,
for Lily was poor, and was a connection, so they perhaps would have to
help her out. She therefore could find no words at her command, except,
"Oh dear me!" and raised her poor eyes.

Mr. John Clemcy searched her face intently, and actually smiled to
reassure her. She thought he was looking at her gown; so she mumbled
faintly, to draw off his attention, "I am afraid it was very valuable."

He didn't tell her it was one of the oldest bits in his collection; but
while Miss Clemcy slipped off, and quietly picked up every piece of the
broken treasure, he turned the conversation, and talked rapidly and
charmingly upon something,--for the life of her, Miss Anstice never
could tell what.

And he was still talking when Miss Salisbury brought back Lily by the
hand, red-eyed and still sniffling, to stumble over her pleas for
pardon. And then, the storm having abated, there were instant
preparations for departure set in motion. And Mr. Kimball and his
associates helped them into their vehicles, Miss Clemcy's beautiful old
lace showing off finely on the great porch as she bade them good-bye.

"It is real, I guess," declared Silvia, looking closely from her seat
next to Lucy. "And, oh dear me, isn't this too horrible, what Lily
Cushing has done?"

Mr. John Clemcy helped the ladies in, Miss Anstice putting forth all her
powers to enable her to ascend the steep steps without disclosing the
front breadth of her gown. Despite her best endeavors, she felt quite
sure that the keen eyes of both brother and sister had discovered every
blemish.

Miss Salisbury sank back in her seat, as the barge rolled off, quite in
despair; for she knew quite well that the broken vase was one of the
gems of the collection.

"Oh, see the lovely rainbow!" The girls' spirits rose, now that they
were once more on the move. What was one broken vase, after all? And
they began to laugh and talk once more.

"Oh dear!" Polly Pepper glanced back. "Alexia, this will just about kill
our dear Miss Salisbury!" she exclaimed.

"Well, I'm clear beat," Mr. Kimball was saying to himself, as nobody
paid attention. "You might knock me over with a feather! To think o'
that old _ree_cluse that won't know nobody, him nor his sister, an' is
so hifalutin' smart, a-bustin' out so _po_lite all of a suddint."

XVI NEW PLANS

"Polly," said Jasper, "could you come into the den?"

"Why, yes, Jasper," she cried, in surprise at his face. "Oh, has
anything happened