'I can hardly think it is so.

I shall go, there!' and saying this she ran up the stairs, and knocked

at Emma's bed-room door.

Who is there?' Emma answered.

'I; Edith,' she answered.

Emma came to the door and unlocked it. Her eyes were very red and swollen with crying, and as Edith looked at her face, she felt her heart melt towards her friend, but she did not show it. Emma, she thought, must certainly be going away, for there was her box in the middle of the room, and some of her clothes scattered round it. Edith felt afraid to ask, at first, not knowing what might be the reason.

'What is the matter, dear?

Why are you packing your box?' she said at last.

Emma suddenly turned very pale, and sat down

on her bed, trembling violently. Edith was frightened, and went to her side to support her.

'Are you ill, Emma dear? What is the matter?' she asked.

'Read this,' Emma said, as she put a letter into Edith's hand.

Edith read the letter, which announced to Emma the death of her mother, and desired

to come home immediately with her brother William, who was coming to fetch her.

Edith felt thunderstruck, and could find nothing to say for a few moments. At last she saidDear Emma, I am so sorry for

know she was ill ?'

you.

Did you

'I only knew it four days ago,' answered Emma, as she laid her head on Edith's shoulder and sobbed.

'Have you told mamma yet?' asked Edith.

'No, I have not had a chance,' replied Emma, 'I only had the letter about half an hour ago, and then some one was with Mrs. Ellis, so I could not go to her.'

How did Milly hear it?' Edith asked.

'It

was from her that I first knew you were in trouble.' 'I was speaking to Martha, asking her for some of my things, as I expect to be fetched home today or to-morrow. Milly was in the passage, so I suppose she heard it. Oh, dear Edith, what shall I do? what shall I do?' she sobbed.

Edith did not try to stop Emma from giving vent to her grief, because she thought that it might do her good, and she would be calmer afterwards. After a little while she said tearfully

6

Emma, I know that I have been very unkind to you this week. this week. I am so sorry. Do forgive me, if you can. I understand you, now. I did not know that you were anxious about your mother, when I thought you purposely avoided joining in all our fun.'

6

'Never mind now, dear Edith,' replied Emma. It is true that I have been very unhappy, because I saw you were all cold to me and suspected me of something, but I could not tell what. I felt quite miserable to think that my friends had turned against me. I should not have minded what other people said, because I should have known how to account for it, but that you should have been ready to suspect me of anything, without even asking me if it was true, was what I could not understand.'

'There is one thing which I have been wishing to ask you for some time,' said Edith. 'You know the day that we went out to fish in the river. Do you remember saying to me that you thought Annie was very deceitful?'

Emma started back, and looked amazed, and was just going to say something indignant, when an idea suddenly struck her, and instead of

answering, she got up and took a book off the shelf, which was the one that she and Edith had been reading on that day.

'You don't recollect what we were reading about?' she asked.

Then Edith remembered for the first time that the heroine of their story was called Annie. Emma turned over the leaves hastily, till she found the place, and pointed to this sentence

"Yes, I think Annie has acted in a very deceitful manner," answered Eleanor.'

And this was what Milly had overheard, and had made the groundwork of so much mischief!

CHAPTER XII.

EXPLANATIONS.

DITH left Emma, telling her that she would ask her mamma to come and

see her. When she had done this, she called David and Annie, and asked them to go for a walk with her. Then she told them about Emma's trouble, and explained the several misrepresentations which had caused them to think unkindly of her, proving how Milly had all along been the cause of it.

'Well,' said Annie indignantly, 'I do think it would be only a fair punishment to send "Titus" to Coventry.'

'Yes, it's what the boys at school would do fast enough if one of us did such mean things,' replied David.

'I, for one, shall do it,' said Edith; 'that little