little crushing, and could not resist the temptation to patronise
in her turn.

"Oh, indeed!" said Miss Blish, rather blankly, for French was not her
strong point by any means.

"I am to go abroad with uncle in a year or two, and he knows how
important it is to understand the languages. Half the girls who leave
school can't speak decent French, and when they go abroad they are
so mortified. I shall be very glad to help you, if you like, for, of
course, you have no one to talk with at home."

Now Ariadne, though she looked like a wax doll, had feelings within her
instead of sawdust, and these feelings were hurt by Rose's lofty tone.
She thought her more "stuck up" than ever, but did not know how to bring
her down, yet longed to do it, for she felt as if she had received a
box on the ear, and involuntarily put her hand up to it. The touch of an
ear-ring consoled her, and suggested a way of returning tit for tat in a
telling manner.

"Thank you, dear; I don't need any help, for our teacher is from Paris,
and of course he speaks better French than your uncle." Then she added,
with a gesture of her head that set the little bells on her ears to
tingling: "How do you like my new ear-rings? Papa gave them to me last
week, and everyone says they are lovely."

Rose came down from her high horse with a rapidity that was comical,
for Ariadne had the upper hand now. Rose adored pretty things, longed
to wear them, and the desire of her girlish soul was to have her ears
bored, only Dr. Alec thought it foolish, so she never had done it. She
would gladly have given all the French she could jabber for a pair of
golden bells with pearl-tipped tongues, like those Ariadne wore; and,
clasping her hands, she answered, in a tone that went to the hearer's
heart,

"They are too sweet for anything! If uncle would only let me wear some,
I should be perfectly happy."

"I wouldn't mind what he says. Papa laughed at me at first, but he likes
them now, and says I shall have diamond solitaires when I am eighteen,"
said Ariadne, quite satisfied with her shot.

"I've got a pair now that were mamma's, and a beautiful little pair of
pearl and turquoise ones, that I am dying to wear," sighed Rose.

"Then do it. I'll pierce your ears, and you must wear a bit of silk in
them till they are well; your curls will hide them nicely; then, some
day, slip in your smallest ear-rings, and see if your uncle don't like
them."

"I asked him if it wouldn't d