n, and in a most painful posture proceeded to pin
the flowers round Madeline's frock, which she did so adroitly as to
conceal all the spots of oil.

Just as this business was completed a servant brought into the room a
small red morocco case, inclosing a beautiful pearl necklace, and
accompanied by a note from her grandfather, in which he requested her
acceptance of it as a new-year's gift, and desired that she would wear
it on that evening at Mrs. Templeton's ball.

While Juliet was admiring the necklace, Madeline took it out of her
hand, saying, "Let me see how this looks on _my_ neck. Beautiful--really
beautiful. Ah, Juliet, it is so pretty I cannot bear to take it off
again. Come _I_ shall wear it this evening."--"But indeed," said Juliet,
"I should like very much to wear it myself; particularly as it is my
grandfather's request."--"Nonsense," answered Madeline; "grandpa is not
going to the ball himself, and how will he know whether you wear it or
not? And your father and mother are both at the theatre, and are
ignorant even of its arrival. I forgot to bring a necklace with me: so
this comes quite _apropos_. Come, I am not going to give it up this
evening. Possession, you know, is nine points of the law: and your white
neck requires no pearls to set it off."

"You know very well that my neck is _not_ white," said Juliet.

"Well then," replied Madeline, "if it is brown, the pearls will make it
look browner still. Positively you shall not have it to-night, if I run
for it." Upon which she ran down stairs into the front-parlour, and
pretended to hide behind the window-curtain, to save herself, as she
told Edward, from the vengeance of Juliet, whose new necklace she had
seized and carried off. Edward did not think this a very good joke;
however, he made no comment, and his sister coming down immediately
after, he handed her and Madeline into the carriage, and accompanied
them to Mrs. Templeton's.

At the ball the volatility of Madeline reached its climax. She talked,
laughed, flirted, jumped, and occasionally appealed to those in the same
cotillon to know if they had ever seen such a wild creature. Edward,
however, could not help observing her unkindness and rudeness to the
little children, whom she pushed about and scolded, whenever they came
in her way. Two of her younger sisters were preparing to dance together,
when Madeline and Edward, who were looking for a place, came up. "This
cotillon is completed," said E