'Well, I think you might as well do as you are asked, Milly,' said Annie.

David and Emma soon appeared running across the lawn, and David said that he had found Emma writing letters in the drawing-room.

'Writing complaints home, no doubt,' Annie whispered to Edith.

As they could not hold their council any longer, they started for a walk together.

Milly seemed to get into one scrape after another, through that tongue of hers; for the next day she had a letter from Elsie, saying that she had told her mamma what Milly had said about Miss Best leaving the Delsons, and the letter went on-' so mamma wrote to Miss Best, and asked her if she could come here. There has been such a fuss about it, now, for Mrs. Delson says that she has never said a word about Miss Best leaving them, or even thought of it, and mamma is very much displeased with me for repeating it. She says that I have made mischief between her and Mrs. Delson, and between Mrs. Delson and Miss Best. I am so unhappy about it, because I am sure I did not mean to. I thought it was all true what you

told me, but I suppose I ought not to have said anything about it.'

Then she spoke of other things, and said that Amy had made friends with her again in a way, but she was not the same as she used to be.

She could not think how it was, she said, for they used to be so happy before. When Mrs. Ellis saw this letter, she was really angry.

What shall I do with you, Milly?' she said, 'there seems to be no end to the mischief you make! I shall really have to send you away by yourself to a strict school, where you will be kept in order. I am distressed, Milly, more than I can tell you. Go to your room, and remain there for the morning.'

'But I did not mean to make mischief, mamma,' answered Milly; I only told Elsie what Julia Delson told me.'

'You know perfectly that you have done wrong, and I am tired of speaking to you about it,' replied Mrs. Ellis, 'so go to your room, and I shall write to Mrs. Grant and let her know that it is your fault, not Elsie's, and I shall find out what Julia Delson really did tell you,

because I know that you never do repeat things correctly.'

As Milly passed the nursery door she heard Jamie singing

'Tell-tale-tit,

Her tongue shall be slit,

And all the doggies in the town

Shall have a little bit.'

It seemed as if it was meant for her, thought Jamie very unkind to sing it.

and she

He did

ELL, I never!' exclaimed Jane, as she flounced into the kitchen one morn

ing, 'here has Miss Milly been making

mischief about nurse, now! Martha is the third servant that her busy little tongue has sent away from this house, and nurse, it appears, will follow. Who will come next, I wonder?'

'I declare it is a downright shame!' replied cook. 'She comes down here in the kitchen against her mamma's orders, and then goes tittletattling up-stairs every little word we servants say. She ought to be ashamed of herself. It's such a mean thing for a young lady to do! What's she been saying of nurse?'

'Oh, I don't know what all she hasn't been saying,' answered Jane. 'She says that nurse

is always rude to her, and calls her names, and that nurse said it was a shame of missus to send Martha away, and no end of it, and all nurse really said to Miss Milly was, that it was a shame of her to be the cause of Martha's going, and that we servants called her a tittle-tattle, which she is, sure enough! I can hardly fancy missus believing all Miss Milly says about the servants, when she knows her so well.'

At this moment Mrs. Ellis appeared at the kitchen door, for she had been in her store-room, which was close to the kitchen, and had overheard this conversation.

'Is Martha here?' she asked.

'No, ma'am, she is up-stairs,' answered cook. Mrs. Ellis went up-stairs, feeling distressed but not surprised at the discovery which she had made, but thankful that her eyes had been opened to the real state of the case, and on her way she determined to do justice to those concerned. She called Milly to come to her in the dining-room, and then told her to fetch Martha. She began by asking—

'Martha, can you tell me when Miss Milly

heard you say that you wished to leave this place?'