, most be, most be,'
and to my great delight he handed me the precious cup and saucer, first
wrapping them up in a dirty bit of newspaper.

[Illustration: ZWANZIG--TWENTY SCHELLING, THAT CUP.]

"Then he took the ten-shilling piece out of my purse, and handed it back
to me, leaving me in possession of my two sixpences, my fourpenny bit,
and my five coppers.

"I flew out of the shop, thanking the old man effusively, and rushed up
the street clutching my treasure, while rattle-rattle went the bones of
its companion in my pocket. My father was just shaking hands with Mr.
Lennox and turning round to look for me, when I ran up. Mr. Lennox, it
appeared, was the gentleman who was to have driven home with us, but
something had occurred to detain him in the town, and he was on his way
to explain this to my father when we met him.

"My father was rather silent and grave on the way home; he seemed to have
forgotten that I had said anything to vex him; some magistrates' business
had worried him, and it was that that he had been talking about to Mr.
Lennox. He said to me that he was half afraid he would have to drive into
the town again the next day, adding, 'It is a pity Lennox did not know in
time. By staying a little later, we might have got all done.'

"To his astonishment I replied by begging him to let me come with him
again the next day. He said to me, 'Why, Nelly, you were just now saying
you did not care for going to see your grandmother, that it was dull, and
tired you. What queer creatures children are.'

"I felt my cheeks grow hot, but I replied that I was sorry I had said
that, and that I did want very much to go to see my grandmother again. Of
course you will understand, children, that I was thinking about the best
chance of putting back the cup, or rather its substitute, but my dear
father thought I was sorry for having vexed him, and that I wanted to
please him by asking to go again, so he readily granted my request. But
I felt far from happy that evening at home, when something was said about
my wanting to go again, and one of my brothers remarking that I must
surely have enjoyed myself very greatly at my grandmother's, my father
and mother looked at me kindly and said that their little Nelly liked to
please others as well as herself. Oh how guilty I felt! I hated having
anything to conceal, for I was by nature very frank. And oh, what a
torment the poor cup and saucer were! I got rid of the bits by throwing
th