she added
gently. "If you would only use it in the right way. Perhaps my little
flowers will remind you to."

"I hope they will. I wish they would," said Millie, fastening them in her
coat. "Goodbye."

Before she reached her own home Millie saw her father out at the door
looking for her. As a rule, it made her angry to be watched for in this
way, "Setting all the neighbours talking," as she put it. But to-day her
conscience really pricked her, and she was prepared to be amiable.
Her father, though, was not prepared to be amiable. He had got a
headache, and he wanted his tea. He had been wanting it for an hour and
more.

"Where have you been gallivanting all this time, I'd like to know.
I'll be bound you've been a may-gaming somewhere as you didn't ought to on
a Sunday, your dooty to me forgotten."

To Millie this sounded unjust and cruel. She had let her duties slip from
her for a while, but she had been neither may-gaming nor wasting her time.
Indeed, she had been in closer touch with better things and nobler aims
than ever in her life before, and in her new mood her father's words
jarred and hurt her. An angry retort rose to her lips.

"I haven't been with anybody," she replied sharply. "I've been for a walk
by myself, that's all. It's hard if I can't have a few minutes for myself
sometimes." But, in putting up her hand to remove her hat, she brushed
her flowers roughly, and her angry words died away. In return for a blow
they gave out a breath of such sweetness that Millie could not but heed
it. "I--I was thinking, and I forgot about tea-time," she added in a
gentler voice. "But I won't be long getting it now, father."

While the kettle was coming to the boil she laid the cloth and cut some
bread and butter; then she went to the larder and brought out an apple
pie. With all her faults, Millie was a good cook, and looked after her
father well.

He looked at her preparations approvingly, and his brow cleared.
"You're a good maid, Millie," he said, as he helped the pie, while Millie
poured out the tea. "I'm sorry I spoke a bit rough just now. I didn't
really mean anything. I was only a bit put out."

Millie's heart glowed with pride and pleasure. "That's all right,
father," and then she added, almost shyly, "I--I'd no business to--to
forget the time, and stay out so long." It was the first time in her life
she had admitted she was wrong when her father had been vexed with her and
given h