we'll all see to that."

"Thank you, Basil; I'm sure you'll do your best."

Miss Nelson's face looked as unhappy as ever.

"You must try and cheer up, Miss Nelson," said the school-boy. "You
shall have your picture, that I promise you."

Miss Nelson was silent for a minute.

"Perhaps I shall get it back," she said after a pause. "But it won't
be the same to me again. No, nothing can be the same. I've got a
shock. Basil, I have worked for you all. When your mother died, I
came--I came at her request. A more brilliant governess could have
taught your sisters, but I can truly say no one more conscientious
could have ministered to them, and no one on the whole could have
loved them more faithfully. I have, however, been misunderstood. Only
one of your sisters has responded to me. Marjorie has been sweet and
true and good; the others--not that I blame little Lucy much--a child
is always led by her elders--but----"

"What does all this mean?" said Basil, almost sternly. He knit his
brows. He felt that he was going to be somebody's champion, and there
was fight in his voice.

"This is what it means, Basil," said Miss Nelson. "I am sorry to pain
you, but I believe Ermengarde has taken my miniature."

"Ermie a thief? What do you mean? She's my sister--she's a Wilton! How
can you say that sort of thing, Miss Nelson? No wonder poor Ermie does
not quite get on with you."

"She never gets on with me, Basil. She is disobedient, she is
unresponsive. I have taken more pains for her than for the others.
To-day I was obliged to punish her for two offenses of a very grave
character. She took my miniature out of revenge; I am sure of it."

"No, I am certain you are mistaken. You have no right to accuse her
like this."

"I wish I could think I was mistaken, Basil, but all circumstances
point to the fact that Ermengarde in revenge took away my portrait. I
locked her into this room as a punishment, as a severe punishment for
a most grave offense. She was very angry and very defiant. The
picture was in its usual place when I locked her into the room. She
spent the greater part of the day here. When I come here to-night the
portrait has been exchanged for another."

"Yes; your room has been empty for hours. Some one else has come in
and done the thing, if indeed it has been done at all."

"What do you mean? The picture is gone!"

"The housemaid may have been dusting, and put another in its place."

"No, Basil, the housemaid