py grin on her face, and she shuffled
forward and stood nervously pulling at her fingers.

"Do yer like it, Miss Sara?" she said. "Do yer?"

"Like it?" cried Sara. "You darling Becky, you made it all yourself."

Becky gave a hysteric but joyful sniff, and her eyes looked quite moist
with delight.

"It ain't nothin' but flannin, an' the flannin ain't new; but I wanted
to give yer somethin' an' I made it of nights. I knew yer could PRETEND
it was satin with diamond pins in. _I_ tried to when I was makin' it.
The card, miss," rather doubtfully; "'t warn't wrong of me to pick it
up out o' the dust-bin, was it? Miss 'Meliar had throwed it away. I
hadn't no card o' my own, an' I knowed it wouldn't be a proper presink
if I didn't pin a card on--so I pinned Miss 'Meliar's."

Sara flew at her and hugged her. She could not have told herself or
anyone else why there was a lump in her throat.

"Oh, Becky!" she cried out, with a queer little laugh, "I love you,
Becky--I do, I do!"

"Oh, miss!" breathed Becky. "Thank yer, miss, kindly; it ain't good
enough for that. The--the flannin wasn't new."

7

The Diamond Mines Again

When Sara entered the holly-hung schoolroom in the afternoon, she did
so as the head of a sort of procession. Miss Minchin, in her grandest
silk dress, led her by the hand. A manservant followed, carrying the
box containing the Last Doll, a housemaid carried a second box, and
Becky brought up the rear, carrying a third and wearing a clean apron
and a new cap. Sara would have much preferred to enter in the usual
way, but Miss Minchin had sent for her, and, after an interview in her
private sitting room, had expressed her wishes.

"This is not an ordinary occasion," she said. "I do not desire that it
should be treated as one."

So Sara was led grandly in and felt shy when, on her entry, the big
girls stared at her and touched each other's elbows, and the little
ones began to squirm joyously in their seats.

"Silence, young ladies!" said Miss Minchin, at the murmur which arose.
"James, place the box on the table and remove the lid. Emma, put yours
upon a chair. Becky!" suddenly and severely.

Becky had quite forgotten herself in her excitement, and was grinning
at Lottie, who was wriggling with rapturous expectation. She almost
dropped her box, the disapproving voice so startled her, and her
frightened, bobbing curtsy of apology was so funny that Lavinia and
Jessie tittered.

"I