was at the door when
she came in.

"After this, Julia, you must never go away without telling me
where"--she began, when her eyes recognized the condition of the gingham
frock, and the child's feet. "Look at how you've drabbled your dress!"
she ejaculated.

"It's clean water," returned Julia.

"But your feet! Why, Julia Evringham, they are as wet as sop! Where have
you been?"

"Playing by the brook in the ravine."

Mrs. Forbes groaned. "Nothing will satisfy a child but finding the place
where they can get the dirtiest and make the most trouble. Why didn't
you wear your rubbers, you naughty girl?"

"Why--why--it wasn't raining."

"Raining! Those rubbers are to keep your feet dry. Haven't you got any
sense?"

Jewel looked a little pale. "I didn't know I should get wet in the
brook," she answered.

"Well, go right upstairs now, up the backstairs, and take off every one
of those wet things. Let me feel your petticoat. Yes, that's wet, too.
You undress and get into a hot bath, and then you put on your nightgown
and go right to bed."

"Go to bed!" echoed the child, bewildered.

"Yes, to bed. You won't come down to dinner. Perhaps that will teach you
to wear your rubbers next time and be more careful."

Jewel found the backstairs and ascended them, her little heart hot
within her.

"She's the impolitest woman in the whole world, Anna Belle!" she
whispered. "I'm going to not cry. Mother didn't know what impoliteness
there was at grandpa's or she wouldn't have let us come."

The child's eyes were bright as she found her room and began undressing.
"But you mustn't be angry, dearie," she continued excitedly to her doll.
"It's the worst error to be angry, because it means hating. You treat
me, Anna Belle, and I'll treat you," she went on, unfastening her
clothes with unsteady hands.

With many a pause to work at a refractory elastic or button, and many
interruptions from catches in her breath, she murmured aloud during the
process of her undressing: "Dear Father in Heaven, I seem to feel sorry
all over, and full of error. Help me to know that I'm not a mortal mind
little girl, hating and angry, but I am Thy child, and the only things I
know are good, happy things. Error has no power and Love has all power.
I love Mrs. Forbes, and she loves me. Thou art here even in this
house, and please help me to know that one of Thy children cannot hurt
another." Here Jewel slipped into the new wrapper her mother had made,