working things, was
grasped by her willing hands.

"Now, good-by, Ermie. I'm off. The boat will be back by now. Of course
I shan't botanize without you to-day, never fear. By-by; eat your
apples, and reflect on the shortness of a single day."

Basil bounded across the lawn, cleared the haha at the end, and
disappeared from view.

His interview with Ermengarde had both a soothing and a tonic effect
on her. She felt almost cheerful as she sat by the open window, and
munched her apples. That basket contained more than apples. There was
one large peach, and two slices of rich plumcake were stowed away
under the fruit. Then, perhaps dearest possession of all, Marjorie's
own special copy of "Alice in Wonderland" lay at the bottom of the
basket.

After making a hearty meal of the fruit and cake, Ermengarde drew Miss
Nelson's own easy-chair in front of the window, and taking up
Marjorie's book began to read. She felt almost comfortable now; the
punishment was not so unbearable when a brother sympathized and a
sister lent of her best. The precious little copy of "Alice" had
received a stain from the juice of the peach, and Ermengarde tried to
wipe it out, and felt sorry for its owner.

After all Marjorie was good-natured, and if she had been base enough
to tell, she had at least the grace to be sorry afterward. Ermengarde
thought she would ask Marjorie when she had told, how she had told,
and where. She felt that she must believe her little sister, for no
one had ever heard even the semblance of an untruth Marjorie's honest
lips.

Ermengarde sat on, and tried to lose herself in Alice's adventures.
She was not at all sorry for her disobedience of the day before, but
she was no longer in a state of despair, for her punishment seemed
finite, and but for the thought of the wild happiness of the others,
her present state was scarcely unendurable.

Just then, raising her eyes, she saw a little girl walking down one of
the side-paths which led round to the kitchens. She was a girl
scarcely as tall as herself, neatly dressed in a pink cotton frock and
white sun-bonnet. Her legs were encased in nice black stockings, and
her small dainty feet wore shining shoes with buckles. Ermengarde
instantly dropped her book, leaned half out of the window, and called
in a loud voice, "Susy--Susy--Susan Collins! come here!"

Little Susan raised an extremely pretty face, blushed, laughed, and
ran gayly forward.

"Is that you, Miss Ermengar