ESTHER'S CHARGE
A STORY FOR GIRLS
BY
E. EVERETT-GREEN
AUTHOR OF "SQUIB AND HIS FRIENDS," "THE YOUNG PIONEERS,"
"IN THE DAYS OF CHIVALRY," ETC, ETC.
ILLUSTRATED
NEW YORK
A. L. BURT, PUBLISHER
CONTENTS.
| I. | A Little Manager, | 1 |
| II. | The Boys, | 26 |
| III. | An Anxious Charge, | 52 |
| IV. | The Sweets of Freedom, | 78 |
| V. | At the Crag, | 104 |
| VI. | The Shorn Sheep, | 130 |
| VII. | Days of Sunshine, | 156 |
| VIII. | The City of Refuge, | 182 |
| IX. | The Magician's Cave, | 208 |
| X. | Confessions, | 234 |
| XI. | Mr. Trelawny, | 262 |
| XII. | A New Charge, | 191 |
CHAPTER I.
A LITTLE MANAGER.
"Where is Miss Esther, Genefer?"
"I think she's at the linen-press, marm, putting away the things from the wash."
"Tell her to come to me when she has done that. I want to speak to her."
"Yes, marm, I will. Can I do anything else for you?"
"No, thank you. I have all I want. But send Miss Esther to me quickly."
Mrs. St. Aiden was lying on a couch in a very pretty, dainty, little room, which opened upon agarden, blazing with late spring and early summer flowers. The lawn was still green, andlooked like velvet, and the beds and borders of2flowers were carefully tended, as could be seen at a glance. The gravel paths were rolled andweeded, and everything was in exquisite order, both within and without the house. Everythingalso was on a very small scale; and the lady herself, who was clad in deep widow's weeds, wassmall and slim also, and looked as if she were somewhat of an invalid, which indeed was the case.
Rather more than a year ago her husband had died after a very short illness, and sh