man waited until the meal had come to an end,
then she called the little girl to her side.

"Now, my dear Iris, what is all this mystery?" she asked.

"Orion has told me all about it, Aunt Jane, but I don't think I'll
tell. Please don't ask me."

"My dear. I insist upon knowing."

"It was not his fault, Aunt Jane, and I am almost sure he will never
do it again; he is very sorry indeed. I think he will try to be good
in future."

Mrs. Dolman was about to reply angrily, when a sudden memory came over
her. She recalled words her brother had used.

"I will give you the children," he had said, "but you must try to be
gentle with them."

She looked at Iris now, and did not speak for nearly a minute.

"Very well," she said then; "you are a queer child, but I am inclined
to trust you. Only please understand that if ever there is any
misconduct in the future, I shall insist on knowing everything."

"I am greatly obliged to you, Aunt Jane. I could love you for being so
kind. I will promise that Orion never does anything of that sort
again."

The children all filed out of the dining room. They had now, according
to the rule of the day, to return to the schoolroom and lie down for
an hour. This part of the daily programme was intensely distasteful to
the little Dolmans, and certainly the Delaneys did not appreciate it a
bit better, but at long last the wearisome lessons were over, and the
little people were free.

The moment they got into the garden Philip and Conrad might have been
seen scudding away as fast as their little feet could carry them.
Iris, however, had watched them disappearing.

"I want to speak to the boys," she said to Ann.

"Why?" asked Ann.

"Please ask them to come to me, Ann; I have something most particular
to say to them."

"I know what you mean," answered Ann, turning crimson; "it was Philip
and Conrad who got poor little Orion into mischief. Oh, Iris! it was
brave of you, and it was brave of Orion not to tell. I wondered how
you had the courage to defy mamma."

"I did not defy her," answered Iris. "But please, Ann, I must speak to
the boys. Send them to me at once."

"They are frightened, and are going to hide," said Ann; "but I'll soon
get them," she answered. "I know their ways."

After a minute or two she returned, leading Philip and Conrad by the
hands.

"Iris wants to talk to you," she said to them.

"Yes," said Iris, "I want to say something to you by yourselves."

Ann dis