and how glad they were to have her
back with them once more.

Annie found herself at this time in an ever-shifting mood--one moment she
longed intensely for a kiss, and a fervent pardon from Mrs. Willis' lips;
another, she said to herself defiantly she could and would live without
it; one moment the hungry and sorrowful look in Hester's eyes went
straight to Annie's heart, and she wished she might restore her little
treasure whom she had stolen; the next she rejoiced in her strange power
over Nan, and resolved to keep all the love she could get.

In short, Annie was in that condition when she could be easily influenced
for good or evil--she was in that state of weakness when temptation is
least easily resisted.

A few days after the arrival of Nan's nurse Mrs. Willis was obliged
unexpectedly to leave home; a near relative was dangerously ill in
London, and the school-mistress went away in much trouble and anxiety.
Some of her favorite pupils flocked to the front entrance to see their
beloved mistress off. Among the group Cecil stood, and several girls of
the first class; many of the little girls were also present, but Annie
was not among them. Just at the last moment she rushed up breathlessly;
she was tying some starry jasmine and some blue forget-me-nots together,
and as the carriage was moving off she flung the charming bouquet into
her mistress' lap.

Mrs. Willis rewarded her with one of her old looks of confidence and
love; she raised the flowers to her lips and kissed them, and her eyes
smiled on Annie.

"Good-by, dear," she called out; "good-by, all my dear girls; I will try
and be back to-morrow night. Remember, my children, during my absence I
trust you."

The carriage disappeared down the avenue, and the group of girls melted
away. Cecil looked round for Annie, but Annie had been the first to
disappear.

When her mistress had kissed the flowers and smiled at her, Annie darted
into the shrubbery and stood there wiping the fast-falling tears from her
eyes. She was interrupted in this occupation by the sudden cries of two
glad and eager voices, and instantly her hands were taken, and some girls
rather younger than herself began to drag her in the opposite direction
through the shrubbery.

"Come; Annie--come at once, Annie, darling," exclaimed Phyllis and Nora
Raymond. "The basket has come; it's under the thick laurel-tree in the
back avenue. We are all waiting for you; we none of us will open it till
y