ow I am dressed, if I am only clean and neat; it is
such a trouble to be afraid of spoiling what one has on.'

Julia's opinion was echoed by Dora and Annie Maitland, so Mabel found
she had no seconder; and they tripped along silently until they arrived
at the desired spot for resting, a nice seat under the shade of a large
tree. Here they were just going to seat themselves, when an exclamation
from Mabel attracted the attention of the others, who inquired eagerly
what was the matter.

'Oh, the brooch--mamma's beautiful brooch!' said the excited girl, in
great distress; 'it is gone out of my necktie. Oh, what shall I do? what
shall I do? It is mamma's favourite brooch; the one that papa gave her
many years ago. Oh, I cannot go home without it!' continued Mabel, in a
state of great distress.

'How could you be so foolish as to put it on, when you were only going
for a country walk?' said Dora Maitland.

'I can't think why you should wear your mamma's brooch at all,' remarked
Annie, 'unless she gave you leave.'

'But mamma did not give her leave; mamma has forbidden us to wear it,'
said Julia, 'and I begged Mabel not to put it into her necktie to-day,
for fear she should lose it; but she would do it, and now all our
pleasure is spoilt.'

'You need not talk in that way,' angrily retorted her sister; 'you are
fond enough of putting on mamma's gold chain when she leaves it out of
the box, though she has often told you not to do so.'

'Hush, hush!' said Dora Maitland; 'quarrelling won't find the brooch;
and see, there are a lady and gentleman coming toward us. Let us return
home at once, the same way that we came: there were not many people on
the road, and if we all look diligently we may find it, though I am much
afraid that we shall not.'

This advice seemed the best that could be adopted by the young party,
and they turned their steps homewards in no very enviable state of
mind. There had been, indeed, much to damp the spirits, and prevent the
enjoyment of this afternoon's walk. It is true that all around was
beautiful, but that little monitor within, which insists upon being
heard whether it is attended to or not, had acted like a thorn in the
flesh to Mabel and Julia: and though Dora and Annie Maitland had nothing
really to reproach themselves with, yet they could not forget the pale
face of poor Mrs. Ellis, and her words of remonstrance to her selfish
children seemed still to sound in their ears; and now they w