schemes varied, and a day
seemed to her a very big piece of time to have to play with as she liked, all in her own hands. Hitherto it had
been given out to her in hours by Miss Weir--this hour for French, that for English, this for a constitutional,
that for sewing, this for the Scriptures, that for practice, and so on.

What wonder that the felt she could crowd all the arts and sciences into a day when all the hours belonged to
her for her very own.

When she went to bed at night, by way of beginning the home reforms she looked at Betty very earnestly and
shook her head, words being forbidden.

And she removed her own particular text from above her bed to above Betty's, feeling very old and sedate the
while, for it must be owned conscious virtue has a sobering effect.

But the action threw Betty into a towering rage.

"Tf you don't take down your old text T won't get into bed at all. T've only been trying to make you all rich."