tie
hurried down to the kitchen, built a fire, and had water boiling for tea
in a hurry, and in just a little while, brought a cup of that
invigorating beverage, and insisted on Bea's drinking it, and another,
too, if she could.

"How kind you are," said Bea, looking grateful, and trying to smile, but
failing utterly. "You better go and drink some yourself. Where is Kat?"

"She rushed right off again to tell Olive," answered Kittie, sitting
down on the floor. "Poor dear, she will be tired to death. Oh, Bea,
aren't you glad we found her before mama came?"

Bea nodded yes, and hid her face in the tea-cup, while Kittie hearing
Kat down stairs, hurried down to have a social and rejoicing cup of tea
with her.

Mrs. Dering arrived late in the afternoon; the twins threw open the big
gate, shouting the good news as they did so, and Prince came gayly up
the old familiar drive with a joyous whisk of his tail, and a loud neigh
of recognition, and as Kittie and Kat fell to hugging him wildly, Mrs.
Dering hurried into the house, and was met by Bea at the door.

"Were is she? What does it all mean?" cried the terrified mother.

"She was in the spare room--sick--we found her this afternoon," answered
Bea, speaking as though the words choked her. "Come--come into the
sitting-room, mama, and--let me tell you."

Mrs. Dering followed, with a terrible fear at her heart, and was obliged
to sit down, so trembling and faint was she; and Beatrice meeting that
anguished, imploring look, could not utter a word, but simply put her
hand in her pocket, and drew out a worn, faded letter.

Mrs. Dering looked at it for an instant, then uttered a broken cry, and
threw out her hands beseechingly.

"Oh, Beatrice! my daughter! Not that, not that, surely!"

"Yes, mama."

Mrs. Dering dropped her face in her hands with a moan that came from the
depths of her heart, and overcome with the confirmation of her fears,
Bea sank into a chair and burst into tears; and nothing but her sobs
were heard for several moments.

Under all circumstances, Mrs. Dering was a woman of wonderful self
control; so in a moment she looked up and asked:

"Do you know anything about it?"

"No, mama," answered Bea, then repeated the circumstances in the case,
adding, with a look of loving sympathy into the grief-stricken face
opposite, "When I went up into the garret this morning, I saw one of
your trunks open, and your green silk and white lawn lying on the floor
by t