never allowed to tamper
with the costly ornaments in the parlor; but she excused herself by the
plea: "I'm doing it for the Blessed Virgin." Larry also had a certain
uneasiness about it, but he said to himself: "Oh, it must be all right
if Abby thinks so! She is a great deal older than I am, and ought to
know."

The shrine was certainly elaborate now. The children were so engrossed
with admiring it that they did not hear the house door open and close.
A step in the hall, however, reminded the little girl of her music
lesson.

"Gracious, that must be Miss Remick!" she said, in confusion.

She quietly opened the door of the oratory, intending to peep into the
parlor to see if the teacher was there. To her surprise she
encountered her mother, who had just come up the stairs. But Mrs.
Clayton was much more astonished by the sight which greeted, her eyes
when she glanced into the oratory.

"O Abby," she exclaimed, in distress and annoyance, "how could you be
so disobedient! O Larry, why did you help to do what you must have
known I would not like?"

Larry grew very red in the face, looked down, and fumbled with one of
the buttons of his jacket,

"But, mother," began Abby, glibly, "it was for the Blessed Virgin, you
know. I was sure I could put down the carpet all right, and I thought
you would be glad to be saved the trouble."

"Put it down all right!" rejoined her mother. "Why, you have ruined
the carpet, Abby!"

Both children looked incredulous and astonished.

"Don't you see that you have cut it up so shockingly that it is
entirely spoiled? What is left would have to be so pieced that I can
not possibly use it for the dining-room, as I intended."

Abby was mortified and abashed. Larry grew more and more uncomfortable.

"And, then, the vases and candelabra!" continued Mrs. Clayton. "Have
you not been forbidden to lift or move them, daughter?"

"Yes, mother," acknowledged the little girl. "But I thought you
wouldn't mind when I wanted them for the altar. I didn't suppose you'd
think anything you had was too good for the Blessed Virgin."

"Certainly not," was the reply. "I had decided to place the candelabra
on your little shrine. The pink vases are not suitable. But these
ornaments are too heavy for you to carry. It was only a happy chance
that you did not drop and break them. And, then, the statue! Do you
not remember that I would not permit you to move it yesterday? How
would you have