three weeks ago. 'And keep it safe until I ask
for it, Martha Myrtle,' said she; and safe I will keep it until then,
Miss Annie Forest."

"But it's my ring," said Annie in great distress. "You'll give it back
to me now when I ask for it?"

"I'll give it back to Patty Martin, miss, and to no one else."

"Oh, but really, really, don't you understand? It's _my_ ring."

"I've only your word for that, miss. It was given to me by Mrs. Martin."

"But I know Patty Martin would let you give it back to me. Why, she gave
me your address and told me to go to you; and I thought, of course, you
were a pawnbroker."

"Won't I have a crow to pluck with her for this?" exclaimed Mrs. Myrtle.
"Pawnbroker, indeed! Why my poor mother who's dead would rise up from
her grave if she thought I was called by such a name. No, miss, I'm
sorry not to oblige, but Mrs. Martin gave me the ring to keep for her,
and she must come herself to fetch it away, for to no one else will I
give it."

Some farmers' wives, looking flourishing and handsome and full of
purpose, now entered the shop. Mrs. Myrtle devoted all her energies to
serving them, and poor Annie with sinking heart had to go away.

CHAPTER XV.

"THE WAY OF TRANSGRESSORS."

The week that followed passed all too quickly. There was no hitch
whatever in the girls' plans. Mrs. Lorrimer wrote to Molly to express
her complete satisfaction with the arrangement proposed by Hester. The
workwomen who had now taken up their abode at the Grange were both
efficient and clever. With Annie's help the different dresses began to
assume form and completion with marvellous rapidity. Annie was the life
and soul of the dressmaking. She sketched pictures of the proposed
toilettes; she coloured these sketches; then she tried on and cut out,
and basted, and tacked. She helped to hang draperies and to arrange the
wings of the fairies. The women became interested themselves in such an
artistic assistant, and did everything in their power to help her. At
the Towers the ball-room began to show its noble proportions to the best
advantage. Hester and Annie and Nan and Molly went backwards and
forwards at all hours of the day. By Monday evening, the ball-room was
in complete order. Every possible direction was given with regard to the
different refreshments, and the last stitch in the pretty fancy dresses
had been done. The news of Nan's fancy ball had spread far and wide.
Almost every invitation met with a