d, but Louisa would not turn back! she was
running to her companions.

They were still dancing, hand in hand, upon the grass, whilst Leonora,
sitting in the middle, sang to them.

"Stop! stop! and hear me!" cried Louisa, breaking through them; and
rushing up to Leonora, she threw her hat at her feet, and panting for
breath----

"It was full--almost full of my own strawberries," said she, "the first
I ever got out of my own garden. They should all have been for you,
Leonora, but now I have not one left. They are all gone!" said she; and
she hid her face in Leonora's lap.

"Gone! gone where?" said every one at once, running up to her. "Cecilia!
Cecilia!" said she, sobbing. "Cecilia!" repeated Leonora; "what of
Cecilia?" "Yes, it was--it was."

"Come along with me," said Leonora, unwilling to have her friend
exposed; "come, and I will get you some more strawberries." "Oh, I don't
mind the strawberries, indeed; but I wanted to have had the pleasure of
giving them to you."

Leonora took her up in her arms to carry her away, but it was too late.

"What, Cecilia! Cecilia, who won the prize! It could not surely be
Cecilia," whispered every busy tongue.

At this instant the bell summoned them in.

"There she is!--There she is!" cried they, pointing to an arbour, where
Cecilia was standing, ashamed and alone; and as they passed her, some
lifted up their hands and eyes with astonishment, others whispered and
huddled mysteriously together, as if to avoid her. Leonora walked on,
her head a little higher than usual.

"Leonora!" said Cecilia, timorously, as she passed.

"Oh, Cecilia! who would have thought that you had a bad heart?"

Cecilia turned her head aside and burst into tears.

"Oh no, indeed, she has not a bad heart," cried Louisa, running up to
her, and throwing her arms round her neck; "she's very sorry!--are not
you, Cecilia? But don't cry any more, for I forgive you with all my
heart; and I love you now, though I said I did not when I was in a
passion."

"O, you sweet-tempered girl! how I love you," said Cecilia, kissing her.

"Well then, if you do, come along with me, and dry your eyes, for they
are so red."

"Go, my dear, and I'll come presently."

"Then I will keep a place for you next to me; but you must make haste,
or you will have to come in when we have all set down to supper, and
then you will be so stared at! So don't stay now."

Cecilia followed Louisa with her eyes till she was out of sig