cheeks, and knew that it was because she had been so
naughty that the tears were there, Ruby wanted to bury her head in the
pillow beside her mother, and have a good cry there; but she remembered
what her father had told her, and kept very quiet. She only kissed her
mother, and whispering how very sorry she was, she came away, feeling
comforted and forgiven by her mother's kiss. "I don't see how I am
ever bad to such a lovely mamma," she said to herself.

She was a little shy about going downstairs. It was not very pleasant
to remember that the very first thing Aunt Emma had known about her
when she came was that she was in mischief, and Ruby thought of course
she would say something about it, and perhaps that Ann would reprove
her, too.

But she was very pleasantly disappointed when at last she went into the
sitting-room, where Aunt Emma was busy with some sewing.

She looked up and greeted her little niece as if she had not seen her
before since her arrival; and she seemed so wholly unconscious of
anything unusual in Ruby's not being down to breakfast, that the little
girl thought perhaps her aunt had forgotten all about it. Ann did not
say anything more to her about her naughtiness either, and before
dinner-time Ruby was almost happy at the idea of going to
boarding-school with a trunk, and a key, which she meant to wear upon a
string around her neck.

She intended to persuade Ruthy to go, too, though. She was quite sure
that not even the trunk could make her go away happily without her
little friend.

CHAPTER VI.

PREPARATIONS.

Aunt Emma was very pleasant company for some time, but when she went
upstairs to the sick-room, Ruby concluded that she would go over and
see Ruthy.

She felt quite important as she walked along, thinking of the great
news she had to tell. It did not take Ruby very long to forget about
her troubles and penitences, and if it had not been for the sight of
the blackened remains of the fire, and the pile of boards lying where
her father had thrown them when he pushed them down and carried Ruby
out, she might not have thought of last night's performance for some
time.

As it was, she stopped the happy little song that had been on her lips,
and walked along very quietly for a time, thinking how sorry she was
that she had made her mother worse, and that she was going to be sent
away from home because she could not be trusted.

While going to boarding-school might be a ver