



Produced by Lionel Sear









ANXIOUS AUDREY.

By

MABEL QUILLER-COUCH.

Author of 'A Waif and a Welcome,' 'Troublesome Ursula,' 'Zach and Debby,'
'In Cornwall's Wonderland,' Etc.


ILLUSTRATED BY HELEN JACOBS.


LONDON: SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE
Northumberland Avenue, W.C.
BRIGHTON: 129, North Street.


[Illustration: When, though, it came to carrying up the chest of drawers,
they all had to give a hand.]


CHAPTER I.


    "Lady-bird, lady-bird, fly away home,
        The field-mouse has gone to her nest;
     The daisies have shut up their sleepy red eyes,
        And the birds and the bees are at rest."

Mr. Carlyle, standing outside the nursery door, stayed a moment until the
sweet low voice had reached the end of the verse, then, turning the handle
very gently, entered the room on tiptoe.

Faith looked up with a smile, but with a warning finger held out, while in
a lower and more crooning voice she began the next verse:

    "Lady-bird, lady-bird, fly away home,
        The glow-worm is lighting her lamp----"

"Oh, dear!" as two round blue eyes looked up at her, full of sleepy
wickedness, "She is as wide awake when I began!  Baby, you are not a nice
little girl and I shan't be able to go on loving you if you don't go to
sleep soon."

The blue eyes, wandering from Faith's reproving face, fell on her father,
and