Three Margarets   By: Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards (1850-1943)

[Illustration: UNCLE JOHN AND THE YOUNG CUBANS.]

BOOKS FOR GIRLS By Laura E. Richards

The MARGARET SERIES

Three Margarets Margaret Montfort Peggy Rita Fernley House

The HILDEGARDE SERIES

Queen Hildegarde Hildegarde's Holiday Hildegarde's Home Hildegarde's Neighbors Hildegarde's Harvest

DANA ESTES & COMPANY Publishers Estes Press, Summer St., Boston

THREE MARGARETS

By LAURA E. RICHARDS

Author Of "Captain January," "Melody," "Queen Hildegarde," Etc.

Illustrated by ETHELRED B. BARRY

Boston Dana Estes & Company Publishers

Copyright, 1897 By Estes and Lauriat

Colonial Press: Electrotyped and Printed by C. H. Simonds & Co. Boston, Mass., U. S. A.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE

I. The Arrival 9 II. First Thoughts 21 III. The White Lady of Fernley 36 IV. Confidence 51 V. The Peat bog 65 VI. The Family Chest 81 VII. The Garret 98 VIII. Cuba Libre 115 IX. Day by Day 131 X. Looking Backward 147 XI. Heroes and Heroines 163 XII. In the Saddle 187 XIII. In the Night 208 XIV. Explanations 220 XV. Farewell 237

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE

Uncle John and the Young Cubans Frontispiece Aunt Faith's Room 43 Peggy at the Bog 73 In the Garret 105 "Cuba Libre" 125 Peggy Writes Home 143 Horseback 201 Rita's Apology 227

THREE MARGARETS.

CHAPTER I.

THE ARRIVAL.

Long ago and long ago, And long ago still, There dwelt three merry maidens Upon a distant hill.

Christina G. Rossetti.

The rain was falling fast. It was a pleasant summer rain that plashed gently on the leaves of the great elms and locusts, and tinkled musically in the roadside puddles. Less musical was its sound as it drummed on the top of the great landau which was rolling along the avenue leading to Fernley House; but the occupants of the carriage paid little attention to it, each being buried in her own thoughts. The night was dark, and the carriage lamps threw an uncertain gleam on the three figures leaning back in their corners, muffled and silent. The avenue was long, interminably long, it seemed to one of the three travellers; and finally the silence so oppressed her that she determined to conquer her shyness and break it.

"What a very long avenue!" she said, speaking in a low, sweet voice.

There was no reply. She hesitated a moment, and then added timidly, "Don't you think that, as we are cousins, we might introduce ourselves and make acquaintance? My name is Margaret Montfort."

"Why, so is mine!" exclaimed the traveller opposite her. "And mine!" added the third, from the further corner.