if Aunt Sophy had taken me into good society. Yes, I'd have stuck to
you whatever happened; but now"--Pauline pressed her hand to her
heart--"everything is altered. You are cruel, and I don't love you any
more. But I am in such trouble, and so completely in despair, that I will
come to the picnic; and if I can bring two of the girls, I will. There is
nothing more to say. You may expect us at eleven o'clock on Wednesday
night."

"But there is more to say," cried Nancy.

She flew at Pauline, and before she could stop her Nancy had lifted the
younger girl into her strong arms. She had not only lifted her into her
arms, but she was running with her in the direction where Becky and Amy
were minding the pony.

"Hurrah! I have won!" she cried. "She yields. Come and kiss her, the
little duck.--Pauline, you silly, if you don't love me, I love you; and
you will soon find out for yourself what a good time you are going to
have, and what a goose you have made of yourself with all this ridiculous
fuss. What a grand birthday you are going to have, Paulie! A birthday for
a whole twenty-four hours--a whole day and a whole night! Remember, there
will be presents, there will be surprises, there will be love, there will
be sweetness. Trust us, you will never get into a scrape for this. Now
run along home as fast as you can."

Pauline did not run. She closed the wicket-gate and walked soberly to the
house. Strange as it may seem, once she had made her decision, the fact
that she was to deceive her aunt, and do the thing that of all others
would fill Aunt Sophia with horror, did not pain her. The conflict was
over; she must rest now until the time came to go. She was a clever
child, and she thought out the situation with wonderful clearness. She
must go. There was no help for it. The sin must be sinned. After all,
perhaps, it was not such a very great sin. Aunt Sophia would be happier
if she never knew anything at all about it.

"If I go she will never know," thought the child. "Nancy is clever, and
now that I have yielded to her she will not fail me. If I go it will
never be discovered, and what has happened before will never be
discovered; and Aunt Sophy will never have reason to distrust me, for she
will never know. Yes," thought Pauline, "it is the only possible way."

She saw Penelope coming to meet her. The other girls were still busy with
their birthday surprises, but Penelope had just deposited her own small
and somewhat shab